Why AEW Must Steal THIS Hated WWE Idea
A story CAN be spun from the recent drama in AEW - just not the one you think...
The following pitch serves, perfectly, two key aspects of the MJF character.
Firstly, the character is angling for his big WWE payday as part of the 'Bidding War of '24'. It's a very astute bit within and beyond the fiction. It's a very real thing; MJF like any other wrestler would be stupid not to entertain a rival offer to leverage a better one from AEW, so it was convincing well before WWE, under the direction of Triple H, actually became a viable option to those that care as much about their push as their wage packet. Also, it is meant to burrow in and peck at the psyche of the hardcore AEW fan.
The arc might be slightly outdated now, since AEW isn't quite the beloved babyface promotion it was to its rabid core several months ago. Tony Khan received major heat at the Buffalo, New York taping for allowing a situation to unfold that risks the departures of CM Punk and or the Elite. Every AEW fan is also a fan of at least one of Punk, Kenny Omega or the Young Bucks.
Regardless, MJF is a master of his craft, and his craft is drawing heat. He will remind fans how much they love AEW and, at the same time, how much worse it would be without him. Triple H's "new" WWE is a ratings sensation, but suggestions that it is now the "cool" promotion are overstated. To the sort of fan embroiled in the culture war, if anything, the praise directed towards WWE will strengthen their love of AEW. They'll feel protective over it, much like corncobs, as a defence mechanism.
In short, the gimmick will still work - perhaps even more so, since the drama surrounding the aforementioned stars and the very real departure of Cody Rhodes makes MJF's exit an all-too-real possibility.
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