{"id":122118,"date":"2024-01-03T10:00:51","date_gmt":"2024-01-03T15:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=122118"},"modified":"2024-01-02T22:10:58","modified_gmt":"2024-01-03T03:10:58","slug":"mjf-aew-championship-reign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2024\/01\/03\/mjf-aew-championship-reign\/","title":{"rendered":"Giving The Devil His Due: The AEW Championship Reign of MJF"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>As time passes, history becomes easier to review. <strong>Maxwell Jacob Friedman<\/strong>\u2019s 406-day AEW World Champion reign will be remembered with great fondness and respect. It was more than a championship reign. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>Through a tumultuous period and many controversies, <strong>MJF<\/strong> has been <strong>AEW\u2019s<\/strong> stability in 2023. MJF has been a champion as the bloom came off the rose.<\/p>\n<p>This wasn\u2019t his fault, but some fans have tried to correlate his character change as symbolic of AEW\u2019s \u201cdeath\u201d despite it being their most successful financial year. No different from past champions, when domestic attendance was down and creativity was not inconsistent, the champion became both a lightning rod for criticism and the key pillar holding up the sky.<\/p>\n<p>History will be kinder, pointing out the sky never fell. AEW wasn\u2019t dying. The threads holding together the patchwork of MJF\u2019s championship reign (the good, bad, and controversial) still weaved a narrative that, while completely flipped 180 degrees, told a cohesive character arch.<\/p>\n<p>The type for which AEW has become renowned. Like how \u201cHangman,\u201d<strong> Adam Page<\/strong> overcame\u00a0anxiety to be the world champion.<\/p>\n<p>From the ultimate heel, the devil who could destroy AEW\u2019s future, to the babyface company savior, MJF, as a character and wrestler, has been the lynchpin during AEW\u2019s least perfect year.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Both Nirvana and Purgatory \u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>AEW in 2023 has been paradoxical. The wrestling has been nirvana. Yet inconsistencies in story arches and character development created a purgatory. <strong>The Elite\u2019s <\/strong>inconsistent <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2023\/12\/18\/2023-aew-the-elite\/\" target=\"_self\">\u201cPutrid year\u201d<\/a> stemmed from a lack of character development that fans were accustomed to. In 2023, The Elite were not the main characters of AEW. Instead, MJF became the main character by necessity.<\/p>\n<p>Like The Elite, MJF had awe-inspiring matches in the ring. MJF\u2019s quest to have the best-ever Ironman match, four-way, bromance, and comeback could, as isolated case studies, be true. The former three were arguably revolutionary. Yet creative missteps have meant the journey was not as smooth as the destination.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Bumps in the Booking<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/c8WVHoKT0cg?si=qjowjgVQa-BQ0QHL\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Discussing AEW\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2023\/12\/26\/aew-tournament-2023\/\" target=\"_self\">2023 tournaments<\/a>, I touched on how the build to facing <strong>Bryan Danielson<\/strong> at<em><strong> Revolution <\/strong><\/em>repeated (for the fourth time) the trope of MJF putting babyfaces through a trial of opponents. <em><strong>Double or Nothing&#8217;s<\/strong><\/em> Fatal Four was an incredible display for all the pillars. However, the build exposed weaknesses in the other three. They were not on the level of the devil.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the bookings create a disparity between progressing MJF\u2019s character arch at the expense of others and the company itself. <strong>Jay White<\/strong> at <em><strong>Full Gear<\/strong><\/em> couldn\u2019t beat a one-legged man, which made the former <strong>IWGP<\/strong> Heavyweight Champion look weak.<\/p>\n<p>While the angle allowed MJF to out-babyface the purest babyface, the timing was wrong. Possibly conceived as a tongue-in-cheek nod to the Attitude Era antics of <strong>Steve Austin<\/strong> or the resilience of Superman <strong>John Cena<\/strong>, it clashed with a desire from many fans to have a sports-orientated product rather than sports-entertainment shtick.<\/p>\n<p>The high bar of expectations AEW has set for itself in terms of quality, both in the ring and in storylines, and many fans hold the company accountable.<\/p>\n<p>Yet MJF\u2019s credibility remains intact. How many 27-year-olds have successively handled the proverbial sink-or-swim situation, week after week, on an international TV show?<\/p>\n<p>How many have been able to adapt to mistakes, both their own and things beyond their control? All while maintaining the fa\u00e7ade of kayfabe? As MJF himself described in his <strong><em>Players Tribune<\/em><\/strong> article, things beyond his control could have cursed his achievements.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Never Snake Bitten <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DvJMUFJjLCI?si=ro2eC5lS1F7_5hig\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Bad luck and bad timing have hindered many wrestlers\u2019 careers. Looking at the checklist of events that dampened MJF\u2019s biggest moments and their impact on fan perception of AEW. MJF, as a character, has survived the venom.<\/p>\n<p>Brawl Out overshadowed MJF\u2019s grand return at <em><strong>All Out 2022<\/strong><\/em>. <strong>Jon Moxley, <\/strong>rather than<strong> CM Punk,<\/strong>\u00a0passed the torch to start MJF\u2019s run at <em>Full Gear<\/em>. The dream match conclusion to their feud of the year 2022\u00a0 is gone. Later, it was kicked out of reality after <em><strong>All In<\/strong><\/em>. Punk\u2019s behavior again stole attention from an epic main event. Punk\u2019s actions taint my memory of being at <em><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2023\/11\/30\/aew-all-in-2024-tickets-go-on-sale\/\" target=\"_self\">All In<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>The white-hot storyline with <strong>Adam Cole<\/strong> was derailed by injury at <strong><em>Grand Slam<\/em>, <\/strong>taking the focus away from MJF\u2019s match with <strong>Samoa Joe<\/strong>. At<em><strong> Full Gear<\/strong><\/em>, besides the divisive main event angle, MJF was injured. <em><strong>World\u2019s End<\/strong><\/em>, the title foreshadowing the end of MJF\u2019s title reign, was clouded by online allegations.<\/p>\n<p>Despite controversy, injury, and criticism for his character changes, how many other talents could not only survive a world championship run like this? How many could rise to the challenge? As a character and performer, MJF proved his hyperbole: he\u2019s a generational talent.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Inevitability of Change <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RZYNNjpKA7A?si=22REucQ9gKnab4sL\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Fans who clamor for the MJF of old, the devil who called his boss a \u201cF\u2019ing mark,\u201d praised Jolly Saint <strong>Nick Khan <\/strong>and was excited about how he would leave AEW, miss that the game changed.<\/p>\n<p>First, the storyline took inspiration from CM Punk\u2019s <strong>Ring of Honor<\/strong> World Championship run, where he threatened to take the belt to Connecticut.<\/p>\n<p>With speculation Punk would return to WWE, carrying this thread could only make the company look second-rate. Likewise, MJF could bash the company when the company was hot. It helped reinforce MJF as the heel and how AEW was different from WWE when WWE was still under <strong>Vince McMahon<\/strong>. WWE changed. Also, with the perception of AEW changing, drawing attention to the flaws would be detrimental.<\/p>\n<p>AEW needed the face of the company. So, MJF\u2019s TV time increased, running the risk of overexposure and overreliance. This contrasts his presentation being limited when his screen time was kept at a premium.<\/p>\n<p>Increasingly, MJF became the flagbearer for AEW. His <strong>X<\/strong> post featuring a picture of himself with AEW\u2019s young talent seemed a direct shot at criticism that AEW became a retirement home for old wrestlers.<\/p>\n<p>Like <strong>Seth Rollins<\/strong> in 2019, a time of fan dissatisfaction when WWE was in its own creative purgatory, the champion can be a target for criticism. The fog of war that is wrestling tribalism clouds how well a character, MJF, was able to play the hero while, at his core, remaining the same scumbag.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>180 Degree Turn <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/s9R_2QqTZpQ?si=MH9gvaluXLFbBO8i\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The modern phenomenon that fans cheer the bad guy because we know he is so good, and that makes the cool is ironic. Fans were already cheering MJF as he became the world champion.<\/p>\n<p>Friendship became the vehicle that bridged the gap between MJF\u2019s tragic villain origin story and allowing himself to believe things could be different. What might have been without Adam Cole\u2019s ankle injury is unknown. Yet, at the time, the feeling of a nuance created in the bromance storyline between Cole and MJF on the road to All In rivaled WWE\u2019s <strong>The <\/strong><strong>Bloodline<\/strong> storyline.<\/p>\n<p>The friendship arch mixed childish (male) humor and masculine bonding activities (from the gym to video games to eating steaks and getting drunk) in a way that reflects how real male friendships are formed.<\/p>\n<p>It evolved with aspects of modern masculinity, with grown men talking about their feelings. Cole is uncertain if he could wrestle due to his concussion, and MJF about his issues. Like real friends, they showed they could tolerate each other\u2019s differences. MJF learned how friendship worked.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>This Isn&#8217;t Over<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EbdeqLlgLKY?si=W2jGS6OsIe0_ogWw\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Remember, MJF has been playing the good guy. He copied the homework of other good guys from <strong>Hulk Hogan<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>Bret Hart<\/strong>, and beyond, yet with his own twist. Although the character is more and more committed to being a hero, at his core, MJF is still the devil. Like in great TV shows like <strong><em>Breaking Bad<\/em><\/strong>, we have been conditioned to like the anti-hero. He has remained a heel at heart. \u00a0Think about his first victory over Samoa Joe.<\/p>\n<p>The story changed. Rather than about who is going to save AEW from MJF, it became the story of how far MJF can change before he questions whether it is worth being the good guy.\u00a0 It&#8217;s the premise of<em> Breaking Bad&#8217;s<\/em> spinoff, <strong><em>Better Call Saul<\/em><\/strong>. Those fans who preferred MJF before, isn\u2019t that part of the point? The waiting for the mask to slip? For the real devil to return?<\/p>\n<p>That may come to pass. It\u2019s not only the American Rollercoaster with a story to finish this year.<\/p>\n<h3>More From LWOS Pro Wrestling<\/h3>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-50\">\n<p><em>Header photo \u2013 AEW \u2013 Stay tun<\/em><em>ed to the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"1\" target=\"_self\">Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/a>\u00a0for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world. As well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.\u00a0 You can catch AEW Dynamite on Wednesday nights at 8 PM ET on TBS. AEW Rampage airs on TNT at 10 PM EST every Friday night. AEW Collision airs Saturday at 8pm Eastern on TNT. More AEW content available on their\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@AEW\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">YouTube<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As time passes, history becomes easier to review. Maxwell Jacob Friedman\u2019s 406-day AEW World Champion reign will be remembered with great fondness and respect. It was more than a championship reign. Through a tumultuous period and many controversies, MJF has been AEW\u2019s stability in 2023. MJF has been a champion as the bloom came off [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4960,"featured_media":122127,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4677,6,2192],"tags":[8232,84,8573,5606,5979,8719,1634,140,181,4395,1136,2546,214,423],"class_list":["post-122118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aew","category-north-america","category-wrestling","tag-hangman-adam-page","tag-adam-cole","tag-aew-all-in","tag-aew-all-out","tag-aew-revolution","tag-brawl-out","tag-bryan-danielson","tag-cm-punk","tag-jay-white","tag-jon-moxley","tag-maxwell-jacob-friedman","tag-mjf","tag-samoa-joe","tag-the-elite"],"modified_by":"Michael Joseph Sugue, Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4960"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=122118"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122118\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/122127"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=122118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=122118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=122118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}