Orange Cassidy Sets the Record Straight on 'Comedy Wrestling'

Tony Khan has done a lot while booking AEW so far, but his transformation of Orange Cassidy has been impressive to see. Some were initially worried when TK signed the indie darling who couldn't keep his hands out of his pockets. After introducing Cassidy to the world, they have not accepted him as a pro wrestling star. Still, it's hard to shake that comic stigma that brought him to the table.

Orange Cassidy, a prominent figure in Tony Khan's AEW, is celebrated for his captivating in-ring abilities. Despite his silence and comedic routines, Cassidy has garnered immense popularity among wrestling enthusiasts.

The current AEW International Champion is often seen as a comedic attraction, known for his playful gestures such as teasing opponents with kicks and responding to others with his signature thumb raise.

During a recent interview with theathletic.com, Cassidy expressed gratitude towards AEW, highlighting the opportunity it provides to showcase a range of emotions. He emphasized the importance of versatility in professional wrestling, stating that being pigeonholed into one role would lead to stagnation. In the end, he doesn't really care for the term "comedic wrestling."

“I don’t really like the term comedy wrestler because I feel that professional wrestling is an art. This is the art I create and art, to me, should generate emotions out of people. Those emotions could be laughter. They could also be joy, it could also be sadness, it could be regret, it could be depression. If I was just a comedic wrestler, would people really care, would they be invested?“

Orange Cassidy remarked that in a movie solely filled with laughter for 90 minutes, there's always a moment that deeply resonates with the audience. He expressed gratitude towards AEW for providing him with the opportunity to display various emotions, emphasizing that elsewhere, he might be confined to a single comedic role. Cassidy noted the risk of becoming stale if restricted to one-dimensional character portrayals. He stressed the importance of being a professional wrestler above all else to evoke genuine emotions from the audience.

It was once difficult to get more than three words out of Orange Cassidy. Now, he's doing full-fledged interviews, while diving into his own version of pro wrestling theory.

AEW has built Orange Cassidy into a legitimate champion, as fans follow what Freshly Squeezed does next. We will have to see how Tony Khan books OC in the future, because he has certainly done a lot for him so far.