Backstage News On The New AEW Stable – A former professional baseball player has joined AEW stars to form The Mogul Affiliates faction, and it looks like rapper Rick Ross will be a regular mouthpiece for the group.
As noted, Wednesday’s Holiday Bash edition of AEW Dynamite on TBS saw Swerve Strickland attack Keith Lee, then form The Mogul Affiliates with Parker Boudreaux and an unidentified man sporting tattoos and braids, who has now been revealed to be former baseball player Granden Goetzman.
Dynamite featured a segment where Ross mediated the face-to-face meeting between Lee and Swerve Strickland. Lee came to the ring for the meeting, but Strickland wasn’t interested in mediation. Strickland warned Lee that he needed to keep eyes in the back of his head, and that’s when Boudreaux attacked Lee from behind.
Lee ended up taking out Boudreaux, then going for Strickland but that’s when Goetzman attacked Lee. Strickland, Boudreaux and Goetzman began attacking Lee while wearing custom Mogul Affiliates gear. Lee was placed on the steel ring steps, with a cinder block on his chest, so that Strickland could smash the cinder block on Lee with a double stomp from the top turnbuckle.
It’s been confirmed by Fightful Select that the third man in the new stable is 6-foot-4, 30 year old Goetzman, who went by “Human Bazooka” while playing ball, was the second round draft pick for the MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays in 2011, and he played pro ball up until last year when he played in Mexico. The outfielder made it to AAA in the Rays minor league system, and was then moved to the farm systems for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Houston Astros until 2019. Goetzman was primarily known for his speed, but just didn’t make it to the major leagues.
Goetzman has been training for pro wrestling at The Wrestling Lab in Pinellas County, Florida, which is the wrestling school ran by Jay Lethal, along with David Mercury (David Olivieri) and Big Kon. Word is that Goetzman’s AEW debut was planned out at least a few weeks in advance. He was also backstage at the AEW Dynamite show on October 12, and has actually been with the company for quite some time, anticipating his debut.
There’s no word yet on Goetzman’s contract status. Goetzman’s Instagram and Twitter bios list him as a pro wrestler for AEW, and an 11 year pro ball player.
Dynamite marked the second AEW appearance for Ross as he previously worked a brief backstage segment with Lee and Strickland on the November 2 Dynamite. While there’s no word on Ross signing a contract with AEW, he has indicated that he will continue to appear with The Mogul Affiliates moving forward. The faction name is a reference to some of Ross’ rap character. As seen in the video below, Lexy Nair caught up with The Mogul Affiliates after their big debut, and asked them what just happened.
“That was limitless, baby,” Strickland said, a knock at Lee.
Ross added, “Really, we shoveling shit out the stall. It’s time to get to the money. Big Funky aka Keith Lee, he had all the opportunities in the world… rocking with the legend, he didn’t take advantage of it, but we here now, we taking advantage of the whole game. We coming to take over the whole game. All you know me for is one thing, and that’s winning and getting big money. Ain’t no more friends so let Big Fat Funky know ain’t no making up. Ain’t no making up.”
Below is a clip of Goetzman knocking a 108 mph fastball out of the park to 437 feet back in July 2019 while playing for the Corpus Christi Hooks, along with footage from the Dynamite segment, the post-match interview, and related posts with a look at Goetzman:
"We're coming to take over the whole game. All you know me for is one thing, and that's winning, gettin' big money." #TheBiggestBoss @rickross! #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/muD3ahgWQr
— The Realest Swerve Strickland (@swerveconfident) December 22, 2022
"We're coming to take over the whole game. All you know me for is one thing, and that's winning, gettin' big money." #TheBiggestBoss @rickross lays out the plans for @swerveconfident and his Mogul Affiliates! | #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/jCC9ULqx5t
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 22, 2022
#TheBiggestBoss @rickross is HERE at #AEWDynamite: #HolidayBash to mediate this face-to-face meeting between @RealKeithLee and @swerveconfident LIVE on TBS! pic.twitter.com/sAipYjoQVM
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 22, 2022
.@TheParkerB_ just blindsided @RealKeithLee! What is his affiliation with @swerveconfident?!
It’s #AEWDynamite: #HolidayBash LIVE on TBS! pic.twitter.com/FZTvu9TAa0
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 22, 2022
Diving foot stomp by @swerveconfident onto a cinderblock on @RealKeithLee's chest!
It’s #AEWDynamite: #HolidayBash LIVE on TBS! pic.twitter.com/bFhQ7GP7zv
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 22, 2022
We just getting started too👁 pic.twitter.com/Uj996CYHzx
— PARKER BOUDREAUX (@TheParkerB_) December 22, 2022
CONNECTIONS LIKE THE MOB pic.twitter.com/QsiHifKJJ8
— PARKER BOUDREAUX (@TheParkerB_) December 22, 2022
AIN’T NO MAKING UP @swerveconfident @RickRoss pic.twitter.com/7YNcISxd1l
— PARKER BOUDREAUX (@TheParkerB_) December 22, 2022
Backstage News On The New AEW Stable
