Josh Barnett Fires Back at Bully Ray Over Jon Moxley ‘Fraud’ Comments

Josh Barnett has stepped into the ongoing conversation surrounding Jon Moxley’s standing in AEW, publicly pushing back against recent criticism leveled by Bully Ray.

Comments from an episode of Busted Open Radio began circulating on social media, in which Bully Ray took aim at the Death Riders faction, arguing the group adds nothing to AEW. Bully Ray also directed criticism specifically at Moxley himself, with quotes referencing the former AEW World Champion in unflattering terms — including characterizations that drew the attention of Barnett.

The former UFC heavyweight champion took to social media to voice his disagreement with Bully Ray’s assessment, taking clear exception to the way Moxley was characterized. Barnett, a longtime figure in the combat sports and professional wrestling worlds with a background that includes work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Pancrase, made his displeasure known publicly.

The Death Riders have been one of the more prominent factions in AEW in recent months, with Moxley at the center of much of the company’s storytelling. That prominence has not been without its detractors, and Bully Ray’s comments on Busted Open Radio appear to reflect a broader skepticism in some corners of the wrestling community about the direction of the group and Moxley’s current role.

Barnett wading in adds another layer to what is becoming a broader debate about the Death Riders’ place in AEW — one that has clearly extended well beyond the locker room.