Anthony Bowens Said "Main Character Only" and Meant It

Out pro wrestler Anthony Bowens has a new moniker and a new goal.

And he did so by defeating former tag partner Max Caster in seconds in a match seen on April 6 on during the All Elite Wrestling's "Dynasty Zero Hour." The former partners, who, along with Billy Gunn, were known as The Acclaimed, and during their five years as a team they won the AEW World Tag Team Championship at Grand Slam in September 2022. This victory marked Anthony Bowens as the first openly gay wrestler to win an AEW championship.

But the group dissolved this past January when Caster set out on his own career, branding himself "The Best Wrestler Alive." Bo wen followed suit and took Caster up on a challenge for a match, rebranding himself in the process. His quick victory against Caster marks the first step towards his goal of becoming the AEW's first gay singles champion.

Talking to the press after his victory, Bowens said that he felt that The Acclaimed had achieved everything they could as a tag team. "Right now, I am focused on becoming a singles competitor and achieving my goals," he said in a report on the website Wrestling Inc. "I am fully prepared to do everything I can to work hard, to continue to earn everything I have in the singles division. I fully intend to win gold, I would love to be AEW's first gay singles champion, so I have a lot of things that I'd like to accomplish, and that all starts right now."

With his return, Bowens received a new entrance package and music, as well as the re-adoption of an old moniker from his indie days – the "Five-Tool Player."

"Five-Tool Player is a term for a baseball superstar, and I am wrestling's Five-Tool Player," Bowen explained in another report posted on Wrestling Inc. "The perfect combination of power, athleticism, intelligence, the look, and the it factor. And it's something that I'm really excited to bring forth and I hope people enjoy it."

As for calling himself "The Pride of Pro Wrestling," Bowens says, "I think it speaks for itself. I represent this company (AEW) very proudly. I am out doing everything that I can to try and bring this company into the mainstream. And of course my LGBTQ+ activism. I think it's a beautiful play on words and it was a moment that I have been dreaming about for a very, very long time."

"Not only did Bowens pop off in the ring, but he debuted a fresh theme song by Jane's Addiction and had enough pyro to make RuPaul jealous. He also addressed the crowd's response to his return – and no surprise, the fans were living for it," Instinct Magazine writes.

"Bowens' trajectory is what queer wrestling fans have been starving for: representation not as a gimmick, but as greatness. He's not a token. He's not a sidebar. He's not someone AEW lets wave a rainbow flag once a year while relegating him to the midcard. He's aiming for the top – and he's going to make sure we all feel seen on the climb."

The 34-year old came out publicly in 2017, and uses his platform to inspire others struggling with their identity. He has also worked as a commercial actor and YouTuber.

Check out these posts from his Instagram: