AEW Fyter Fest bold predictions: Cage becomes champ

Prediction: Wardlow inadvertently-but-on-purpose costs MJF the TNT Championship match against Cody, then brutally lays out MJF after

While the beginning of this predicted implosion may have been the above moment when MJF accidentally struck Wardlow with the Dynamite Diamond Ring, the catalyst may have been the promo from MJF before the match. He said when it came down to the two of them, the “Ward-Dog would know what to do.”

Warldow said, “But,” only for MJF to interrupt and yell, “BUT NOTHING!” with an awkward pause after, only to laugh it off and tell Wardlow it was a rib. Wardlow looked perplexed, perturbed, and angry as MJF walked away.

While MJF lost the battle royal and his opportunity to face Cody on tonight’s episode of Dynamite, he was ranked #1 heading into last week’s show.

Seeing how MJF sees it as his career mission to antagonize and ruin Cody, challenging for the TNT Championship makes sense for this ongoing, long-term story (oh, and also since the AEW World Championship match is scheduled for the same event).

MJF could reassert his position as the top ranked wrestler and tell Cody he’s invoking his right as #1 contender to challenge for the TNT Championship at Fyter Fest. He even tweeted a redesigned TNT Championship in his preferred Burberry print, so there’s already a foundation for MJF challenging Cody for the title.

Cody agrees not only because he’s booked as an honorable face, but how could he pass up this opportunity to exact some vengeance on MJF?

The match goes much like their first match, but as MJF goes to retrieve the ring from Wardlow, the ring slips out of Wardlow’s hand and falls to the ground. MJF becomes incensed and screams at Wardlow, who reluctantly begins to look for the ring on the ground. MJF turns around to a Disaster Kick and Cross Rhodes from Cody, taking his first pin as Cody wins 1-2-3.

Post-match, MJF berates Wardlow in the ring, telling Wardlow it’s all his fault and he’s worthless, physically pushing Wardlow a few times. Wardlow, after the second or third push, glares at MJF, who tries to back away with a smile and say he was just kidding. Wardlow brutalizes him with a lariat.

He then hits a German suplex or two, followed by his drop-down knee in the corner. He follows this with a wicked F10 that decimates MJF, who just lays in the middle of the ring. Wardlow could then take the ring and place it on MJF’s finger in a last little salute.

The beauty of playing it out this way is neither would necessarily turn face. Wardlow can continue to wrestle as a heel and dominate opponents without detriment because fans will look at his turning on MJF as justified.

Think of it like Marlo Stanfield staging a coup against Avon Barkesdale to monopolize the Baltimore drug game. Wardlow basically steps out of the shadows to forge his own empire.

MJF is, well, MJF. He’ll cut a promo on how he only lost because of the incompetence of Wardlow and continue to be his narcissistic self. It’s going to be hard to buy MJF as a face without some thorough, long-term booking anyway.

Either way, now both men are free from the shackles of each other, and Wardlow can embark on a journey where we find out if he’s more than just hulking brute.