AEW President Tony Khan has finally broken his silence regarding MJF’s removal from the AEW roster page. This followed the shocking outcome at the AEW Worlds End. The night marked the conclusion of MJF’s record-long 406-day reign as the AEW World Champion, as he lost to Samoa Joe in his hometown.
Adding fuel to the fire, MJF’s best friend, Adam Cole, revealed himself as the Devil. With his new faction, the Undisputed Kingdom, featuring Wardlow, Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett, they also beat up MJF, bringing a dramatic end to the show.
On January 1, 2024, AEW took an unexpected step by removing MJF from their website roster page. This decision followed MJF’s consistent teasing of a ‘Bidding War of 2024’ in his promos over the years, hinting at his AEW contract’s expiration on January 1, 2024.
In an interview with Going Ringside, AEW owner Tony Khan was asked about MJF’s contract status. In response, he stated:
“I can say that MJF certainly has been a great part of AEW for the first five years, and through those five years, certainly, he’s been one of our great homegrown stars, and he’s somebody we really value, and I would love to have MJF in AEW in the future, should the contractual situation allow.”
Furthermore, Khan said he still wants Maxwell in AEW as he has been a great champion for his promotion.
“Certainly MJF is somebody we would love to have an AEW going forward. And he’s been a great wrestler and a great champion for us.”
Thus, AEW fans remain on edge as they await further developments in the intriguing saga between MJF and AEW.
AEW backstage reaction to MJF’s removal from roster
Additionally, Maxwell Jacob Friedman’s loss of the AEW World Championship had led to speculation over his contract status.
However, according to PWInsider, the suggestion is that this is a calculated move. The report states, “No one we’ve spoken with in the company believes he is actually gone, and this is just a storyline playing off his ‘war of ’24’ narrative that he’s referenced forever. MJF has been dealing with injuries for some time, so a hiatus would benefit him now, both in terms of health and in rejuvenating him after being a focal point in storylines over the last year.”
As wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer stated, MJF’s absence is purely storyline, as he has already signed a long-term deal with AEW. However, he is dealing with a torn labrum and other injuries and may take time off for recovery, potentially sidelining him for most of 2024.
