More On MJF’s Return to AEW TV, Appearance At Double Or Nothing

A new report has additional details on MJF’s return to AEW TV at Double or Nothing. As noted, the former AEW World Champion made his return at Double or Nothing, taking out Adam Cole and cutting a promo in which he said he was back and had remembered who he was, and that he wasn’t leaving. Fightful Select has new details on his return at Double or Nothing and how it came about.

The report notes that AEW went all out on keeping MJF’s return under the radar, even as many on the roster had expected it to happen. The plan had been as of last week for him to fly into Phoenix and be driven from there to Las Vegas, as opposed to having him flown directly to Vegas where it would be hard to keep any surprises from becoming public. It was noted that even Hiroshi Tanahashi, who made a surprise appearance at AEW Collision, had been seen by fans.

MJF was in fact spotted by a fan on the plane to Phoenix and Fightful said they’d received a tip of such, though considering the shenanigans around MJF’s booking or not booking a plane to no-show Double or Nothing 2022 it wasn’t a tip they were interested in. MJF was reportedly brought into the arena and backstage area covered up in a wheelchair, so no one backstage would see him.

Regarding his contract, the report notes that MJF agreed to a new contract at some point after Double or Nothing 2022, though the length of the deal and when it was signed still isn’t known. At one point, his contract went from mid-July of 2019 to September 1st of 2022. His new/newer contract put him on a multi-million dollar a year deal and made him one of AEW’s highest-paid talents. It is not clear of that deal was an extension or an entirely new deal that replaced the time remaining on his previous one. MJF previously said that he wanted to be paid more based on what other wrestlers coming into AEW were being paid in 2022, and the report notes sources say the situation was adequately resolved.

As previously noted, while MJF was hurt at the end of last year, he did not undergo shoulder surgery and that there were plans for an MJF vs. Adam Cole match that had to be changed due to Cole’s injury. The report says that a potential MJF vs. Cole match is still a ways off, as sources note Cole is not near to an in-ring return. The Double or Nothing segment allowed all involved to find a way to blow off the feud and turn until it can happen.

According to those in AEW, what they’ve heard of creative plans for Cole are “out of left field” and will likely end up working out quite well.