[Photo] "My best friend" - Former WWE star hugs 'The Devil' Adam Cole backstage after AEW Worlds End

Shocking actions closed out AEW's Worlds End pay-per-view last night. Adam Cole was revealed to be the mysterious Devil who terrorized the promotion over the past few months.

After Samoa Joe defeated MJF to become the new AEW World Champion in the main event, the arena went dark. When the lights returned, Cole was sitting ominously in a chair, surrounded by several masked men who had been interfering in matches for months.

One of those men was 40-year-old wrestler Roderick Strong, a former WWE star. Strong later posted a photo where he was hugging Adam Cole with the caption "My best friend," confirming his association.

The group, which also included The Kingdom and Wardlow, proceeded to attack MJF as the show concluded. This surprise twist reveals that Cole has been the mastermind behind the scenes, manipulating events with his team of henchmen.

With Strong's identity now known, there will likely be backstage fallout on this week's AEW Dynamite.

What role does the former WWE wrestler play as part of Cole's Devil faction? And what plans does this dangerous group have in store for AEW? The reveal leaves fans with many questions heading into the new.

Adam Cole revealed as 'The Devil' after the main event

In the main event, Samoa Joe defeated MJF to become the new AEW World Champion. This ended Friedman's historic 407-day title reign in his 12th defense. It was a rematch from their bout at September's AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam show.

Going into the match, MJF was battling injuries, including a torn labrum. He had his former tag team partner, Adam Cole, in his corner for support. However, Cole's attempt to hand the Salt of the Earth a foreign object backfired.

This allowed Joe to lock in his devastating Coquina Clutch submission. MJF briefly rolled out of the hold, but the former WWE star re-applied it to get the referee stoppage.

Joe heads into 2024 as the new champion after MJF's dominant year-long reign. With Cole showing his true colors earlier, questions remain about what comes next for Max without his ally. But for now, The Samoan Submission Machine sits atop AEW after his hard-fought.

Soon after the main event, the Devil's aiders ambushed former AEW Champion and revealed themselves as Wardlow, Roderick Strong, Matt Taven, and Mike Bennett. Adam Cole watched on as the four men beat the hell out of the Friedman before disclosing himself as The Devil.

What's next for MJF? Do you want him to join WWE? Sound off in the comments section below.