Does Being The Guy Who Took MJF Off AEW TV Help Or Hurt Wardlow?
Wardlow beat MJF so badly at AEW Double Or Nothing that it will likely keep The Salt Of The Earth off television for a while, which might not be an excellent thing for the breakout star of All Elite. Leading up to Double Or Nothing, Wardlow had been picking up momentum on a weekly basis, with fans chanting his name as he walked to the ring and cheering as he got closer to getting his hands on MJF. One stretcher job later, though, and now the June 1st episode of Wednesday Night Dynamite appears set to go on air with Wardlow and without Friedman. That could create a strange vacuum in on-air programming for the company, as Friedman has been a staple of the broadcast for months now, regardless of the feud he's been in.
Usually, being the one to give a heel their comeuppance is a good thing. It's one of the most influential storytelling devices in professional wrestling. It's why the outcome of Wardlow's match with MJF felt so cathartic while the finish of the Anarchy In The Arena match felt so flat. MJF isn't some run-of-the-mill villain. He's too charismatic to boo unless he's running down the city you're from, which means that AEW must tread carefully in how they handle Wardlow's win. Not even CM Punk gloated too much about taking down the wrestler who may as well be referred to as Mr. Wednesday Night. He just went right after Hangman Adam Page instead and secured himself a shot at the AEW World Championship, which he won.
Related: Hangman Adam Page Feels Like A Bigger Deal After CM Punk Match
Having Wardlow go over at Double Or Nothing was the right move, but booking him to boast about how he's "why Friedman won't be comin' round here anymore" might not be such a good idea. Up until recently, crowds were still popping for
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