Pruning- MJF
I love MJF’s character, except for the misogyny and uncomfortable “heat” that makes some fans tune out. That’s the opposite of what heat should do. Optimistically, I discussed how MJF’s second title reign will be better than his first because the foundations are stronger. However, MJF’s character still needs to be redefined. It’s a process that might be happening, but it’s going to take time and careful choices.
Two of AEW’s worst creative moments of 2025 involved MJF dialling his antics to 11. The promo with Jeff Jarrett and the flat ending of the Hurt Syndicate partnership caused derision. As a face of AEW since its inception, the material and act have gotten cliched. The curse of being so good so young has at times detrimentally impacted MJF. While fascinating, MJF’s “lore” sometimes tries to achieve too much too fast, stunting emotional investment.
MJF or AEW doesn’t need to reinvent the big spike-covered wheel. Instead, pruning some spikes, narrowing the character’s focus and arc would be enough to remind all fans why we loved MJF in the first place. Cutting the misogyny and masked prejudice changes nothing about MJF’s DNA.
Rather than trying to overcompensate with dominance over AEW, keeping it personal, like MJF’s best rivalries and storylines, could humanise MJF again. Then, when he fails to learn, the frustration is earned and engaging rather than off-putting. Narrowing the character’s arc and focus, and allowing opponents to shine, would align MJF more with Ric Flair than Triple H. Even cliches can be beloved again.
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