Summary

Anthony Bowens says the work he does away from AEW television is a real extension of who he wants to be in wrestling.

While discussing the nickname "The Pride Of Professional Wrestling," Bowens explained that he sees it as more than a reference to his sexuality. He said it also reflects how seriously he takes representing AEW in public, whether that means media appearances, red carpet events, modeling work, or other opportunities where he can introduce new people to the company.

Quote from Anthony Bowens

Speaking with Mike Jones of DC 101, Bowens said:

"That is part of what being The Pride Of Professional Wrestling is. It’s not just because of my sexuality — it’s a clever play on words, but it’s legit. I do everything for this company, I do everything for this business. I know baseball might not be part of it, that’s a personal passion but I make sure that I manage everything to make sure I fly the AEW flag as much as I can."

Bowens later went on to say:

"It’s a lot of boots on the ground type work because I do a lot of these. I was just at the Michael movie premiere this past Monday. It’s a lot of boots on the ground of hey, you’re a wrestler, do you work for the other company? No, no, no. This is AEW. We’re on HBO Max, we’re on TNT, we’re on TBS, let me tell you a little about it. Whether they watch it or not, I don’t know. If I get one out of every 20 people, that’s great because it’s one other person watching the product. I’m doing my job. I always was taught and told that in order to be a world champion, in order to be a superstar, you need to be a guy that can wrestle, talk, but also can go out and represent the company. I do these media days, I do these red carpet events, I do influencing, I do Major League Baseball, modeling, I do everything. That’s the purpose of this character and I’m trying to get that across on the television show. That’s really what it is and that’s what I love to do. It’s always what I aspired to be and it’s really cool that I get to be a face of the company like this."

What Bowens' AEW role says about his positioning

Bowens describing himself as one of the faces of AEW matters because it shows how the company is using him beyond bell-to-bell segments. Even without a title story attached to these comments, Bowens is presenting himself as a visible ambassador for the promotion, and that kind of trust can matter when AEW decides who to feature more heavily on television.

His comments also underline that Bowens is trying to connect his public-facing work to his on-screen character, not treat it as something separate. If AEW leans further into that presentation, it gives Bowens a clearer singles identity that fans can follow beyond his in-ring appearances.

Sources

Anthony Bowens while speaking with Mike Jones of DC 101