Since All Elite Wrestling confirmed that Jon Moxley will face Satoshi Kojima at AEW All Out, some fans have been critical of the match, as the former AEW World Champion had been rumored to face a “major” name from New Japan Pro-Wrestling at the pay-per-view.
In an interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Moxley emphasized Kojima’s status as a true “icon,” and he noted that while some fans might not be familiar with his opponent, Kojima is a widely accomplished wrestler.
“Kojima is an icon; he’s someone that is decorated as f-ck,” said Moxley. “AEW has a very educated fan base, but I’m guessing there are still some people that haven’t heard of Kojima or understand what he’s done. He was IWGP and All Japan Triple Crown champion. Kojima is a legit legend.”
Moxley also emphasized that though Kojima is 50 years old, he’s still a tough fighter, and the former champion shared his belief that this bout will be a “treat”” for the fans.
“It ain’t no f-cking secret Kojima can still go,” said Moxley. “The fighting spirit is indelibly etched into Kojima’s brain. We have the greatest fans in the world, and it’s a treat for the fans of Chicago to see this man live and in-person.”
Looking ahead to the bout itself, Jon Moxley stated that it won’t “get out of the opening round” because it’ll be a brutal fight. He then made it clear that he’s looking forward to the match on Sunday.
“[Kojima] still has gas left in the tank, and there’s still something he wants to prove,” said Moxley. “He’ll be staring across from the baddest motherf-cker in the business. I don’t expect it to be long, I don’t expect it to be pretty. It’s going to be violent, and I can’t wait to get in there with him.”
