EXCLUSIVE: KJ Orso Reflects On AEW Frustration, Cody Rhodes’ Loyalty, and Why 2025 Is ‘Do or Die’
By Mark O’Brien | @WrestleMobs
Watch the full interview via Irish Wrestling Entertainment and Bodyslam.net
He was once known as Fuego Del Sol, a masked fan-favorite who built grassroots momentum during AEW’s pandemic residency in Jacksonville.
But today, that identity is gone — replaced by a rawer, realer, more battle-tested version of the man behind the mask: KJ Orso.
In a no-holds-barred exclusive with @WrestleMobs’ Mark O’Brien, Orso pulls back the curtain on the highs, the frustrations, and the toll of chasing the dream — while trying to feed a family.
“I probably would have kept my mouth shut and just kept the paycheck”
Orso doesn’t shy away from the emotional weight of being sidelined after working his way up the AEW ranks. While his deal was framed as a four-year commitment, he says it was renewed yearly — leaving him in a constant state of career limbo.
“Now being without that money and getting used to that lifestyle… I probably would have kept my mouth shut and just kept the paycheck a little longer.”
His work ethic, he admits, may have pushed too hard.
“I’m a workaholic. I pride myself on how hard I work. If you tell me I need to change something or fix something — I will. Tell me you want a new gimmick? I’ll change the gimmick up. Tell me you want me to gain weight? I’ll gain weight. Tell me you want to turn me heel? I’ll turn.”
But in hindsight, what stings most wasn’t what he did — it’s the lack of clarity he got in return.
“I hate getting told, ‘Just keep doing what you’re doing.’ If what I was doing was so great, I would be on television.”
“Cody had made sure I was there every single week”
A constant presence throughout Orso’s AEW run was Cody Rhodes, whom he credits for keeping him regularly booked and involved.
“Cody had made sure I was there every single week. But once he left, they started leaving me at home during TV tapings more and more often.”
“QT… wasn’t at the top of the totem pole. After Cody left, I had nobody.”
The change was swift — and stifling. The same man who built buzz through AEW Dark, who created a cult following through Sammy Guevara’s vlog, found himself rarely called upon after 2022.
Burnout and Broken Momentum
Even as AEW leaned on Orso to help put over stars like Miro, Hook, and Malakai Black, it became clear to him that the long-term plan didn’t include him.
“I never once got told, ‘You got long-term plans.’”
Instead, he got used — then forgotten.
“If I was doing something great, I’d be on TV. I’d be doing something more.”
“Right now, it really is do or die”
Now wrestling as KJ Orso, he’s working across GCW, Ring of Honor, and the top independent promotions in the U.S. — often multiple shows in multiple states in a single weekend. But that hustle comes with real-world weight.
“I have three kids, and life is difficult right now. Career-wise, it’s good, but financially? I’m not where I want to be.”
And that means the clock is ticking.
“Right now, it really is do or die. I set a bunch of goals for myself — really not even goals for the year, just before WrestleMania weekend. If I don’t achieve some things… there’s going to need to be a giant change in my life.”
KJ Orso isn’t just chasing relevance. He’s chasing stability, fatherhood, and a second chance — the kind that doesn’t come with pyro, but with peace of mind.
“People still ask me if I wrestle. Not only do I wrestle — I wrestle everywhere.”
🎥 Watch the full interview now:
📺 Irish Wrestling Entertainment YouTube
📺 Bodyslam.net YouTube
Follow @WrestleMobs, and @BodyslamNet for more exclusive pro wrestling content.
