It is time to move away from MJF versus Adam Cole

AEW Worlds End saw MJF defeat Adam Cole to retain the Dynamite Diamond Ring. It was the next step in an angle that is nearly one year old at this time. Cole and MJF are big names in AEW, but their shared angle is no longer working. It’s time to move on from this feud.

On paper, MJF and Adam Cole should be an exciting feud that moves the AEW crowd. They are two men that can tell ample stories both in the ring, and the character work that they outside of it. However, Cole versus MJF wasn’t quite working from the start. The angle felt very “sports entertainment” at a time when AEW fans wanted the promotion to lean on its pro wrestling focus.

Then there were the injuries that kept Cole out of the ring for a year. When MJF returned after a hiatus for outside projects he referenced Cole in a way that hinted he would be moving on from that angle. However, that would not be the case. Fast forward to Worlds End 2024 where MJF picks up the win, only to be attacked by Roderick Strong and Kyle O’Reilly. The reformation of the original Undisputed Era in AEW should be a major moment that gets fans excited, instead it was hit with a tepid crowd reaction at best.

All of this comes from the lackadaisical impact of the entire angle. MJF is a major name in All Elite Wrestling. He’s someone who will be a multiple-time AEW World Champion when his time is done. However, he doesn’t quite fit in any title picture. This angle should have kept him in an interesting spot until it is time to push him back to the top spot. But coming out of this storyline, nothing about MJF seems interesting any longer, especially as AEW continues to tie its main event to major names like Will Ospreay, Darby Allin, and others.

As for Adam Cole, where does he really go? Does he continue to chase after MJF? Is O’Reilly a part of both the Conglomeration and Undisputed Kingdom? It will be interesting to see how the story further develops from there, but at first glance everyone involved feels like a lower-tier act on what is a stacked AEW roster.

All Elite Wrestling tells some interesting angles with some of the best performers in the business. But every angle doesn’t hit every time. MJF versus Adam Cole is one of those examples where things aren’t working so it is time for AEW to move on to something else.