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This week on AEW Dynamite, Maxwell Jacob Friedman delivered the best promo of his career, and that's saying something. It was his most emotional as the Long Islander spoke from the heart about his past.
MJF referenced CM Punk bringing out a picture of when he met him as a young boy. He launched into a heart-wrenching tale of bullying and medical struggles. Like many fans, MJF found comfort in pro-wrestling and a hero in CM Punk.
When The Straight Edged Superstar walked away from WWE back in 2014, it broke MJF as a fan. He made a promise to any young supporter who believed in him that he'd never let them down. It was a moving moment, which prompted Punk to come to the ring.
It resonated with the AEW audience, who could see MJF as a babyface after this promo, which was previously unheard of. While this could be a ruse, it'd be interesting to see how Tony Khan books a babyface run for MJF down the road. Here are five ways AEW can cement that eventual turn for the young star:
#5. MJF should team up with CM Punk after the conclusion of their AEW rivalry
MJF vs. CM Punk is the hottest feud in AEW right now. They've managed to stretch out their rivalry over several months and had an outstanding match in Chicago last month on Dynamite. Now the two stars are heading towards a collision at Revolution in a Dog Collar Match.
Throughout their feud, the roles have been firmly established, with Punk as the good guy and MJF the villain. But after this week's promo, it's clear that the admiration and love MJF had for Punk was real, which left The Straight Edge Superstar conflicted.
After their rivalry, it wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility that the two can reconcile and team together in the future. It'd be interesting to see the student/mentor dynamic play out, which might help change fans' opinions of MJF.
#4. MJF gets beaten up and bullied by Adam Cole and The Elite on AEW television
For MJF to become a babyface in AEW, he'll need a strong heel presence to fight against. Outside of Friedman, the top heels have consistently been The Elite.
From Kenny Omega, Young Bucks to Adam Cole, the faction garners the largest boos from the audience as AEW's resident bullies. With Omega out of the picture, Cole's the de facto leader and would be the perfect first opponent for babyface MJF. There's already precedence for the rivalry to take place.
MJF mentioned Cole's real-life girlfriend Britt Baker during his early promo battle with CM Punk, where he accused The Second City Saint of trying to woo the AEW Women's Champion. This caused Cole to warn The Pinnacle leader to stay away from Baker.
Speaking to Renee Paquette & Miesha Tate on Throwing Down, MJF addressed Cole's comments that he'd knock MJF out if he mentioned Britt Baker's name again:
"Adam Cole apparently just did an interview with this – you know that Brandon Walker guy? Big hick, disgusting, kind of. So he did an interview with him and Adam Cole, he said that if I talk about Britt [Baker] anymore, he’s gonna sock me in the face which, listen, all respect to the boom boy, Adam’s a great guy. I don’t have a problem with Adam, my problem’s with Punk." (H/T - Post Wrestling)
This could be the seed planted for when they want to revisit this rivalry in the future. MJF vs. Adam Cole could be an equally mouthwatering feud that'll deliver both in the ring and on the mic. With The Elite stacking the odds against Friedman, the audience will be more inclined to throw their support for the Long Islander.
#3. MJF is kicked out of The Pinnacle
MJF has been the leader of The Pinnacle for over a year and is the star of the group. Thanks to the faction, Maxwell has been untouchable as he lets FTR, Shawn Spears, Wardlow, and Tully Blanchard do his bidding.
However, they're also subtly planting the seeds for Wardlow to become the next breakout star of the group. What if Tony Khan executes a double turn? Instead of pulling the trigger on MJF vs. Wardlow with the heavyweight as the good guy, the roles could be reversed.
After the Punk feud is over, perhaps Wardlow could be plotting to take over the group and excommunicate MJF from The Pinnacle. No one expects that to happen, and it is certainly a fresh idea that helps cement the babyface turn.
#2. Feuds with Bryan Danielson
AEW star Bryan Danielson revealed he'd like to work with Maxwell Jacob Friedman in the future. While speaking to FITE on Focus, Danielson discussed some of his goals for his AEW run, one of them being a match with MJF:
"As far as, goals like, 'I want to do this, I want to do that,' I don't have a lot of that. I'd like to do...there are some people I'd like to wrestle in AEW, and obviously you want them to be incredible matches. I'd love to be able to go to New Japan and do the G1, but that's COVID-dependent. I don't hang anything on that. I'd love to do something with MJF in AEW. If that doesn't materialize and it never happens, it doesn't matter as long as I enjoy the rest of the things." (H/T - Fightful Select).
Nonetheless, Bryan Danielson vs. MJF has the qualities to be considered a mega main event for a major AEW PPV. With The American Dragon established as one of the top heels in the company, he could make MJF a sympathetic figure.
#1. Wins the AEW Championship
MJF should be a future AEW World Champion and lead the company for the next decade. He's a homegrown star and an original from the promotion. Fans will be clamoring to support his title victory. Especially now that they know his emotional backstory, people will be rooting for him to win the big one. It'll be a big moment for AEW to crown MJF as champion.
