MJF

2022 - 5 - 29

Post cover — Image courtesy of "Cageside Seats"

Rumor Roundup special edition: MJF/AEW Double or Nothing ... (Cageside Seats)

It's been a whirlwind night & morning since Maxwell Jacob Friedman no-showed his scheduled appearance the day before his big match with Warlow.

The Observer’sBryan Alvarezdisputed this, but Sapp said he saw physical evidence of it. - AEW talent has been told not to publicly comment on yesterday’s incident. - As haspreviously been reported, the issue is reportedly money. An AEW official told Fightful the company was “very unhappy with the way things played out.” But none of what unfolded yesterday was coordinated by AEW & MJF to advance a storyline. David Bixenspanpoints out this account of the negotiations has been refuted, however — so it seems to be an old rumor resurfacing in light of everything else.

The Latest On MJF Potentially No Showing AEW 'Double Or Nothing' (Wrestling Inc.)

The situation surrounding MJF not showing up at AEW Fan Fest yesterday continues to evolve, with the latest news breaking.

He’s often vowed that if Tony Khan doesn’t give him what he deserves in a deal, he’ll go sign with WWE and Vince McMahon. MJF has appeared in several interviews over the past six months where he’s emphasized that he wants a bigger payday from his contract. As noted earlier, d espite being scheduled for meet & greets at AEW Fan Fest yesterday, MJF didn’t show up to the event and couldn’t be contacted by AEW management.

Will MJF No-Show AEW Double or Nothing Tonight? (Bleeding Cool News)

Later that day, Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp reported that MJF apparently purchased a ticket out of Las Vegas. The shocking developments come after weeks of rumors ...

If you are outraged that MJF would betray the unspoken contract between wrestling promotions and smart marks obsessed with insider knowledge, then, if the whole thing is a work, it has done its job in spectacular fashion. So it is fully possible that the situation with MJF is real, but it's also possible it's a work. However, if one wanted rumors to spread that MJF might no-show the event as effectively as possible, announcing that MJF isn't picking up the phone would be a great way to do that. MJF is scheduled to face Wardlow at the PPV, a culmination of a storyline building since 2019, the outcome of which is expected to be the biggest moment of Wardlow's career and a triumph for AEW in building a homegrown star from scratch. Many wrestling journalists have reported that the heat between MJF and AEW is real, though they have been wrong before. One of the perks of being an authoritarian dictator is that people rarely refuse to show up to the events you plan.

AEW: Latest Update on MJF Heading Into Double or Nothing (Comicbook.com)

MJF's status for AEW's Double or Nothing pay-per-view was suddenly called into question on Saturday night. After months of publicly stating his frustration ...

- AEW World Tag Team Championship: Jurassic Express vs. Tonight's pay-per-view takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. I think taking what's happening in real life, and potential movement and contract negotiations, it's exciting stuff. There was no real, major free-agent market with the top stars crossing promotions, and debuting, and frankly the competition needed to be brought to the biggest stage. Max has been quiet on social media over the weekend. MJF's status for AEW's Double or Nothing pay-per-view was suddenly called into question on Saturday night.

MJF No Shows AEW Event Before Double Or Nothing 2022; Samoa ... (Forbes)

MJF legitimately no showed an AEW Meet and Greet as his status for AEW Double or Nothing may be in jeopardy.

In his pursuit to earn one of the biggest contracts in pro wrestling today, MJF is following cues from Sasha Banks, Naomi and countless pro athletes well before them. “Honestly, that might be the one thing I can say is bad business for Max. That goes back to who he is as a person. The latest drama surrounding MJF is yet another chapter in an increasingly ugly contract situation between MJF and AEW President Tony Khan. Always one to be in-character, Maxwell Jacob Friedman’s unwavering pursuit of blurring the lines has suddenly worked itself into a shoot. Wardlow at AEW Double or Nothing, MJF reportedly no-showed an AEW Meet and Greet. MJF straight-up ghosted AEW, as his absence was not planned and nobody from the company was able to contact him. MJF and Tony Khan reportedly had a heated discussion about MJF’s rogue appearance on the “Ariel Helwani Show,” where MJF continued to praise WWE and advertise his impending free agency. Though a flight was reportedly booked for MJF late Saturday night, as of this writing it is not known whether MJF boarded the plane.

AEW's MJF Dilemma, Current MVPs of WWE, Britt Baker's Booking ... (Bleacher Report)

AEW Double or Nothing on Sunday promises to be a must-see show with what's on tap, and the added uncertainty surrounding some of the matches makes matters ...

AEW may run the risk of burning the audience out on Baker by continuing to prominently feature her on Dynamite and Rampage instead of giving that focus to other women. Using Baker to elevate others such as Soho is the best use of her at the moment before she inevitably reenters championship contention. It's imperative Soho take the trophy, not only because she has yet to win anything of note in AEW—but also because Baker doesn't need it whatsoever. Plus, the matches he could have with the likes of Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, Shinsuke Nakamura and others would be a blast. That same night, Owens furthered his feud with Ezekiel in entertaining fashion and set up their match for the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view. The women's Owen Hart tournament has given AEW the chance to spotlight several ladies in its talented women's division who fans may not get to see too often. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are already established, but both men have done an excellent job of carrying Raw and SmackDown to the best of their abilities in recent weeks. It would be wise of WWE to keep them separate for now before revisiting their rivalry in time for SummerSlam on July 30 emanating from Belair's home state of Tennessee. They deserve props for always being a bright spot on WWE TV and sometimes carrying entire episodes of Raw and SmackDown. Of course, she should escape that Triple Threat at Hell in a Cell on June 5 with the gold still in her grasp so Rhea Ripley can eventually challenge her. On the surface, MJF no-showing at appearances over the weekend doesn't inspire a lot of confidence regarding his status for Sunday pay-per-view. Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful was the first to report MJF missing his meet-and-greet in Las Vegas and nearly flying home later that night.