The Rise and Fall of MJF vs Adam Cole – By Wrestle G

First of all, a big thank you for those of you who reached out after my last column about my recent personal life issues. It really meant a lot and I’m really happy to be back writing. I felt like my last column struck quite well, I’m thinking going forward about what to do over Christmas. Mr. Tito has predictions covered so I might steer away from that, maybe a year in review column? We’ll see I guess but hit me up below with anything you might want delved into over Christmas that’s a little different.

Just a quick thought about Saturday Nights Main Event coming this Saturday and there is a real piece of me that would be quite on board for a Kevin Owens win in the title match. I couldn’t imagine saying that during the summer months, but I feel Kevin has brought his best Heel logic to this feud and I am rooting for him. I think a small run up towards the Rumble with Cody retaining wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. I think it might even help Cody’s face run to have a little adversity and have him do a bit of chasing again. Am I crazy? We will see I guess, but I’m really intrigued to see where it goes.

I’m also pumped to hear Jesse Ventura on commentary again. In my other life I am a sports broadcaster and Jesse has been someone who really fostered my love for commentary. It isn’t going to be the same as it was back in the day obviously, but he still seems to be sharp as a tack so I’m sure we will have something controversial to mull over come Sunday morning. Just such a shame he doesn’t get to do comms with Monsoon or Vince again. Great Memories.

Anyways let’s not Amble around much longer, let’s get into today’s main topic.

Worlds End needs to be the end of the world for MJF and Adam Coles issues

I’m going to be bold and give you my opinion straight off of the bat.

I HATE this feud.

But it didn’t start out like that. No sir. Back in the Summer of 2023 I was a full on Brochacho and was rooting for this feud like you couldn’t believe. To give a bit of background in June 2023 Adam Cole and MJF when to a time limit draw in an Eliminator match for MJF’s Heavyweight championship. This led MJF to continually refuse to give Adam Cole a title shot. Then, would you believe it? The two men got drawn together in the Blind Eliminator Tournament (Tony Khan loves an eliminator concept doesn’t he?) for the AEW Tag team titles. MJF and Cole won the tournament but lost the final match against FTR to get the belts.

In defeat though the seeds of friendship were born. While tagging together the two men had built a mutual respect for one another. Over the next few weeks the men would build this friendship even more on and off screen. Trips to PF Changs for dinner? They did it. A trip to a rec centre? They did it. And in the MJF finally yielded and admitted that Adam Cole deserved his title shot. That title shot would happen at AEW All In the companies biggest event in their history at Wembley Stadium in London.

Not only would MJF vs Adam Cole for the AEW heavyweight championship but the two men would team together once again in the Pre show to take on Aussie Open for the ROH Tag team titles. The duo won the tag titles in the opening bout and went on to main event the show against each other in front of almost 80,000 fans. The crowd were into that match, I was there in the stadium and everyone was on board. MJF won the bout and the two men showed respect after the match.

And then the wheels fell off…….

After Wembley there came an increase in outside forces onto the new found friendship. Roderick Strong and the team of Matt Tavern and Mike Bennett started to question MJFs motivations and started to try and tempt Adam Cole away from MJF. While their friendly advice was seemingly falling on deaf years, a mystery masked man started to attack MJF and start playing mind games with him. Donned in MJF’s demon mask that he had worn on occasion. This mystery attacker was making MJF life a misery along with a selection of other masked men who were beginning to show up.

Speaking of Misery and a real-life incident caused this angle immense difficulty, when a simply hop off of the stage left Adam Cole with shattered ankle. Cole was still showing up to tapings after this injury but being in a wheelchair left any development of the angle extremely difficult to pull off. Roderick strong to his credit tried to carry the load. But it was feeling like the angle was suffering to move forward.

The Masked attacks and trickery just kept happening, each one less impactful than the one that preceded it. Roderick strong had now developed an irritating scream of people’s names when he first addressed them and Tavern and Bennet just sort of stood there. We were then at AEW Worlds end PPV where MJF would defend against Samoa Joe. At the end of the bout, it was finally revealed that Adam Cole had been the Devil all along. The reveal was made, and the crowd went mild, we then discovered that Tavern, Bennet, Strong and a returning Wardlow were the devils henchmen and the group was now called the Undisputed kingdom.

Further issues arose with MJF picking up a serious injury and needing to take time off after Worlds end. The issue AEW now had is that they had a heel group whose leader couldn’t wrestle for months, and the guy they had just screwed over wasn’t there to continue screwing with. Within weeks of the reveal Wardlow disappeared off of the face of the earth, Cole was taken off of TV and Strong and Tavern and Bennett were wrestling in preliminary matches on Collission.

A 6-month summer build completely snake bitten. It’s two main protagonists now on the injured reserve. And a fan base who were completely not into it when the turn happened. Now with both men out this seemed to draw a line under things. AEW had a chance for all of us, just to kind of forget it? Come May of 2024 and Adam cole enters the ring at Double or Nothing to cut a promo, he is interrupted by MJF. Himself returning after his injury and fresh off of the news that he had renewed his deal with AEW. MJF rushed the ring and kicked Adam Cole square between the legs.

And that right there should have been the end of it. MJF got his revenge, he made Cole look like a goof and Cole could go back on the injured list and when he came back enough time would have passed where both guys could move on. And while Cole was off it was MJF who did move on, interesting programmes with Daniel Garcia and Will Ospreay saw MJF start to cement himself as a top guy who could mix it at the top of the card again.

But AEW couldn’t leave it alone. Adam Cole returns and the programme with MJF has continued, but again with distance with MJF away filming happy Gilmore 2. The whole re start of the feud has felt extremely like an afterthought, it’s felt like neither guy really believes in it. And why would they? The logic of the feud doesn’t make sense. Cole is currently out for a revenge against a person that he turned on. He’s essentially a babyface who is rallying against the fact that less than a year ago he turned heel. It’s a mess, and it has sadly moved both guys down the card and I believe in the way the AEW fan base perceives them.

With MJF only appearing via video they have relied back on the old trope of him setting challenges for his opponents akin to his feuds with Jericho and Punk. It’s a chase that no one seems to be interested in Adam Cole achieving. Because again who are we rooting for here? Do we want Cole to beat MJF up so he can avenge the fact he was the devil previously? Because that doesn’t make sense, are we meant to root for MJF who’s just been a dastardly heel again in his feuds with Garcia and Ospreay?

Worlds End will see Adam Cole take on MJF and hopefully it will see the end of these two in a programme together. I hate to see this feud not work, but it was doomed from the second it was re-ignited. Whoever wins this match at worlds end won’t matter. Both guys have already lost out to it. That isn’t terminal of course. But I think it will take a little while to rehabilitate both characters.

That’s my little rant done for the day. What are your thoughts on this feud and these guys currently? Has anyone enjoyed this feud second time around? Is it universally hated?

Let me know in the comments down below or on twitter via @Wrestle_G

Until Next time, thanks for reading.

Cheers,

G