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Recap of K. J. Orso on "Busted Open Radio"

Posted: May 23rd 2025 By: Busted Open Radio

K.J. Orso, formerly Fuego Del Sol, recently opened up about his transformation and frustrations during his time in AEW. He revealed he had long considered unmasking and evolving his character. “I’ve been plagued by the thought of becoming K.J. Orso for years. I pitched it to Tony Khan at one point to take my mask off in AEW. Just throwing things at the wall.” His desire came from wanting to showcase more versatility and escape being typecast.

The reaction to his shift was overwhelming. “I got text messages from every big name… ‘Is this really the end?’ ‘Thank you so much,’ ‘We’re gonna miss you,’ ‘I hope this is a work.’” He likened the experience to “seeing your funeral, being at your funeral all at once,” a surreal moment of appreciation from peers and fans. Still, he acknowledged how wrestling’s blurred lines created mystery. “We live in the crazy world of professional wrestling where everyone thinks everything is a work.”

Orso reflected on his AEW tenure, stating, “I don’t think Tony Khan ever had any true plans for me. I think the fanfare and the respect I earned from the locker room almost forced his hand to signing me… I am an outside puzzle piece that he just fits in when he wants.” Often used to support others, he recalled, “‘You could do some stuff with Sammy. Cody Rhodes really likes you…’ But there was no real plan.”

Desperate for direction, Orso pitched several ideas. “I put out a video last year where I pitch to join a tag team with Lance Archer… I pitched me and Sammy (Guevara)… going to Japan for DDT… taking this mask off and doing something different.” He admitted, “I had become a lovable loser… there’s a stench I’ve been dying to get rid of since leaving AEW.”

Since leaving AEW, Orso has flourished. “I feel like I have been doing some of the best work of my career in GCW… fans walk up to me like, ‘I didn’t know you were that good.’” But he felt unseen by the broader wrestling audience. “How many casual fans are watching the TNAs, the New Japans… Game Changer Wrestling? It’s really difficult to make buzz.”

That invisibility pushed him to act. “I needed to do something different and this was that something different.” After 11 years under the mask, it felt like the right moment. “Flip things on their head and get this fresh coat of paint that I’ve been desperately wanting.”

He believes the mask limited him, especially with promos. “Promos are a big aspect that I felt I am very truly underrated at… CM Punk told me one time, ‘I believe it because I can see in your eyes you believe it.’” But losing regularly made it hard to connect. “It’s so hard as a babyface to cut a meaningful promo when you know you’re gonna lose.” With his new direction, he feels empowered. “People that maybe were sleeping on Fuego (Del Sol) are woken up to K.J. Orso.”

Source: Busted Open Radio