Austin Aries will take on Kushida in the first round of the 2025 MLW Opera Cup. In a recent interview with SlamWrestling.net, the Milwaukee, WI native spoke about his in-ring return to the promotion September 13th at Fightland.
“I feel like MLW is one of the few places left that presents professional wrestling in a style that [is] closer to the professional wrestling that I grew up on and that attracted me. It’s a little bit of a mix for everybody. So, this was one of the places that I felt was offering something that I could get behind, as far as getting back in the ring.”
The 47-year-old was sure to note his own limited time remaining. “I don’t know how many more years or matches I have left in me.”
Aries was last in MLW in 2019, after unsuccessfully challenging for Teddy Hart’s Middleweight Title.
Perhaps best-known for his time in TNA and Ring of Honor, having collected a number of titles between 2011 and 2015, Aries has spent the last number of years picking his spots on the independent wrestling scene and continuing to make his mark on the sport.
“Here’s an opportunity for me to step back onto a stage that people will see.”
Aries is also aware of what sort of threat Kushida poses in this first-ever match. “[He’s] one of the more decorated Super Juniors the last 15-20 years. So we’re going to know right away if I can still compete at a high level because I’m not going to have a choice when I step in the ring with Kushida.”
On tipping his match plan against Kushida, “If there was, would I want to divulge it now and give away my secrets? It’s fair. I would tell him to watch out for the right hand. You know why I tell him that? Because I’m left handed.”
Knowing how good his Fightland opponent is, Aries also made sure to remind fans about his own skill between the ropes as a 25-year veteran of the sport.
“I like to think, over my career, I am one of those guys [too]. You’re either going to step up to the challenge, or I might have to yank you up, or you’re going to realize that you’re not quite at that level yet.”
After more than 20 years in the ring, Aries isn’t quite done making his mark on the sport yet. But he’s aware of the potential detractors that will be in the crowd in North Richland Hills, TX.
“I think what’s been most fulfilling is, there tends to be this idea of who Austin Aries is, this reputation. There’s a lot of negativity that I see online.”
Fans watching Fightland are likely to be split on how they feel about Aries.
“When I’ve gone to the locker rooms [in] all these different promotions across the world, I don’t get any of that. I’ve been welcomed with open arms. I’ve been able to help the younger generation [through] doing my training seminars, my master classes, trying to share the knowledge I have,” Aries reflected. “Both the things that I’ve done right in my career and the things that I haven’t done right in my career.”
“So that’s been the most fulfilling is to see how well received I am, how much impact I’ve had on a lot of young careers as they’re trying to make their way and just now, at this point, my career where I’m able to give back,” he said.
Aries is still competing to give back to the sport that has given him so much and just for the love of the game.
“My ego doesn’t need this anymore. I’m doing this because it’s still a vehicle where I can affect positive change in people’s lives.”
Aries remains aware of the potential for a more-than-mixed reaction upon his arrival to the ring but he isn’t going to let that get in his head.
“It’s not lost on me that there’s going to be a small contingent of people that are going to tune in to watch, just to try to tear me down, just to hope that I look terrible, so that they can revel in that. My job is to go out there and make sure I don’t give those people any satisfaction.”
But Aries will be the first to critique is own performance in the ring, regardless of whatever fans might think of him. “For me, when I step in that ring, if it’s not automatic and if I know I can’t execute it perfectly every time, then I’d rather do something else, because I’m judging myself on the worst thing I do in that ring. I need to do everything great.”
“So I’m interested to see what version of Austin Aries steps in that ring on the 13th of September,” he said with a hint of wonderment.
Adversity has been a part of Aries’ journey and he appears up to the challenge once again.
“We’re going to know right away if I can still compete at a high level, because I’m not going to have a choice when I step in the ring with Kushida.”
MLW presents Fightland Sept. 13 in Dallas.
TOP PHOTO: Austin Aries covers Brian Pillman, Jr. during a 2019 MLW War Chamber match. Photo courtesy of MLW.
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