Jon Moxley Opens Up About Renee Paquette AEW Debut Fan Reaction

WWE

AEW has signed a number of former WWE names since its inception three years ago.

As well as plenty of high profile in-ring names such as Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson and recently Saraya (FKA Paige), AEW announced earlier this month that interviewer Renee Paquette was the latest ex-WWE name to become All Elite.

The announcement came mere hours before the debut that saw her open the October 12 edition of AEW Dynamite to interview Christian Cage.

Paquette’s surprise entrance provoked a huge, positive reception from fans. But according to AEW World Champion (and Paquette’s spouse) Jon Moxley, Paquette was not expecting such a pop from the AEW fanbase.

Speaking to Tony Pike & Rick Ucchino of Cincy 360 Jon Moxley said:

“I knew she was going to get a giant pop from the crowd. It’s funny, she asked me, ‘Should I introduce myself?’ ‘No, they know who you are. You don’t need to. Take a second or two because you’re coming out and there is going to be a giant reaction before you start talking.’ She’s like, ‘No.’ ‘I’m telling you.’

“…Sure enough. I didn’t even see it, I wasn’t looking at the monitor, I was walking down the hallway when she actually stepped out, but I knew just from the sound of the audience, I could tell she walked out onto the stage.’ I heard a ‘AHHHH!’ That was the Renee pop, I knew it. Afterward, she was like, ‘Woah!’ ‘I told you. You gotta listen to me (Moxley). I know this game’.”

According to Moxley, Renee Paquette joining the AEW payroll was a no-brainer as she regularly visited backstage, and as a result, was on pretty friendly terms with AEW staff prior to her official arrival.

Moxley explained:

“That was really cool. She’s been around this whole time and knows people at AEW and has been backstage. It’s been like, ‘You don’t work here? You don’t appear on camera?’ It felt like a formality. ‘You should probably just work here.’”

Jon Moxley recently signed a five-year extension to his AEW contract in a deal that includes coaching and mentoring responsibilities.

Renee Paquette worked for WWE from 2012 to 2020. She remained active in the wrestling world with her own podcast, The Sessions, and in a second podcast called Throwing Down with Miesha Tate as well as a few one-off appearances for WWE’s shows on A&E.

Renee Paquette previously revealed that she was invited to come back to WWE but reportedly turned down their offer.

Paquette was on backstage duties throughout last night’s October 26 edition of AEW Dynamite, including in a segment where she interviewed MJF. Read more about what was said in the interview right here.

Transcription via Ringside News

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• Renee Paquette
• Jon Moxley
• AEW
• wwe

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