Speedball Mike Bailey Honors Chrono Trigger with Special AEW Outfit

“Speedball” Mike Bailey is one of AEW’s brightest new stars, having already lit up the independent scene across the world, and was recently a champion in TNA Wrestling. At Sunday’s pay-per-view, Bailey was a participant in a triple-threat match for the International Championship–which featured Ricochet and Kenny Omega–where they debuted gear designed to look like Frog from Chrono Trigger.

Designed by famed gear maker Sway Archer, who does all of Bailey’s gear, Bailey wanted to pay tribute to Frog in his biggest match yet.

“I am often smaller than my opponents. I have had terrible luck in my pro wrestling career that forced me to take a more difficult path than many others,” they told GameSpot. “My martial arts training has taught me to always be humble and respectful. Glenn was cursed and is now a frog, yet he remains an accomplished fighter and a hero. I think our paths are very similar. It’s that same story that I want the audience to see in ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey.”

Archer wanted to take a different approach with Bailey’s gear for the PPV appearance, but keep it very much in the usual wheelhouse of his trademark looks, despite not having played the game himself.

“This set was 100% a Speedball idea. Chrono Trigger actually isn’t something that I’m all that familiar with. I know of the game, but I’ve never played it. That doesn’t matter to me, though. If somebody wants something to represent media they enjoy, I’m going to get familiar with it so that a fan who didn’t know the inspiration could identify it,” Archer told GameSpot.

“Speedball sent me the inspiration, and I tried to fit as many elements of Glenn, the frog, whilst still achieving the things we wanted to (making it more vibrant, not using so much white if it could be avoided, etc.). Doing the frog eyes on the hood, for example, was something we definitely wanted to include. I was very fortunate to be able to figure those out kind of quickly.”

Archer added that he thought the most important element was the kneepad logo, replacing the stylized “C” from the game’s logo, but with an “S” instead, as well as taking the color cues from Glenn’s boots.

“I think those make it clear to those who know Chrono Trigger that it’s not just a frog: It’s specifically Glenn.”

Chrono Trigger turned 30 back in March, and its impact is still felt to this day as one of the most influential video games of all time. It should be noted that Adam Cole also debuted Witcher-themed gear at the same PPV for his match against Daniel Garcia.