AEW star MJF is proving he's the ultimate gamesmaster
When Tony Khan launched AEW in 2019, he knew he needed to have the right chess pieces in place to make everything work. It had been almost 20 years since Vince McMahon had put WCW and ECW in check. Going all the way back to 2001, WWE had basically owned the game of sports entertainment.
During that time, one of AEW's very early signings was a smart-mouthed kid from the East Coast who had been gaining notice in Major League Wrestling and on the independent scene.
At the time, Maxwell Jacob Friedman was emerging as one of the industry's hottest young prospects that had the potential to be a big star. His promos were already gaining a lot of attention on YouTube and other social media outlets due to their venomous vitriol.
What set him apart, however, was his understanding of the psychology of professional wrestling. It was as if, even in his early 20's, he had already solved the Rubik's Cube of Sports Entertainment and knew how to hold the audience in his hand. The ultimate gamemaster keeps everyone guessing; his promos are so scathing that they seem personal. He's always two moves ahead of everyone.
MJF can easily lure the audience in, only to throw a wild card at them. One minute you think you're in Candy Land, and the next thing you know, he's sinking your Battleship.
This MJF promo was great https://t.co/ODIhaWU7Et
Lately, his contract issues have played out in news reports and on social media, and it's left Tony Khan wondering how much Monopoly money its going to cost him to sign the hellacious heel to a long-term contract.
Khan has invested an awful lot into he MJF character. It would be a shame to see AEW develop Friedman, only to have another promotion reap the benefits of his amazing appeal.
Seeing him pop up in WWE would be a major blow, especially considering all the success that Cody Rhodes has had there since making the jump. For his part, the Salt of the Earth is willing to roll the dice in free agency in 2024. He's pretty confident that he'll come with nothing but sevens and elevens.
Now, MJF may be playing a game when it comes to AEW Double or Nothing
News surfaced on Saturday that Friedman skipped out on AEW Fan Fest and is rumored to be holding out in regards to Double or Nothing on Sunday. It's also been widely reported now that he booked an early flight out of Vegas, which has led to a lot of chatter online.
I can confirm a flight out of Las Vegas tonight has been booked for MJF.
Full story is on FightfulSelect.com. https://t.co/tw14W175vg
Speculation has been running rampant as we hit the eleventh hour that Friedman will no-show the event and his highly anticipated bout with Wardlow. The funny thing is, MJF is so good at playing games that no one is sure if this is a real situation or another of his elaborate works.
In other words, no one has a Clue if this is fake... or just a part of Life.
It may Boggle your mind to think of MJF walking away from what could be AEW's biggest event of all time. It may be a huge Risk on his part and a power play to get a larger contract.
Or, he could just be bluffing us all and holding his cards close to the vest. It's so confusing right now that All Elite Wrestling fans are about to lose their Marbles. No one's really sure how this one is going to play out, and that's JUST the way MJF likes it. He has proven that he is not only the greatest heel in AEW right now, but that he is playing Chess while everyone else is playing Checkers.
In the meantime, he's positioning himself for a long-term victory, no matter what kind of moves he has to make to get there. No matter what happens tonight or going forward, MJF is in a place in the professional wrestling landscape that few performers ever reach.
He's in a position to take his place amongst the most prestigious and highest paid members of his profession. On top of that, he's got no Scruples when it comes to what he wants, both in the ring and out of it. That's why he's constantly in control of the game, because he's got all the right moves.