"Nothing really happened" - Tony Khan already ruined major star's return to AEW, says WWE veteran
Tony Khan is AEW's creative figurehead, meaning he controls the direction of the company's programming. While Khan has worked on many memorable storylines since 2019, WWE veteran Dutch Mantell believes he ruined MJF's recent return.
MJF returned to AEW at Double or Nothing 2024 for the first time since the Worlds End pay-per-view last December. Following his comeback, he kicked off a feud with Rush. The two are now set to face each other inside the ring on this week's episode of Dynamite.
On his Story Time with Dutch Mantell podcast, the WWE veteran recently commented on MJF's return. Dutch Mantell said the Tony Khan-led creative team should have booked the former AEW World Champion in a 'big angle' following his comeback.
"I saw MJF's return, it wasn't anything to it. Nothing really happened. That's when they should have busted the big angle." [5:03 - 5:10]
You can watch the full episode below.
Tony Khan previously said he would never be an on-screen character in AEW
One of the biggest storylines in All Elite Wrestling today is Team AEW versus Team Elite. Following his return at Dynasty 2024, Jack Perry shockingly assaulted Khan on an episode of Dynamite. He was accompanied by The Young Bucks and Kazuchika Okada of The Elite.
In recent weeks, The Elite has targeted several prominent stars like World Champion Swerve Strickland and Christopher Daniels. The group even brought back Christian Cage as Strickland's challenger for Double or Nothing.
Tony Khan's assault was a pivotal point of the storyline because the AEW President opted to stay away from on-screen angles in the past. He was seen sporting a neck brace at a non-wrestling event to sell the effects of the attack. This led many to question whether he would become a regular on-screen character on the company's programming after previously refusing the prospect of doing so.
While Khan's role in The Elite's storyline has created much buzz, he will likely continue focusing on being a backstage personality in AEW.
If you use any quotes from the article's first half, please credit Story Time with Dutch Mantell and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.