AEW’s Matt & Nick Jackson Are Done Being the ‘Disney’ Version of The Young Bucks

The Young Bucks are tired of playing nice in All Elite Wrestling.

Brothers Matt and Nick Jackson officially reunited with their dastardly friends, AEW champ Kenny Omega and the Good Brothers (Gallows and Anderson), on the April 7 episode of Dynamite. The group, already with an established history of domination, beat up fan-favorite Jon Moxley. Then at the close of the show they shared a group hug alongside business associate Don Callis.

The scene signaled a new era in the eyes of the Bucks, who currently reign as tag team champions. During the April 14 edition of Dynamite, the duo defends against Death Triangle (Pac and Rey Fenix). Here, the Bucks open up about the recent attitude adjustment on television and preview their big upcoming match.    

Before we get started, I wanted to congratulate you on the success of your autobiography Killing the Business.

Matt Jackson: It has been overwhelmingly positive, which was kind of shocking to me because everything we usually do is polarizing. We wanted the book to be a really fun, true story without dragging anyone through the mud. We wanted to help people who are struggling with their lives by telling our story. It was the perfect time to come out in the middle of the pandemic. Our life had tragedy and ups and downs, but in the end, something great came out of it. Every morning I get some type of message about how it has changed someone’s life or given them hope. That’s the ultimate for me. 

All Elite Wrestling

After toeing the line between playing the good guys and bad guys on television for months, last week you officially turned into the villains. How do you feel about how the story with Kenny Omega played out?

Nick Jackson: It has been brewing since AEW started. We finally felt like we had to pick a side just because it was unfair for fans. We felt like they didn’t know what to feel. We committed to the heel side. Matt feels most comfortable as a heel. I do to an extent. That’s what makes us The Young Bucks. We enjoy these long-term stories because the payoff feels so much better. 

You’ve been together with Kenny Omega and the Good Brothers before. How do you feel this run will compare?

Matt: We’re committing to this. We haven’t been true heels for many, many years. Being a bad guy is what helped get us over in wrestling. I don’t think people realize what we’re capable of doing as bad guys. We’re going to bring back a lot of stuff that is tried and true. A lot of stuff we did in Japan or the independents. But we also want to bring in a new version of the Young Bucks. On Wednesday, we’re going to have a new look. The other thing making us different is having Don Callis with us. Talk about a heatseeker. In AEW, you’ve seen the happy-go-lucky, Disney version of The Young Bucks. We smile and pose. You’re not going to see that anymore. 

How do you think fans will respond?

Matt: Fans are fickle. They are only with you when you’re underground. As soon as you go mainstream, they start turning on you. True Young Bucks fans will always be our fans, but there are ones who come and go. A lot of that we see on the internet now. It’s really toxic. That’s the reason we deleted our Twitter account over a year ago. But it’s fun now to bring our frustrations out. If you don’t like me, that’s fine. I’m going to make you not like me even more. 

All Elite Wrestling

How do you respond to the argument that there are too many groups or factions in AEW right now?

Nick: New Japan Pro Wrestling has been booking factions for more than 40 years, and they’re still around. I see the argument, but I think North American fans have never seen this many at one time. They are used to one, two, or three stables in a company. It’s easier to book angles. It’s easy to get more people involved with different groups. If you’re not aligned in a stable, you’re alone, and that’s hard to book sometimes. That’s why we have a lot of factions. It has clearly worked.

With the abundance of talent, how close are we to a Trios championship?

Matt: We actually just mentioned that to [president] Tony Khan last week. It’s something we’ve been talking about for a while. I think it’s something we will do. It’s just a matter of when.

Is there a tag team you would like to see come into AEW, even for a short stint?

Nick: I feel like we’ve wrestled every tag team we’ve wanted to. I guess the Usos and The New Day would be the only two left who would be on my bucket list. When we were close to doing The Elite versus The New Day a few years ago, WWE  never gave the okay on it. We were really close to doing it. 

Matt: Even with the teams we’ve wrestled before, it’s going to be a different dynamic now as heels. This will be a whole new Young Bucks act. It feels like we’re starting now as new characters. I would like to work FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) again at some point. I would like to work Santana and Ortiz with them being babyfaces. 

Coming up next, you’re facing Death Triangle (Pac and Rey Fenix). What can we expect?

Matt: We’re not going to stop doing our athletic stuff. The only difference is now we’re going to rub it in your face. We’re brats. We have immediate heat and not afraid to fall down or act like idiots. A lot of people are afraid to look weak. I want to look weak. I want to look vulnerable and be an ass. I like to bring that into a match as heels. Pac and Fenix, these guys are probably the only two on the roster better than us when it comes to their high-flying game. This match going to be something. 

AEW Dynamite, Wednesdays, 8/7c, TNT