How MJF Succeeded Where Roman Reigns Failed
Ultimately, MJF cast himself as a master in-ring strategist, with his brilliant ruses throughout, and still had to resort to cheating to keep the belt. He embodied the true quality of a wrestling World champion in his first ever programme as a World champion: he showed so much ass to Starks that he practically mooned him.
MJF, as he is meant to do - and Ricky's performances throughout were exceptional, of course - elevated his opponent to the highest level and created, over just a few weeks, pro wrestling magic. AEW at its best is a haven of creativity, and this 'Reign of Terror' stuff is already fantastic. MJF has struck upon the worst, most tedious era of wrestling ever - at least Cena's matches were loud, at least babyface Roman's matches were thrilling and dynamic - and it's not as if Triple H was going to trademark it himself. It took WWE a combined total of 15 years to draw earnest, intended reactions on behalf of Cena and Reigns. It took AEW a week.
How long can it continue?
The Reign of Terror, the bold booking choice of telling the fans that their feelings won't alter a product that was launched because their feelings weren't considered for years, has worked so far because selecting Ricky Starks, in Texas, as MJF's first opponent was inspired regionalised booking. This was AEW operating with peak, deep thought, in which everything is considered: the story, the arc, the schedule. Starks could not have been hotter, more ready, more credible. Months of deft red herrings and classical babyface storytelling led to this point.
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