MJF is back in AEW. The former world champion made his surprise return at Double or Nothing on May 25. Max interrupted Adam Cole to pick up their feud from where they left. The self-proclaimed “Wolf of Wrestling” is advertised for AEW Dynamite this week as well. MJF’s AEW return comes amid a power struggle between owner/president Tony Khan and The Elite.
Khan was taken out by The Young Bucks with a TK Driver on Dynamite several weeks ago. The group would assault Kenny Omega the following week before beating Team AEW in the Anarchy in the Arena match at AEW Double or Nothing. There’s no denying that The Elite would do anything to keep themselves in power, even if that means making and breaking trust.
MJF hasn’t crossed paths with this new version of The Elite, but the confrontation seems inevitable. As one of their biggest stars and someone who could possibly carry AEW for years to come, Max is bound to be dragged in the ongoing power struggle. After all, we’ve already seen a couple of stars choose sides between AEW and The Elite.
The Elite would want MJF to join them
The newest incarnation of The Elite consists of the Young Bucks, Kazuchika Okada and Jack Perry. Matthew and Nicholas are the AEW World Tag Team Champions, while Okada reigns as the Continental Champion. The EVPs tried to award the vacant TNT title to Jack Perry, but Christopher Daniels “upheld meritocracy” by announcing a ladder match for Forbidden Door.
Assuming AEW has long-term plans for the power struggle storyline, we could see The Elite introduce new members. It would be a no-brainer for The Elite to approach MJF for a coveted spot in the group. He’s super charismatic and great in the ring. Max knows a thing or two about factions. Plus, he’s got the fans behind his back following his return at Double or Nothing.
The Elite would love to make Maxwell turn on the people. I personally do not see a heel turn happening for MJF sooner or later, not do I see him vying for a spot in The Elite. He’s already proven himself as a top heel. It’s time to show his potential as a babyface.
MJF proved his loyalty to AEW at Double or Nothing
MJF debuted a new tattoo at Double or Nothing. The Salt of the Earth showed a “Bet On Yourself” ink with AEW logo in the middle. This pretty much confirms the former Devil is staying in Tony Khan’s promotion for the long haul. I, for one, would love for Max to explore feuds with AEW’s stacked roster, including The Elite.
MJF versus Adam Cole seems to be the direction for now. Cole isn’t medically cleared to compete at the time of the writing. AEW might hold off on a singles match between the pair and have Max take on other members of The Undisputed Kingdom till Cole makes a full recovery. Both men cap off their feud on a major PPV and we get to the inevitable MJF vs. The Elite rivalry.
Who knows, AEW might even plant the seeds for Max vs. The Elite during his feud with Cole and the Undisputed Kingdom?! I’d rather have The Elite run roughshod through AEW for the next six months (at least) than rush the entire storyline without a proper payoff. The Elite and Max can have filler feuds while teasing a full-blown storyline with each other in the meantime.
Max would ultimately side with All Elite Wrestling
I’d prefer MJF to become a tweener in this ongoing power struggle between Khan and The Elite before emerging as AEW’s ultimate savior. Tony should not betray fan trust like Vince McMahon did with the notorious Invasion storyline all those years ago. Invasion had the potential to be the biggest storyline of the Attitude Era but it ended up being a mess.
Enough of my rant. This is about MJF and The Elite. Max won’t pick sides. He’d listen to Elite’s offer. He’d even tease joining the group, but he’d end up on the other side. MJF’s former Pinnacle associates, FTR, have already said they aren’t done with The Elite. I’m sure Bryan Danielson and Darby Allin would want to fight till the end.
Speaking of Danielson, I really hope the “American Dragon” becomes a champion at some point in AEW. I would love to see him get a hold of the tag team titles or even the Continental Championship given he’s okay with winning a title in the first place. As for MJF, he could go after either of the championships in the long run.
Would you like to see MJF become a part of the power struggle storyline at some point? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
