How Big of a Blow Would MJF Leaving Be?

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

He’s getting more screen time now as ever, but he’s far from the only focus of the company. An expected bidding war has pretty much been part of his character since he first got pushed to the main event. So what impact would him leaving actually have?

[Fade]

Now? By proxy? Huge because they’ve made him “The Guy”.

I don’t know how to put this, but MJF seemed a lot hotter before the title reign. Like more of a lucrative signing before that. So, even though it’d be a blow, the silver lining could be attention being brought to a lot more guys.

[Kalmia]

It would be a blow, but AEW is so stacked and has so many future main eventers waiting in the wings that it really wouldn't matter. I don't think any single (or even 3 or 4) wrestler leaving would really harm the show. It'd just mean an adjustment and someone else who deserves it gets a turn.

[Nosnorb]

Huge. AEW have put a LOT of time and effort into the dude, and has shown that he is a top level performer both face and heel. Losing Max would be a big blow.

[Zone Was Wrong]

Hypothetically it would be massive but I'm 99% he's already extended, if not officially but unofficially. Supposedly his contract was to be up on the 1st of 2024 and they have a PPV right before then for the title and there's a huge storyline with the Devil and their demons that won't be wrapped up before then. Even if Joe was to beat him, there's a big storyline waiting for him in 2024.

[Deleted]

If he leaves to the WWE, then it is a big blow. While MJF started elsewhere, he's an AEW homegrown talent. It would be like AJ Styles leaving TNA to the WWE.

[ghost]

MJF as a face isn’t clicking with me but he’s still the biggest star in the company now. Would definitely be a blow, especially if he shows up in WWE.

[gentlemengreg1]

And yet another created pearl clutching AEW thread.

MJF is signed to a new contract and if he were to leave in the future AEW will be ok.

[The Summer of Muskrat XVII]

It's a way bigger blow from an optics perspective then it actually is. They have plenty of people to step up and fill his spot, the train would keep on rolling, and the company would be fine. But it would definitely be a really bad look to see their biggest name homegrown talent say "Nope, I wanna go see if the grass really is greener...." at the age of 30

[Mozenrath]

It'd be really big, and also just not something I see happening in the next few years if it happens at all.

[Baldobomb-22-OH-MAN!!!]

Short term it would hurt but long term they'd be fine. All hypothetical because he's already signed.

[Denny Zen is Cooking™]

It would be a significant blow, but it wouldn't be an extinction level event or anything. If CM Punk leaving had no discernible effect on the ratings, then I don't think that losing MJF would either. Dynamite seems to be at or close to its weekly viewership floor right now.

Really, the worst thing about it would be the deluge of online discourse about how AEW is on its "last legs."

[daaave]

Dec 18, 2023 11:57:10 GMT -5 The Summer of Muskrat XVII said:

It's a way bigger blow from an optics perspective then it actually is. They have plenty of people to step up and fill his spot, the train would keep on rolling, and the company would be fine. But it would definitely be a really bad look to see their biggest name homegrown talent say "Nope, I wanna go see if the grass really is greener...." at the age of 30

Yeah this. Optics are real bad. They'd kinda be fine technically but the optics would be cancel that out. Just look at Jade and how that was presented by some fans. Heck even Brian Pillman Jr

[ace]

It would certainly blow up my interest in the product to heights it hasn’t seen since he’s been in the main event. I would love to have almost anyone else on top at this point.

[HMARK Center]

Dec 18, 2023 11:57:10 GMT -5 The Summer of Muskrat XVII said:

It's a way bigger blow from an optics perspective then it actually is. They have plenty of people to step up and fill his spot, the train would keep on rolling, and the company would be fine. But it would definitely be a really bad look to see their biggest name homegrown talent say "Nope, I wanna go see if the grass really is greener...." at the age of 30

Yeah, that makes sense; on the one hand the Continental Classic next year put together a field of Hangman, Ospreay, Hobbs, Darby, Yuta, Starks, Fletcher, Ethan Page, Takeshita, Bandido, Fenix, and Juice Robinson...12 guys, none of whom were in this year's tournament, and all of whom are, to the best my knowledge, at least currently under 35 years old. Not saying all of these guys are or will be near MJF's level by this time next year, just that there's a ton of talent to pick from here, and we're not even including the guys who are in the tournament this year, or great veterans like Omega/Samoa Joe/PAC/Pentagon/Ibushi, etc. Shit, I didn't even mention Adam Cole.

On the other, I agree the optics would be the issue there: the homegrown star, the guy who was handed the world over the last year, had his stories and matches really laid out in a style and manner that he likes, etc., and he'd leave that young for the competition? Yeah, it'd be a bitter pill for them to swallow, I'm sure.

But yeah, ultimately they have more than enough talent around and given that MJF most likely re-signed already, it's probably a moot point outside of just wondering how that would go.

[polarbearpete]

He has to be signed to some kind of extension, given the way the shows have been built around him for months, and the fact that they’ve lined up like 4-5 future programs for him.

If he did leave, it would be a blow perception wise of course, but I think on-screen the product would be fine. The company is certainly not lacking for main event talent.

[ChitownKnight]

Tony would be an idiot if he gave MJF this big of a push and he didn’t sign an extension. MJF would also be an idiot if he went to wwe because he’s not gonna be put in the position there that he is in AEW (atleast not in the near future). I think Max should go to wwe in 3-5 years but certainly not now

[lucas_lee]

Short term it would be devastating, as he's one of the few homegrown guys that could truly draw. But longterm they'll be fine. TK has so many guys ready to take the reigns that in a year or two it won't be that big of a loss.

[Dang!]

It would be a big blow, especially if they send him off on a high note. AEW needs to stop doing that.
Whoever wants to jump ship should lose in a clean and definitive way.

[Tom Turkey]

Dec 18, 2023 13:17:33 GMT -5 polarbearpete said:

He has to be signed to some kind of extension, given the way the shows have been built around him for months, and the fact that they’ve lined up like 4-5 future programs for him.

If he did leave, it would be a blow perception wise of course, but I think on-screen the product would be fine. The company is certainly not lacking for main event talent.

at this point, the whole bidding war stuff and not being shown on promo posters for 2024 events is just kayfabe.