In a recent article for The Player’s Tribune, Maxwell Jacob Friedman, known to the wrestling world as MJF, said he was tired. This admission isn’t odd, considering how frequently the AEW World Champion blends the lines of kayfabe and reality in his storylines. However, the following paragraph of the article included a peculiar line.

“I know it’s not only me who’s tired. I know our fans are a little tired of this run I’ve been on. And for the first time since this company started, I know there’s some MJF fatigue. Which is fine, by the way — no one stays hot forever.”

Maxwell Jacob Friedman, The Players’ Tribune

This begs the question, is MJF falling out of favor with AEW fans? Or is it simply the storyline featuring another Devil that fans have soured on? 

On the Level of the Devil?

Rumors are circulating that ‘The Devil’ storyline will progress at tonight’s Worlds End Pay-Per-View by finally revealing who is behind the mask. Some expected Jack Perry to return to AEW as The Devil, but those rumors have cooled of late, with momentum returning to a wrestler that many have suspected all along, Adam Cole. With the Ring of Honor tag titles no longer in MJF’s possession, the stage is set for him to be dethroned in front of his home crowd. This could lead to a heated rivalry as the former champ fights to a rematch, likely after some time away to heal from injuries. 

Many fans believe the reveal has taken too long, so it will be a letdown regardless of who’s behind the mask. The AEW champ might be wrong about there being ‘MJF fatigue.’ Fans were excited for another round of MJF vs. Samoa Joe. The fatigue appears to be for the Devil character and his army of faceless minions. MCU and DCEU movies are critiqued for this same issue. A good villain has motives that viewers can understand, even if they disagree. The worst bad guys are the CGI drones that strictly pose a threat to the heroes due to their numbers. This Devil character is a bad comic book villain, but a good reveal could turn that around and get people anxious for MJF’s next title defense. 

Regardless of the outcome, it is disappointing that Samoa Joe is involved in this storyline. Joe vs. MJF round two is a money match that didn’t need all of the additional storytelling. These two in a heated rivalry would have been better than the swerve storyline that we got. 

The End of AEW’s World?

As MJF mentioned in his article, wrestling is better for everyone with AEW in it. Competition creates opportunities and leverage for employees while incentivizing companies to invest in their people and products. Anyone who doubts this can look no further than the downfall of EA Sports. While exclusive licensing to major sports leagues was the death of sports video games, I doubt that the recent run will be the death of AEW. A few other intriguing storylines are taking place on the Worlds End card, and the company has a chance to end 2023 on a high note, setting the tone for 2024.

Final Bell on MJF and AEW

What do you think? How do you like MJF’s first title reign? If MJF retains, who would be his next rival? If he has to take an extended break, who should be the next champ? When will it be Swerve Strickland’s time? 

If you love the world of combat sports, tune into Carnage Unleashed on Monday nights at 8 pm EST on Carnage Media! Every show ends with The Wrestling Minute, where we discuss the latest news and rumors in the wrestling world.