Backstage Update On MJF's AEW Return

New details on MJF's AEW status and Double or Nothing return.

by Andrew Pollard
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AEW

Having made his AEW return at Double or Nothing this past weekend, there's now somewhat of an update of one Maxwell Jacob Friedman.

As per Fightful Select, AEW went to "great lengths" to keep MJF's return a secret, even if many within the company were expecting the Salt of the Earth to be at Double or Nothing. In the week leading up to that PPV, the plan was made for the former AEW World Champion to fly into Phoenix rather than head directly to Las Vegas, and he was then driven from Phoenix to Vegas, where it became a little trickier to keep the surprise element intact.

This report notes that MJF was actually spotted on that Phoenix flight by a fan, with that detail being relayed to Fightful, who opted not to run that story ahead of Double or Nothing. As for Friedman's presence at the MGM Grand Arena - the venue for this most recent AEW PPV - he was brought into the backstage area in a wheelchair and covered up so that nobody would spot him.

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For those wondering about the 28-year-old's contract status, MJF agreed a new deal at some point in 2022. While the exact specifics aren't known, this contract made the New Yorker one of AEW's highest-paid stars and it's a multi-year deal.

Of course, MJF is coming back from nearly five months on the shelf due to various injury issues, with a shoulder problem specifically highlighted during this absence. On that front, Fightful adds that the one-time Pinnacle man ultimately did not undergo shoulder surgery.

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With the long-gestating MJF vs. Adam Cole rivalry having brewed while both men have dealt with their respective injury issues, that match is currently still "far from a reality" due to Cole not being close to being cleared to return to action. All involved parties wanted to blow that feud off in a way where they can circle back to it once Cole is able to lace up his boots again, and in the meantime, sources within AEW have heard of "out of left field" creative plans for MJF.

Following that Double or Nothing return, MJF is now advertised for next week's AEW Dynamite, with news of that announcement being followed by RUSH calling out Max, suggesting those two will be locking horns sooner rather than later.

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Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main dayjob, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg.