Former NJPW star Juice Robinson made his All Elite Wrestling debut vs. Jon Moxley on the September 28th broadcast of AEW Dynamite, wrestling three-time AEW World Champion Jon Moxley in a World Championship Eliminator match. Though he came up short vs. Mox, ‘Rock Hard’ Robinson impressed many, AEW officials included.
It was reported in the aftermath of the match that the former three-time IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion had “massive interest” from AEW officials. PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that despite losing and therefore not earning a crack at the AEW World Championship, Tony Khan remained keen to snap up the Bullet Club man.
A New Japan Rep Organised Juice Robinson Vs. Jon Moxley
Speaking exclusively with Inside The Ropes’ own Adam Morrison ahead of NJPW STRONG: Rumble on 44th Street, Juice Robinson detailed how, exactly, he earned the opportunity to face ‘The Death Rider’ on AEW Dynamite:
“I got a phone call from a New Japan rep asking if I wanted to, there was an open spot to fight Moxley. And I fit the person they were looking for because, you know, we have a storied past. And you know, I know Jon better than most of the people on the AEW roster, so if anybody didn’t understand why I was in that spot, that’s why.
Yeah, I kind of got the call last minute. I believe it was the Friday before Dynamite, yeah, Rampage. The afternoon before Rampage, I was actually in Nashville. They asked me if I wanted to fight Jon Moxley, well you don’t need to ask me twice. Yes, sir. I do every day, you know, twice on Sunday. I got scars from that guy, so I’ll fight him, especially on TV, especially for AEW, that’s the hottest thing, you know, and he’s the hottest guy so yeah.
It was kind of roles reversed for us because the first time I wrestled him since he left WWE was in New Japan, kind of like my home. I was very comfortable. He beat my a**, but I was very comfortable. And then, on the contrary, this time, I was walking into his home turf. He’s very comfortable. He beat my a** again, [but] I kicked his too, but yeah, it was fun. It was great. TV’s cool, American TV, I love it.”
The match marked the fourth singles encounter between Juice Robinson and Jon Moxley, with Moxley now being 3-1 over the former ‘Flamboyant’ Juice Robinson.
If you use any quotes from this transcription, please link back to this article with a H/T to Inside The Ropes.