MJF’s reign as AEW World Champion may be over, but his next chapter remains uncertain.
Following his title loss to Kenny Omega on last week’s Dynamite: Beach Break, a new report suggests the former champion could soon disappear from AEW television. Nevertheless, his long-term plans appear to remain intact.
The possibility of a brief absence comes after weeks of speculation about what role, if any, MJF would play heading into AEW Redemption later this month.
Report suggests MJF could take time away from AEW television
According to Fightful Select, AEW sources indicated that MJF could be off television for a period of time following his championship defeat. The report stressed that nothing has been confirmed, and no timetable has been provided for a possible absence.
As per Fightful, MJF is still expected to factor into AEW All In at Wembley Stadium on August 30. However, the nature of that involvement remains unknown. This leaves fans to speculate before witnessing the next chapter of “The Salt of the Earth”.
The report comes after Kenny Omega defeated MJF to capture the AEW World Championship. Omega’s victory ended MJF’s third title reign. The championship match had originally been planned for AEW Redemption before being moved to television.
According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, the bout was initially scheduled for the pay-per-view. Fightful Select also reported that the prevailing belief within AEW was that MJF pushed for the match to take place earlier. AEW President Tony Khan approved the change. Reports have also suggested Friedman may have wanted time away to recover after suffering a hyperextended knee during his match against RUSH on the June 3 edition of Dynamite.
For now, MJF’s future is a waiting game rather than a bidding war. One thing appears certain. If he does step away, it may simply be a temporary reset before another main event run.
AEW Redemption is scheduled for July 26 in Montreal, while All In takes place on August 30 at Wembley Stadium. Omega is set to defend the AEW World Championship against Will Ospreay.
Read More: CM Punk Reveals How He Feels Watching His WWE Peers Retire
