5 wrestlers that could end the MJF reign of terror

Maxwell Jacob Friedman, better known as MJF, has established himself as one of the most feared wrestlers in the industry today. With his sharp wit, impressive skills inside the ring, and tendency to play dirty, he has single-handedly created a reign of terror that has put him on the top of the food chain. However, as with any dominant force, there are always those who rise up to challenge the status quo. Let’s take a look at five wrestlers who have the potential to put an end to MJF’s reign of terror.

(5) Orange Cassidy

It’s not up for debate anymore. Orange Cassidy has had the best title reign in the history of AEW as the International Champion. Orange getting his moment defeating Pac, of all people in Canada, was a nice moment, but I don’t think anyone thought he would be the workhorse champion within the company. The MJF/Orange face-off would be incredible. MJF doing the bare minimum against someone who could outdo his known schtick would be great television. But more than just the entertainment value, Cassidy has proven that he has the chops to take on top talent and come out on top. He may not be the most conventional wrestler, but he knows how to get the job done. And with MJF’s manipulative tactics and dirty tricks, Cassidy’s unorthodox style could be just what’s needed to shake things up.

(4) Drew McIntyre/Galloway

Recent reports have surfaced that Drew is unhappy with his creative, and that could mean it could be time to say goodbye to WWE. Yes, I understand AEW would add another wrestler to a stacked roster, but do you see what Claudio Castagnoli does weekly? The chains are off and Claudio shows what WWE has missed out on for years. Drew McIntyre has main-evented several PPV’s and was given the burden of being a champion during the pandemic. Drew is still only 38 years and has years ahead of him as a professional wrestler. His impressive career in WWE is something to note and his accolades make him a great candidate to end the MJF reign of terror. McIntyre could give MJF a taste of his own medicine with his power and ring presence. Not to mention, his Scottish ancestry brings an added element of physicality to the match.

(3) Swerve Strickland

Swerve is another under appreciated talent getting and gaining more support from the AEW fanbase. Tony Khan has said that he sees Swerve Strickland as a crossover star. Even yours truly has asked the head booker of AEW if there’s potential for Swerve to be available for the enormous Austin music festival. Slowly but surely, you can see the hip-hop influence in AEW. If you’re Tony Khan, why wouldn’t you want to collaborate with Rick Ross, Westside Gun, and Kevin Gates? Even with his success as a mogul, Swerve is one of the smoothest wrestlers I’ve seen in the ring. Strickland’s movements are unique and if you haven’t noticed, the man is in fantastic shape. The prospects of MJF vs. Swerve would be amazing, along with the magic they could have in a title program. The possibility of Swerve turning babyface and beating MJF for the title while Chaka Khan plays in the background would make for a wonderful moment. One thing that stands out about Swerve is his ability to adapt to different opponents and match styles. He’s faced high flyers, brawlers, and technical wrestlers and always finds a way to shine. This adaptability would come in handy against MJF, who likes to dictate the pace and style of his matches.

(2) Darby Allin

If you have yet to notice, MJF and Darby Allin are telling a story, with MJF pinning Darby twice now with a headlock takeover. Before AEW, someone like Darby wouldn’t have made it on national television. Watching Darby Allin live in attendance is must-see TV. I wouldn’t have guessed I have been present for one of the best coffin matches in history when Darby faced off against Ethan Page. Allin is self-aware, knowing his reckless style won’t last forever, which makes Darby great. He’s willing to use his own body as a weapon to secure the win against his opponent. Now the potential of Darby MJF II would be fantastic television. How do you get there? If Sting is looking for a retirement match, why not have Maxwell add returning a Hall of Famer to retirement to his endless accolades? Darby getting revenge on MJF but avenging the loss of his mentor would allow one pillar to fall and the other to rise as the new AEW World Champion.

(1) Eddie Kingston

I wasn’t familiar with his work before Eddie Kingston popped up for the Cody Rhodes TNT open challenge, but I was sold on Eddie as soon as he cut his first promo against Cody. The man sold his own wrestling boots to pay his bills; how could you not get behind this guy? Eddie is coming off hernia surgery and will have a busy summer ahead, participating in the G1 Climax. Having a good showing this summer with New Japan could be a seamless transition to a title program with MJF. AEW, as a promotion at its height of power, has been able to get fans invested. If Kingston were to win the world title from MJF, fans attending and watching at home may tear up about the possibility of Eddie winning the big one. I’m not sure if the famous Mick Foley moment defeating the Rock in the main event of Monday Night Raw could ever be duplicated, but if AEW wanted to recreate that magic, Eddie Kingston beating MJF at Arthur Ashe Stadium would be the place to do it.

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