Harley Cameron Says Viral Segment With The Acclaimed Couldn’t Have Been Better

The Acclaimed, comprised of Anthony Bowens and Max Caster, have solidified their status in AEW’s roster as they are one of the most hyped tag teams in AEW’s history. Last year, The Acclaimed’s segment on the June 23rd, episode of Rampage went viral with many praising the positive response from fans to Bowens’ homosexuality.

During the latest episode of AEW Unrestricted, Harley Cameron shared her thoughts about the unforgettable segment with The Acclaimed. In the segment she tried to pursue Anthony Bowens but was turned down because of his sexual orientation.

The unexpected positive response from the crowd, chanting ‘He is gay,’ left a lasting impression on Cameron, who described the experience as both fun and wonderful. She explained that despite her initial nerves, she embraced the challenge and praised the support from the live audience, especially seeing the entire crowd chant in support of Bowens.

“It was honestly so fun, and everyone involved in that was so wonderful. I was so thankful for the opportunity to be trusted with the microphone the first time I had ever been out in the ring, and it was a whole compilation of things. The musical side of things, the ability to be able to cut a promo straight away to a live audience after nobody knew me yet, so I was definitely excited and nervous at the same time. It was a pretty big segment for my first thing, but it was just awesome. I really love the way we got to have fun and be comedic with it, but it was also like a really important and cool thing. Having that moment and seeing the entire crowd just get behind him, chanting ‘He is gay’ in such a positive [way].”

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Cameron also reflected on a crucial moment in the segment when Billy Gunn helped her ease her nerves amidst the overwhelming crowd reaction. She shared that this moment served as a full-circle experience for her, highlighting her growth from her early training days to performing in the ring on a major platform like AEW.

“Yeah, you know what though? As a heel, it was a dream come true because I was like, you couldn’t ask for a better reaction. To have no ability to even speak, it was really good to have that challenge for myself to keep my composure. Also, a lot of people don’t know this, but Billy [Gunn] is someone who first trained with with the boys, so I have a lot of respect for Billy and I look up to him so much. He was so helpful and I just remember having that moment in the ring and I was so overwhelmed because I don’t think any of us expected the audience to go that crazy over the segment. I remember him looking at me and in his eyes, he was like breathe, breathe, you’ve got this. It was nice because it was like a full circle moment for me because he saw me when I first started training and god, do I remember back to my first days, he was like, ‘Is this kid ever gonna make it?’ and now I’m in the ring. It was very cool in all aspects, I look back very fondly on it.”

Since the segment, Cameron has been featured alongside Saraya and Zak Knight on AEW television. However, she hasn’t competed in a match for the promotion since March 2023. It remains to be seen when she makes her next appearance for AEW. Stay tuned to Ringside News for more!

What did you think of the positive response from the crowd? Let us know in the comments below!