Maxwell Jacob Friedman aka MJF. Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Dethroned AEW Champion removed from roster page amid free agency

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 1/1/24

MJF lost his AEW World Championship to Samoa Joe at World's End. He had held the title for a record-setting 406 days. Heading into the highly anticipated pay-per-view bout, he wrote an article for the "Players Tribune" noting how his body was carrying multiple injuries. As such, his loss to Joe makes sense. MJF needs a rest.

However, MJF is also a free agent. According to the 'generational talent,' his contract with AEW expired on Jan. 1. Currently, there's no reporting on whether MJF will remain with AEW or head to the WWE, following in Cody Rhodes' footsteps. Sure, there is a heavy amount of speculation, with it all pointing toward MJF staying with AEW. Yet, right now, nothing is official.

AEW has since sent the MJF narrative into overdrive, removing their dethroned champion from the company's roster page on their website. As of now, MJF is not linked to the company in terms of being an official member of their roster. This doesn't mean he won't return once his injuries are healed. It does, however, mean that his contract has indeed expired, and the ball is in his court on what happens next.

MJF is no longer listed on AEW's official roster page
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) January 1, 2024

There's no denying that MJF's skillset is perfectly suited for WWE. His ability on the mic and in the ring would set him on a path to superstardom. Yet, MJF is already becoming the face of AEW; making a move to a bigger company doesn't guarantee he will become a success. There are always risks attached to making a change.

AEW's decision to remove MJF from their roster could be part of their storyline. After all, Adam Cole was revealed as the devil, and they could play into the idea that they forced MJF out of the company. Storytelling has been one of the weakest areas in AEW's overall offering in recent years, and this could be a turning point.

Whatever MJF decides to do will likely shift the landscape of professional wrestling. He is one of the most talented young wrestlers in the world and will have offers from everywhere. AEW won the battle of big free agents in 2023; re-signing MJF would be a huge statement of intent from the ever-growing company. However, the allure of WWE is hard to resist. It's going to be an interesting few weeks.

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