In case anyone was worried about MJF losing his knack for stirring up live crowds during his de facto exile from AEW and pro wrestling in general over the summer, he’s shown the past few weeks that he isn’t rusty at all.
His promos have been among the highlights of every AEW Dynamite he’s been on, and his pursuit of the AEW World Championship, aided by the poker chip he “won” that gives him a title shot at a time of his choosing, should result in one heck of a hot showdown with Jon Moxley at Full Gear.
Yet there’s been something different about MJF in segments like the one on this week’s episode of Dynamite, when he poured his heart out to William Regal: He seems to be on the fence about continuing as a villain. He even claimed he’d beat Mox without taking any shortcuts in able to prove something to Regal, the world and presumably himself.
Would he actually turn face? Not if he has anything to say about it. On a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that MJF had spoken to several people within AEW, including Tony Khan, and made it clear he doesn’t want to be a good guy.
On the surface, that seems logical enough. MJF is once again one of the top heels in the business, and there’s no reason to derail his momentum. The most likely way his current story will play out is that he’ll sucker everyone in with an apparent change of heart, only to reveal his true colors when it matters most. He’s so good at it, why not let him?
On the other hand, there’s something to be said for exploring what might not come as naturally to MJF. The fans want to cheer for him, except when he’s actively running down their city. The best timing for a face turn (or any turn, really) is when the performer in question is at the very top of their current persona, getting as much heat as possible.
If MJF’s heat isn’t in it, then that’s that. Let him continue to be one of the best at what he does, the villain who backs up his assertion that he’ll be a very in-demand free agent come 2024. But it’s certainly worth considering the other option, because it’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t be insanely popular if he let his better angels take over for a while, too.
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