All Elite Wrestling has its own way of telling sports entertainment stories. One of the featured angles right now is MJF’s push to join The Hurt Syndicate. MVP and Shelton Benjamin are in favor of the idea, but Bobby Lashley remains as the last holdout. It looks like MJF is going to get his answer at AEW Dynamite: Beach Break, but it won’t be an answer he’s going to like. The angle and the timing open the door perfectly for Cedric Alexander to complete the group.
MJF trying to join the Hurt Syndicate is an interesting, but also troubling idea. MJF is pushing the idea that they can help him regain the AEW World Championship, which is true, but what would the payoff be for MVP, Benjamin, and Lashley? They don’t need someone like MJF to declare himself their “leader,” which we all know he would do in character. Anything he claims he can do for them, they can actually do for themselves and have proven that so far.
Still, MJF attacked Top Flight during the May 7 episode of AEW Dynamite, showing that he can “hurt people.” He was told that he’d have his answer in one week. But what happened after that episode went off the air, Cedric Alexander officially became a free agent. Meaning AEW can contract him immediately and slap him right into the faction, completing the group that was formerly known as The Hurt Business.
Cedric Alexander to join The Hurt Syndicate
The Hurt Business were a beloved faction in WWE, even though they didn’t truly get the treatment they should have during their run. They were one of the focal points during COVID-era wrestling, but the minute fans came back, they were de-prioritized and split up for no true reason. AEW has taken the fan energy behind them and presented them exactly as they should have from the start, a faction that can crush any opponents in their way.
Bringing Alexander in as the fourth member is going to be a big moment. But it will set MJF off and finally get him to turn his violence toward that group. But what does it mean? Are we getting MJF versus Bobby Lashley in a singles match? That would be great if Lashley wasn’t carrying the AEW World Tag Team Championship with Benjamin. Perhaps he can relinquish that belt to Alexander to finally focus on a singles title in AEW. Lashley is too big of an act for the tag team division and this is an opportunity to correct that.
MJF is one of the most important acts in All Elite Wrestling. Getting him involved with The Hurt Syndicate immediately puts them on his level. But how will this angle play out, especially with expectations that Cedric Alexander will join the faction next week? It should be interesting as things are set to come to a head on the May 14 episode of AEW Dynamite.
MJF and MVP have history together which is played up in the angle. AEW has done an excellent job presenting all three men as a top act in the company.