MJF has been the AEW World Champion for 407 days.
Initially winning the title at Full Gear 2022 in a Prudential Center showdown against the promotion's workhorse, Jon Moxley, the “Salt of the Earth” has built himself into the true focal point of AEW television, becoming best bros with Adam Cole after initially beginning their run as enemies, winning the Ring of Honor Tag Team Championships, headlining Wembley Stadium, and entering into a feud with someone wearing his Devil mask, even if that particular storyline has become less and less popular with each passing week.
With a title match set to headline a brand new Pay-Per-View, Worlds End, at his home arena, the Nassau Coliseum, one would think MJF would be incredibly excited about the prospects of wrestling his behind off in defense of the Triple B, bringing his title reign into a third calendar year, but, in a rare moment of vulnerability written out for The Players' Tribune, the AEW World Champion opened about how he's instead feeling incredibly tired and understands that some fans might be feeling the same way.
“I’m tired. I know that’s not what you’re supposed to say as a professional wrestler — especially not before a big world title defense in your hometown. I know I should take my vitamins, brother, order up an expensive coffee to the five-star hotel room I’m staying in (thanks, Tony), and end this article by cutting an ’80s good guy promo about the evil Samoa Joe. Let’s sell some Pay-Per-Views!!!!!!!,” MJF wrote for The Players' Tribune.
“But I don’t know, man. I’m just so, so, so tired. That’s the God’s honest truth. My hip is a mess. My arm won’t lift above my head. I’m on painkillers, which are not my thing. I can’t sleep. But like I said earlier…… I know it’s not only me who’s tired. I know our fans are a little tired of this run I’ve been on. For the first time since this company started, I know there’s some MJF fatigue. Which is fine, by the way — no one stays hot forever.
“Right now, though, as I'm writing this? It’s Wednesday morning. It’s three days before Worlds End. It’s five days from five years of MJF in AEW. I don’t know what comes next. Here’s what I do know. Wrestling in the main event of a card at Nassau Coliseum as AEW World Champ? That s**t means everything to me. Really. EVERYTHING.”
Will MJF leave AEW with the title still around his waist? Maybe yes, maybe no, but as he wrote, the prospect of going up against Samoa Joe wasn't a story he could run away from, as their first match was simply too good to pass up.
“(Samoa) Joe is a monster, an athletic freak, a legit tough guy in a world full of pretend “tough guys,” a living legend, and this makes no sense, but I think he’s the best he’s ever been,” MJF wrote. “And there’s a reason why we had to run that match back with a sequel: It was way too good not to.”
Samoa Joe believes destiny awaits MJF at AEW Worlds End.
While MJF has said a ton about his title, AEW's future, and Samoa Joe heading into Worlds End, the “Samoan Submission Machine” hasn't been afforded a chance to speak on his title match since turning on his former tag team partner on Dynamite.
Asked about whether or not he was in league with The Devil by AEW's camera crew for a special digital exclusive segment, Joe said no, noting that MJF and the rest of the AEW audience should focus more on destiny than The Devil.
“See, that’s exactly what I wanted people like you and Max to think. Because we’re playing asymmetrical warfare right? Max started this, I’m a man of simple combative means, I’ll meet you in the streets, I’ll meet you in the ring. I’ll meet you at your house and you can catch this fade,” Samoa Joe told the AEW audience via Ringside News.
“All you have to do is show up, Max. At Grand Slam, you didn’t show up, you showed up with your friends, you showed up with a plan – you had everything figured out, Max. Or did you? Because in a world full of checkers players, I’m out here playing Chess, Max. You never saw this coming. You’ve been worried about a Devil the whole time, when you really needed to be worried about destiny.”
What would AEW look like with Samoa Joe as the World Champion? Will he go on another record-breaking run at the top of the card? Or would he instead serve as a transitional champion, holding things down until someone else, be that Swerve Strickland, “Switchblade' Jay White, or even Bryan Danielson, go for his top spot? Fans will have to see how things shake out in order to find out.