Last week, I penned an article about the impending return of The Elite trio, summed up what it meant for CM Punk, and asked the question, does All Elite Wrestling need the faction back on television? While they were undoubtedly a part of the core of the launch of AEW, I mentioned that it wouldn’t be a total negative if they were kept in backstage roles, especially if they planned to retain their EVP status. As I also mentioned, that’s not a knock on their talent or popularity, but rather points out that the organization, despite its bloated roster, has the depth to continue to draw without them.
One of the biggest pieces of that puzzle, it appears, is the ascension of Maxwell Jacob Friedman to the top of the card.
As we know, Friedman refused to show up to an autograph signing in May, citing frustrations with his contract, and in the process took all of the focus off of his opponent that night, Wardlow in what was supposed to be the culmination of a two-year storyline. Unfortunately, it was the start of several backstage riffs and much of the year for All Elite Wrestling was known more for its behind-the-scenes drama than the on-screen presentation. If it set a negative precedent or not for Tony Khan to cave to MJF’s money demands or if it was an indication of how Friedman could do business in the future are both different discussions for a different time.
The bottom line is, the AEW boss saw enough potential in MJF to sign him to a new deal, a contract that is only worth the extra cash if Friedman is eventually put in a position to draw bigger money for the company.
That’s why it was so puzzling to see who some have called one of the best young heels in the business put in the role of a baby face when The Firm, a stable formed just two months ago to help him win the casino ladder match to set up a title shot, attack him after they beat down Jon Moxley, Friedman’s opponent for the Full Gear pay-per-view in a few weeks.
Granted, there’s always the notion of, “how can we miss you if you don’t go away” that allowed for the huge pop for his return at All Out, but outside of that moment, what exactly says that there’s a demand to see Friedman as a baby face? I’m not necessarily saying it’s impossible, but almost all of the potential that is discussed about him is based on his work as a heel. Sure, some will cite the role of the antihero in pro wrestling, which would be a valid point, except for the fact that the vast majority of his persona isn’t based on the traits of an antihero, especially in sports entertainment. The easiest example would be Steve Austin, and while he dished out stunners to everyone in sight, he was a lone wolf that never accepted cheap help from anyone and only begrudgingly accepted fair assistance. What casts an antihero in that particular role is that they do things their own way, but have a code of conduct, which is ultimately why they become a favorite of the audience. It’s a concept that can span across different genres of entertainment. The Wire’s Omar, brilliantly played by the late Micheal K. Williams, robbed drug dealers to earn a living, but once said, “I ain’t never turn my gun on nobody that ain’t in the game” because he wouldn’t rob civilians since they weren’t a part of the drug trade in Baltimore. The previously mentioned Stone Cold might’ve stunned Commissioner Slaughter, but also saved Stephanie McMahon when she was “abducted” by the Ministry in the name of moral justice.
MJF won the title shot with the help of several wrestlers in The Firm and walked down to ringside to retrieve the casino chip with very little effort. He also mocked William Regal’s past of substance problems in a promo with Wheeler Yuta just a few weeks ago. Again, other than the fans happy to see MJF back on television, what justifies the implication that he should be a baby face?
Don’t get me wrong, Friedman is extremely talented and better in the ring than most realize, given his limited matches on television. That said, he was supposed to standout as the one guy in the modern era that was willing to be a “legitimate” heel in terms of staying in character in public and on social media. Some of that boiled down to attempts at cheap heat with the notion that he was willing to go “too far” in an effort to maintain the heel persona, but that was often seen with bush league antics. Some fans and even MJF mentioned it in a promo of comparisons to “Piper in Portland,” but if I had to guess, I’d say that this was a scenario where those fans might’ve heard about Piper in the Don Owen territory on podcasts or elsewhere without actually watching the footage. Not that this is meant as a knock on Friedman, but Roddy Piper was one of the best talkers in the history of the industry, and anyone that actually watches his promos from Portland will see that MJF isn’t on that level. Still, the talent and the potential is there, assuming he will be showcased in the right fashion under the right circumstances. As far as the Piper comparisons, that might be an unfair scale, but keep in mind, Roddy generated heat as much through body language and presentation as he did on the mic. On the flip side, most of the heat-seeking promos from Friedman are based on attempts at “shocking” antics.
Perhaps, Friedman can use some of his natural mic ability to broaden his persona.
As far as the attack from The Firm on Dynamite last week, the stable has only existed for two months so there’s not enough cache built up for it to be considered a drastic event, but rather an aspect that could dilute the upcoming title match on pay-per-view. Unless there’s a major payoff with the conclusion on the title bout, which is possible, is it worth presenting a rather flat match as a selling point for Full Gear?
MJF attempted to save Moxley from a beat down so where exactly is the heated feud for the championship? I understand the narrative that they might’ve been trying to portray, but it still doesn’t help sell the actual title match. Of course, there are ways that this can impact the finish of the pay-per-view. The easiest way would be that this was a set up all along and it was a swerve to make Moxley think that MJF wanted a fair title shot. Friedman would still be aligned with The Firm and win the title. The problem with that scenario is, it’s rather predictable and wouldn’t add too much sizzle to the MJF victory. Considering how well-received his promo with Regal was on television was, it’s also possible that maybe the young heel joins forces with the veteran villain as an endorsement from a legend such as Regal. However, where would that leave The Blackpool Combat Club? Claudio already lost most of the momentum he had upon his debut, and if the stable dissolves, he wouldn’t have much of a direction in the company.
There are options for how this could unfolded, but the biggest takeaway from any of this, at least in my opinion, is that it would be a drastic mistake to attempt to turn MJF baby face for a title victory. Again, when you look at his track record in the promotion, he just isn’t in the role of an antihero for the audience.
What do you think? Share your thoughts, opinions, feedback, and anything else that was raised on Twitter @PWMania and Facebook.com/PWMania.
Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
E mail [email protected] | You can follow me on Twitter @jimlamotta
