Atsushi Onita On The Moxley/Omega Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match

At AEW Revolution earlier this year, Jon Moxley and Kenny Omega delivered one of the more divisive bouts of the year with their take on the ‘Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match’.

Though many felt the body of the match was impressive, a production fault on the climactic explosion, which was meant to be the show-closing angle, left onlookers cold.

Now, in an exclusive interview with Inside the Ropes’ Liam Wyatt, the stipulation’s originator, Atsushi Onita, has given his verdict:

I think both Jon Moxley and Kenny Omega had a nice match. That match was fantastic. I felt that the lack of explosion power was a shame because they had a really great fight. AEW’s explosion was disproportionate to the goodness of the match.

Explosion matches are few and far between in North America and have underwhelmed more often than not, whereas in Japan (where Onita is relaunching the FMW promotion specifically to deliver explosion matches) they are often spectacular affairs.

When pushed on why this might be, Onita was quick to explain his theory:

First, the difference in the fire laws. Then there are technical issues. It seems that the fire law differs each state in the United States, and it seems that the handling of gunpowder indoors is generally stricter than in Japan.

So despite attracting criticism from certain corners of the internet, Moxley and Omega can rest safe in the knowledge that the match’s innovator appreciated their efforts.