Christian Cage recently gave his thoughts on returning to the ring in his first singles match in over seven years, rating his performance as a B-plus.
Christian would shock the world of professional wrestling when it was announced he was ‘All Elite’, less than one month after competing in WWE’s Royal Rumble match in a stunning return to the ring. Cage, who had been forced into retirement in 2014 due to concussion issues, was a surprise entrant into the match, with many fans speculating a proper return to WWE might be on the cards for the ‘Leader of The Peeps’.
However, in the weeks that followed the pay-per-view, it was announced that Christian Cage had in fact signed with AEW. First appearing at ‘Revolution’, Cage would make his in-ring debut with the company on a recent episode of Dynamite against former TNA opponent, Frankie Kazarian.
In a recent interview with ET Canada, Cage detailed his gratitude for returning to the squared circle. A self-proclaimed tough critic, Christian would grade the match a B-plus:
“It felt great to get back in there. Honestly, it was a little surreal. I had to kind of pinch myself right before I went out there, I stepped through those ropes and I kissed the ring. And that was kind of a symbol of like taking back what I had lost seven years ago. And it was like coming home.
As soon as I stepped foot to those ropes, it all comes back. No matter how much training you put in, nothing can replicate getting in there and doing it for real. So it was a real test and it was a test against myself and against Frankie and against all these factors of coming back after such a long layoff. But I am always my toughest critic, so I will grade myself a B-plus.”
Christian Cage has a long and celebrated career inside the ropes. A former NWA and WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Cage is also known for his partnership with WWE Hall of Famer, Edge. The pair, who have captured the WWE Tag Team Championships a mammoth 9 times together, are real life best friends, growing up and breaking in to the world of professional wrestling together.
When asked if Edge had seen Christian’s debut match on AEW, Cage revealed that Edge had not only seen it, but the pair had watched it together:
“So he’s actually staying at my house. Yeah, because obviously Smackdown and Raw are here in Tampa so we watched it together. He was very happy for me and was very complimentary of it. And of course, we always both kind of nitpick and give each other constructive criticism and those sorts of things.
But I think, for the most part, he felt the same way that I did. I don’t think it could have gone better for the first one back.”
Following his 2021 Royal Rumble return, many fans speculated as to whether Edge and Christian would reunite for one more run as a tag team, with the pair themselves expressing interest. Though this may no longer be possible, both men are experiencing almost unprecedented returns following career ending injuries.
Following the match, in which Cage would pick up a victory over Kazarian, the two participants and seasoned veterans showed a mutual respect for each other in a Twitter exchange:
Nothing but respect. I have ALWAYS known how good you are. I knew it before you did yourself…. https://t.co/SB8IAjvvjg
— Jay 'Christian' Reso (@Christian4Peeps) April 1, 2021
As of yet, no official plans have been announced as to when Christian Cage will step inside the squared circle next.