Following Will Ospreay’s title win at AEW Double or Nothing, Adam Cole returned to speak to the fans in Las Vegas. Very quickly into his speech about how he’s the devil, the lights dimmed and MJF’s instrumental music hit. A video is shown on the screen of a long hallway but at the end of it is the classic Burberry scarf. Two hands hold up ripped halves of a photo of MJF and Adam Cole and if it wasn’t clear before, MJF is back. But to solidify that, his real music hits and he makes his way to the ring to confront Cole. He quickly takes him out with a low blow and puts an end his whole “devil” shtick right then and there.
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Recent reports indicated that MJF may be closer to an in-ring return than previously thought. He hasn’t been seen on television since December when he lost the AEW World Championship to Samoa Joe at AEWย Worlds End. He reportedly suffered an injury back at Full Gear in November that would end in him popping his hip back into place. It was also revealed that he aggravated his shoulder during the bout against the Bang Bang Gang’s Jay White. He laid low for a few months but reappeared last month where fans snapped pictures of him in a sling. The day before, reports of him needing surgery released as his physical therapy wasn’t working.
ย “Unlike Adam Cole and all those shmucks in the back: I don’t need a New Japan or a Vince McMahon to make MJF because MJF made MJF,” Friedman said in his fiery return promo. “So when it comes to the salt of the earth — back to your regularly scheduled programming, folks. No more ‘haha’s,’ no more friendships, no more kangaroo kicks, no more bulls–t. Back to being driven by what I am driven by best and I ain’t talking love — I’m talking hate, hate, hate. And when your boy’s driven by hate? Nobody’s safe.”
Toward the end of his speech, he lifts his pant leg to reveal a tattoo on the back of his leg which says “bet on yourself” with the AEW Double or Nothing poker chip. He turns to speak into th camera, “When it comes to MJF in AEW, you can call me the wolf of wrestling — because I’m not f—ing leaving!
AEW Double or Nothing Results
AEW World Championship:ย Swerve Strickland (c) vs. Christian Cage
AEW TBS Championship:ย Willow Nightingale (c) vs. Mercedes Monรฉ
Anarchy in the Arena:ย The Elite (The Young Bucks,ย Kazuchika Okada, Jack Perry) vs. Team AEW (FTR, Bryan Danielson, Darby Allin)
AEW TNT Championship โ Barbed Wire Cage Match:ย Adam Copeland (c) vs. Malakai Black
AEW Women’s Championship:ย “Timeless” Toni Storm (c) vs. Serena Deeb
AEW International Championship:ย Roderick Strong (c) vs. Will Ospreay
Unified Trios Championships:ย Bullet Club Gold (c) vs. Death Triangle
FTW Championship:ย Chris Jericho (c) vs. HOOK vs. Katsuyori Shibata
Trent Beretta vs. Orange Cassidy
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Eliminator Match:ย Jon Moxley (c) vs. Konosuke Takeshita