One of the first things that comes to mind with Maxwell Jacob Friedman as All Elite Wrestling (AEW) world champion is the passage of time. As readers of my other blogs and newsletters have surely recognized by now, part of that is my own reckoning with things as I turn 40. But I also imagine I'm not alone in feeling that way among AEW fans, whether they are older or younger than I am.
The man known as MJF is part of my very first memories watching the company. He was established as a key figure from the start. Upon his first appearance cutting a promo on none other than Bret freaking Hart, I had a thought that was clearly on other minds at the time: this guy could be world champion one day.
Such as these things go in wrestling and sports and life, one day is here. We are actually in the second MJF era. And I think it sets up some fun AEW stories for the foreseeable future.
This is my weekly AEW recap, posted each Wednesday morning and following the schedule of Dynamite, the company's flagship show. As I sign on to finalize the blog, I psyche myself up with a hearty, "It's Wednesday. You know what that means."
This is my attempt to touch base with what has been happening and gear up for the week ahead with my favorite wrestling promotion.
There are too many belts in AEW. There are too many champions to remember. I found that to be true when I diligently watched AEW programming. And I certainly find it to be true now as I struggle to keep up with the weekly shows.
Remember when there was Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision? Oof. My two cents: go back to just having Dynamite and AEW Dark on YouTube each Monday night. I know the people who need the enterprise to make money would never go for it, but I loved the weekly cadence of those two shows.
Anyhow, the importance of individual championships is the oldest and most familiar premise for a rivalry or match. In order for that to work well, we need to care about belts. That gets a little tricky if I can't even name all of them off the top of my head.
I still do care about the belts in AEW. I'm still an easy sell for a championship match. But it's also true that I was more invested when it was easier to keep track of all the titles.
Even with lots of capable champions and fun reigns, they haven't quite held the same distinction in recent years due to the simple existence of more and more new belts. Don't even get me started on the angles when the Ring of Honor belts are inexplicably involved. And I think someone is the CMLL champion of something now?
Thankfully, there is one exception to this trend, and it's the most important title anyway. The AEW World Championship retains its status as a prestigious and important belt. That is especially true when it is in the hands of one Maxwell Jacob Friedman.
That's the main takeaway I have from the last week in AEW: we are in the next MJF era. And it is coming at an ideal time to set the stage for the stories that could drive the promotion in 2026.
In my experience watching AEW, I have found that my emotions have flattened out a bit as all of the stories and characters have started to feel more and more spread out. It has remained my favorite promotion, carrying two of my favorite TV shows, and I have still consistently enjoy watching it. But when things feel so scattered, I find myself hoping for a main story or two that can carry more focus.
Having a really great heel as the world champion can provide that focus. "The money is in the chase," or so the expression goes. That wisdom holds because one of the easiest and most gratifying outcomes for fans is when the good guy takes the world championship away from the bad guy. The chase that leads to that moment grabs the attention and emotional investment of people watching.
This is conventional wisdom because it works with a lot of heels. It works really well when the heel champion is exceptional in the way that MJF is.
Right now, there are a bunch of boys who want to take the title from MJF. There's a whole Hangman Adam Page and Swerve Strickland chapter that needs to play itself out (I presume that, if you think those two will stay friends, you also believe Kevin Owens when he's a babyface).
There's Kenny Omega throwing his hat in the ring via a pre-taped video message. There's Samoa Joe, famously not a good guy at the moment, who wants to get the championship back.
Bandido has a match coming up against MJF that may or may not involve his title from a different promotion and may or may not be happening on AEW (you might know, just trust me that this is the kind of thing that's easy to forget if you haven't been able to watch every show).
And then of course, there's a certain BRUV who should be returning this year. Imagine the pop if Will Ospreay's music hits for a surprise confrontation with MJF.
Thinking about tonight's Dynamite and the stories that are to come, I'm looking forward to settling into the MJF era, rooting for the babyfaces going after him, and engaging with the build to his eventual defeat.
Some questions
Here's what I'm wondering as I look ahead to this week's AEW shows.
- Will there be blood? Yes, there will be a lot of it when Hangman and Swerve face the Ops in an unsanctioned match. Will I watch it? Maybe, but I imagine it will be sneaking lots of glances through my fingers that will otherwise be covering my eyes.
- Will Toni Storm and Orange Cassidy dance? I think they will, and I think it will make me laugh.
- Ortiz is back?!? I just saw this in the thumbnail of an AEW YouTube video as I put the final touches on this blog. That feels like seeing an old friend again, and it makes me happy.
- Do I know who the TNT Champion is? It's Mark Briscoe. So yes I do, and so there.
- Can I remember the names of the other mid-card belts? Nope! I think there's a national championship now? Did that replace the international championship? Is there still a belt with "continental" in it? Are there still trios champions?
I could write another 500 words of questions about the AEW championships, so I better call it here. Enjoy this week's shows.
