Orange Cassidy Addresses Argument That His Style Is Insulting To Pro Wrestling

Orange Cassidy is a unique pro wrestler, and he’s not everyone’s cup of tea. In fact, some fans were outright worried when Tony Khan first signed Freshly Squeezed. Now that we are years past that debate, his drawing power for the company is undeniable.

While speaking on Casual Conversations with The Wrestling Classic, Orange Cassidy was questioned about his match with Shibata, he expressed surprise at the idea of someone like Shibata considering a match against him. Cassidy acknowledged that sharing the ring with Shibata was an incredible honor, and he now considers Shibata a friend. In fact, they recently spent time together playing roulette.

“There are a lot of people that don’t care for me, that don’t care about what I’m doing. They don’t like what I’m doing, they don’t appreciate it. They think I’m insulting professional wrestling, or whatever you want to call it. Then there is a living legend and a phenomenal professional wrestling in Shibata. He said he wanted, on his return, because he actually almost died doing what he does in the ring, and when he came back and was able to wrestle, he mentioned two people. One of them was Bryan Danielson, and the other one was me. I don’t think people understand that, but I never thought that a person of that stature would even consider me for something like that, and it was truly an honor. I barely beat him. I mean, I was terrified because he is Shibata. But because of that, Shibata and I actually played roulette last night, so we’re friends.”

Orange Cassidy’s gimmick might have been inspired by a Paul Rudd character, but he sees it the other way around. Always one to take an interesting viewpoint, Orange Cassidy rarely disappoints.

Only time will tell how long Orange Cassidy’s reign as International Champion lasts, but his matches have remained a featured part of AEW’s programming for a while. He will have quite a task ahead of him at AEW Double or Nothing in a 21-man Blackjack Battle Royal.

What’s your take on Orange Cassidy’s character in AEW? Do you think that character would ever work in WWE? Sound off in the comments!