10 Wrestlers AEW Should Build To Dethrone MJF
2. Darby Allin
It's easily overlooked that perhaps The Salt of the Earth's greatest in-ring performance since becoming All Elite came during a bout involving a fellow AEW Pillar.
Arguably stealing a PPV that also possessed the likes of CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingston, Bryan Danielson vs. Miro, and Kenny Omega vs. Hangman Page, Maxwell's show-opening battle with Darby Allin at Full Gear 2021 showcased the first glimpse of what AEW's future could look like as the two bitter rivals put on a clinic in their bids to walk out of the Target Center as the #1 Pillar.
A lot has changed since Maxwell took those all-important steps towards being the first of said chosen ones to lift the AEW World Championship. But the nature of MJF's Diamond-Ring-assisted victory that night means that this highly personal feud could be reignited at any given moment should TK decide it's time for the pair to settle their unfinished business.
That being said, the face painted underdog would likely need to pick up a meaningful victory or two after a largely hit-and-miss 2022 before making his way back onto Maxwell's radar.
But there's plenty of time to regroup and rebuild in the coming months/years. And when Darby finally does get his hands on MJF again, there's a solid chance a second Pillar will be added to the AEW World Championship lineage.