On this past Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite, after a three month hiatus, Jon Moxley made his return to AEW. He also made his return to the ring on Friday night’s live episode of Rampage, where he successfully defeated Ethan Page.
It was announced last November, that Moxley would be taking time off to enter into an inpatient alcohol treatment program.
This past week on an episode of Busted Open Radio, WWE Hall of Famer Bubba Ray Dudley, (Bully Ray), said that he believed Jon Moxley should have apologized to AEW fans during his return promo on he (Moxley) did on Wednesday’s Dynamite.
Bubba Ray Dudley (Bully Ray) said the following:
“I did enjoy that they started off with Moxley…They came out with a bang, people were ready for it and Moxley said what he needed to say. However, I would have liked to have heard just a little bit of accountability from Jon. I understand the whole demons thing and we always use the word demons as a creative word to get around the real issues. Whether it’s an alcohol issue, whether it’s a drug issue. In Tommy [Dreamer’s] case it’s an eating issue. Everybody has some kind of demon that they have to get around…we have our demons. These demons got the best of Jon for a time period where he had to step away from AEW. I would have liked to have heard him say a bit of an apology to the AEW fans. You don’t have to apologize to the boys even though the boys do count on you but any one of those guys and gals could have the same problems that you did. And trust me, I came up in an era where a slew of men and women had their demons…the fans expect a little bit more from you,” Bully opined. “What about the fans that bought tickets to see AEW and Jon Moxley while Jon was away taking care of his problems I’m very happy that he left and took care of his problem. And he looked incredibly healthy last night. And I love everything that he said. I just would have loved to have heard a little bit of accountability. I don’t know if I’m sorry is necessarily the right word but maybe endear yourself a little bit to the crowd if you felt you let them down. This is coming from me, the hard ass of all hard asses.”
Bully Ray did clarify that “I’m sorry” was not necessarily the exact phrase. However, that Moxley should have “endeared himself to the crowd” if he felt that he had let them down. Bully then further stated that “Personally, if it was me in the same situation, the first thing I would have said is ‘guys, I’m sorry if I let you down’…I think that would have been the proper thing to do.”
Moxley’s wife, Former WWE Divas Champion Paige and WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley all posted their reactions to Bully Ray’s comments, which you can read below, along with the video of Jon Moxley’s return on this past Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite.