AEW: MJF does not need Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle

MJF can carry himself just fine as AEW’s top heel without having to insert himself into Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle stable.

There seems to be some confusion coming out of the latest episode of AEW Dynamite. Maxwell Jacob Friedman and World Champion Chris Jericho had a remarkable promo together – arguably the best wrestling promo of the year between two of the very best talkers in the business today – all about which one of them really wanted MJF in Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle stable.

At the end of the promo, both men embraced each other right before getting attacked by Cody. Overall, most fans seem confused as to if this was merely a hug out of mutual respect, or the official signal that MJF has joined The Inner Circle. Even those running AEW and Bleacher Report’s YouTube accounts seem confused. The former begs the question themselves, while Bleacher Report assumes MJF joined. Looks like we’ll just have to tune into this Wednesday’s Dynamite to figure out what it all means, but truthfully, I hope MJF has not joined The Inner Circle.

Nothing against MJF. In fact, my love for MJF on his own is reason enough why I don’t want him to be a part of The Inner Circle. If last week’s promo and the prior Full Gear PPV is anything to go off of, it’s that MJF can produce magic on his own as a solo act.

While I’m not sure where his new partnership with Wardlow plays a factor, MJF by himself has potential as both an in-ring competitor and a talker to one day become AEW’s top heel. Not to mention, he’s over enough to fall into that role sooner rather than later.

While to say him joining Jericho’s group could “hurt” MJF would be a stretch, it’s hard not to fear that MJF would be overshadowed in a group with five other men (six, if Wardlow counts, too). MJF does not need The Inner Circle to get over or find his footing as a character (as is the case with Sammy Guevara, as I mentioned in a previous article). MJF already has a spotlight all to himself where he can find success just by being MJF, rather than another one of Jericho’s hired guns.

I could be wrong. If AEW do decide to put MJF in The Inner Circle, maybe they could find a way to make it work and make MJF an even bigger star than he could be on his own. Wherever they go with this angle, MJF has the talent to turn all of this into something entertaining.