Orange Cassidy recently spoke with Brett Thompson of ESPN and discussed several topics and reflected on the success of his gimmick. Cassidy responded to the criticism that he shouldn’t showcase his wrestling skills. “If I have to wrestle, I’ll wrestle, It’s not my fault that I’m good at wrestling,” said Cassidy. “It’s like one of those things, you have a job, you’re good at it, but you know, do you really wanna?”
With such a controversial character, Cassidy has been ruffling feathers for quite a while. In some ways, it’s his contrast with traditional professional wrestling that landed him a spot in All Elite Wrestling. “The Young Bucks were the people that were like, ‘We need to get Orange here,’” said Cassidy. “Because my character is a giant middle finger to professional wrestling, so they were like, ‘Of course, let’s get him in.’”
Thompson also cited a remark made by Jim Ross, who’s arguably as old-school as they come, on a March episode of his “Grilling JR” podcast about how he initially dismissed Cassidy’s odds of becoming successful. Ross said also shared that Cassidy proved him wrong. “I have to admit, when I first saw Orange Cassidy, my old-school self said, ‘well, that kid’s never going to get over. That’s too bad. He seems like a nice young man,’” said Ross (via Thompson). “I was wrong on Orange Cassidy. He’s a fine guy. He’s a good pro. And he’s got a different act.”
Cassidy’s distinct character is resonating with fans, and he’s quickly becoming one of All Elite Wrestling’s top stars. “To see people care about what I’m doing is very surreal, because it’s like, it only worked in front of 50 people,” said Cassidy. “To hear giant crowds react to it, it’s like I can’t explain it.”
Finally, Cassidy responded as only he could when asked if he’d run with the proverbial ball. “I’ll walk,” said Cassidy.
RELATED: Tony Khan Told Orange Cassidy To Hide His Wrestling Ability For Months
