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Covered in Blood, Orange Cassidy Reaches New Level of Greatness at All Out

AEW has a new star. His name? “Freshly Squeezed” Orange Cassidy

Justin Barrasso

Covered in Blood, Orange Cassidy Reaches New Level of Greatness at All Out
Covered in Blood, Orange Cassidy Reaches New Level of Greatness at All Out /

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Orange Cassidy: “I refuse to do it the way it’s been done”

The continuous search for wrestling’s next breakthrough star took a momentary pause this past Sunday.

Despite an onslaught of action over the prior seven days, including more than seven hours of pay-per-view wrestling and two more live shows, Sunday’s crowd at the United Center in Chicago was treated to a moment of greatness.

Contents

  1. The (Online) Week in Wrestling
  2. Gunther passing The Honky Tonk Man for WWE’s longest reigning Intercontinental champ
  3. Tweet of the Week

Jon Moxley closed out AEW’s All Out pay-per-view by winning the International championship. Orange Cassidy, however, attained a feat significantly more valuable.

During the 19-minute match and ensuing post-match ovation, Cassidy found the strength and skill to break through wrestling’s most challenging wall and claim his place at the top of the card.

No longer is Cassidy merely the opponent for the stars. During the main event at All Out, he became the attraction.

Remarkably, Cassidy accomplished the triumph while staying true to himself.

“I don’t like to talk,” said Cassidy. “I let my actions speak for me. That’s not how this works. People are supposed to grab a microphone and tell you how to feel. I see it differently.”

Courtesy AEW
Courtesy AEW

In a world where promos are egotistical and people put themselves over, Cassidy is the complete opposite. In the rare instances when he does speak, he offers a blend of self-deprecating humor and humility. It was rare to hear him cut a promo last week on Dynamite, where he shared how much AEW means to him.

But Orange Cassidy doesn’t want you to hear his words. He much prefers you respond to his actions.

“I think our fans are very smart, and their emotions can speak for themselves,” said Cassidy. “I do it in the ring through actually wrestling. I may not nail it every time, but I’m telling my story through professional wrestling. It’s taken me a long time to figure it out, but I refuse to do it the way it’s been done.”

There were so many gripping moments in Sunday’s Moxley-Cassidy match. The stretch where Cassidy started lightly kicking Moxley in the shin, and then ramped up the intensity–showcasing a combination of spark, spirit, and determination–unveiled another layer for Cassidy.

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Another element that added to the main event bout was the attention to detail. Moxley is a strong proponent for bleeding in matches. Whether it is a small cut or gushing blood, he believes it is a realistic part of combat sports. Yet while blood gushed out of Cassidy’s extremities, Moxley never bled.

“It wasn’t for lack of trying,” said Cassidy. “But for a guy who bleeds as much as Jon, I couldn’t get him to. I don’t know what that says about me.”

After 31 successful title defenses, Cassidy hit a roadblock at All Out. An outrageously executed Death Rider finally ended his title reign, and the chase will now occupy Cassidy’s future.

Courtesy AEW
Courtesy AEW

Clearly, wrestling fans are enamored with Cassidy. That was evident even after he lost. Moxley had envisioned a scenario where the pay-per-view ended with a beaten and bloodied Cassidy on the ring mat with no music playing, but the decibel level would be deafening with a standing ovation. That is precisely what occurred, as Cassidy soaked up the moment surrounded by real-life best friends Chuck Taylor, Trent Beretta, and Kris Statlander.

“I always make it a point that we’re shown together,” said Cassidy. “I wouldn’t have had that championship and I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did without Trent, Chuck, and Kris. We are legitimately best friends. Mentally and physically, we rely on each other. There have been times where I was so hurt I couldn’t lift my bag into an overhead compartment, and Chuck’s done it for me. Trent’s always there for me. Kris has literally carried me places. Without them, I’d never have been able to accomplish what I did.”

It was difficult to notice under the sunglasses and smears of blood on his face, but while the crowd was applauding Cassidy after the match, he was also cheering for them.

“My trajectory through AEW is only because of the AEW fans,” said Cassidy. “I appreciated the moment they gave me. They did that for me, but it wasn’t just for me. It was for them, too. They’re the reason I was covered in blood. I wrestle for them. They make our company run, and I don’t think we give enough credit for what they do.”

A championship run was especially meaningful for Cassidy because of what he was seeking to accomplish. His goal was always to highlight his opponents, which he did against a collection of talented wrestlers that included Kip Sabian, Lance Archer, Wheeler Yuta, Katsuyori Shibata, Aaron Solo, Bandido, Buddy Matthews, and Lee Moriarty.

“I viewed it as a vehicle to have matches with people who didn’t normally get the spotlight,” said Cassidy. “I’ve been in AEW since the beginning. I’ve wrestled on DARK, I’ve wrestled on Rampage. I see the talent we have in the locker room, and I wanted to give an opportunity for the hardest working guys to show out.”

Cassidy credits AEW owner Tony Khan for believing he could be a star on the next level. He noted that the All Out pay-per-view featured performances that rewarded Khan’s faith in his roster.

“I’ve heard people say they were surprised that Will Hobbs and Ricky Starks were so amazing at All Out,” said Cassidy. “Tony wasn’t surprised. That’s why he had them in those positions. He believes in the Dark Order. And his belief in us, that’s why this company is going to keep growing.”

Cassidy seized the moment at All Out. He removed any doubt that he did not belong in the main event, standing every bit as Moxley’s equal.

“That’s the guy who put AEW on his shoulders when we needed carrying,” said Cassidy. “The respect I have for Jon Moxley is immense. He leads by example, and his presence and actions make us better professional wrestlers and better people. And yes, when you’re in a ring with him, you’re going to bleed.”

The next stop for Cassidy is forward. He is staring at uncharted territory at the top of the card, and he plans to make the most of it.

“I’m interested in seeing where we go next,” said Cassidy. “This isn’t time to stop. It’s time to go to Dynamite.”

The (Online) Week in Wrestling

Sami Zayn and Jey Uso embraced on Raw, which was a really fun moment. What will the future hold for Uso on Raw? And does this mean Cody Rhodes is headed to SmackDown?

Where do you stand on this week’s Being The Elite? Were the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega wrong to poke fun at Pepsi/CM Punk? Was it any worse than Punk’s “counterfeit bucks” line?

Kayfabe News, once again, perfectly captures the CM Punk situation.

Credit to Finn Bálor and Damian Priest for conducting this segment in a very believable manner.

If you’re eager to hear me on the radio, then you’re in luck. Thanks to 98.5 The Sports Hub host Joe Murray for bringing some pro wrestling to the airwaves.

How great was Ricky Starks in the All Out strap match against Bryan Danielson?

I’m hopeful that this current run will build to something significant for Shayna Baszler, but I did find it odd that her opponent on Monday’s Raw was Zoey Stark, who just stood up to Trish Stratus at Payback–unless the plan is to pair them together.

Gunther passing The Honky Tonk Man for WWE’s longest reigning Intercontinental champ

Gunther defeated Chad Gable in the main event of Raw, all but assuring he will surpass the 454-day reign of The Honky Tonk Man and become WWE’s longest reigning Intercontinental champion.

There is so much to like about this. For starters, the match was phenomenal. It was the best Gable ever looked in a WWE ring, and though it was clear that he would not win, there were some genuine moments of suspense. Having his children sit ringside only added to the moment, which will be even more meaningful if he can finally defeat Gunther for the title.

Gunther is a tremendous force and a future world champion. If you saw him beforehand on the indies, consider yourself fortunate. He is one of those rare generational talents, the type that makes you believe in what you are watching. He is rugged, versatile, and flat out tough in the ring.

One of the highlights was the post-show interview that ran exclusively online.

Gunther did not break character. He stuck with what brought him to this level, and kept projecting himself as a cocky, egotistical villain. Wrestling needs more people like Gunther, and it has been a joy watching him flourish as IC champ.

Tweet of the Week

Demolition >>>> The Road Warriors

Published
Justin Barrasso
JUSTIN BARRASSO

Justin Barrasso has been writing for Sports Illustrated since 2014. While his primary focus is pro wrestling and MMA, he has also covered MLB, NBA, and the NFL. He can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com and followed on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.

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