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Preview and Pick for Jon Moxley vs. MJF Ahead of AEW All Out
August 31, 2020
All Elite Wrestling's All Out card is stacked with intriguing matches. None, however, has gotten as deeply personal as Jon Moxley against MJF for the AEW World Championship.
Moxley and The Salt of the Earth have been at each other's throats while keeping their rivalry at the forefront of AEW programming over the past month. Below is a breakdown of the rivalry. Watch their match and the rest of the All Out event at 8 p.m. ET Saturday on B/R Live.
The Beginning: MJF's Campaign Trail
Fresh off the heels of yet another win to improve his 2020 record to 8-0, MJF alongside Wardlow and four other members of his "campaign team" took the ring to deliver a speech calling for a change in leadership at AEW, specifically targeting world champion Jon Moxley.
"I remember when this company first started, I heard men calling for change," MJF said. "One man in particular called for a paradigm shift. He said he wanted out with the old and in with the new. I don't know about you people, but a guy on top of the card who gets to do whatever he wants, say whatever he wants and wrestle whoever he wants simply because he came from the place of titans isn't new. Jon Moxley is not my champion."
MJF also critiqued Moxley's leadership capabilities, saying that he's allowed fellow roster members to act like wrestlers rather than actually be wrestlers.
"He's also damn sure not supposed to come out here and cosplay like a specific wrestler, and that's a stone-cold fact," MJF said, comparing Moxley's persona to a ripoff of legend Stone Cold Steve Austin.
"AEW is supposed to be the land of opportunity, and you've squandered that. That's why it's time for a new guard around here. I'm here to tell you people that I can catch this company, throw it on my back and sprint this brand up the steep terrain to the very top because my talent outweighs your tenure, Jon."
The always charismatic MJF got his message across loud and clear, solidifying himself as the next challenger to Moxley's title.
MJF nearly costs Moxley the world championship
A week after MJF's scolding of Moxley, the world champion defended his title against Darby Allin. Midway through the match, Wardlow came down to the ring and distracted the referee long enough for MJF to grab the belt and attack Moxley with it, opening a huge cut on his head.
However, Moxley managed to overcome the interference and defeated Allin with his patent Paradigm Shift. As seen by his actions the following week, Moxley now had a new foe in mind.
Moxley attacks MJF
While MJF was in the ring to give another speech after getting involved in the previous week's championship match, Moxley's music hit. Not expecting Moxley to be at Dynamite after the gruesome cut he received, MJF quickly ordered his staff to head for the arena walkways where the champion normally enters through. However, Moxley instead chose to come through the main entranceway, leaving MJF defenseless.
Moxley attacked from behind and hit his 24-year-old nemesis with the Paradigm Shift, leaving MJF flat on his back.
Moxley had one last message for MJF before exiting the arena.
"Don't you think for one second that makes us even. Not even close."
Banning of the Paradigm Shift
MJF, who injured his neck after succumbing to Moxley's Paradigm Shift, hired a lawyer who wrote a contract for their match at All Out banning the finishing maneuver due to its dangerous and "deadly" nature. If Moxley refused to sign it, he would be sued for the injury he caused.
At their official contract signing, MJF questioned Moxley's legitimacy as a wrestler and his toughness without the Paradigm Shift.
You're not a wrestler, Jon," MJF said. "You're a glorified goon. All you ever grew up studying and idolizing was hot garbage wrestling, but if you truly think you're a better wrestler than me, I just can't wrap my head around the fact that you feel you need one little move in order to beat me."
Moxley, amused by MJF's logic, responded.
"Do I need the Paradigm Shift to beat you? No. Would I like to drop you on your head five or six times? Yes, very much so. I just don't like you.
"What you think you're doing is taking away my most dangerous weapon, but what you're really doing is making me get creative. You're forcing me to think of all the limbs I could snap. You're forcing me to think of all the ways I could choke the air out of your body until your lips turn blue and you pass out. You're forcing me to think of all the ways I could hurt you."
With that said, Moxley agreed to not use the Paradigm Shift and signed the contract, much to the delight of MJF and his staff. Their world championship match at All Out was official.
Prediction
The rise of MJF has been evident throughout AEW's existence, and now he's finally getting his time under the promotion's brightest lights. Despite his undefeated record in 2020, the 24-year-old's mic skills have been even more crucial as he's carried much of the buildup to this match with his campaign.
Moxley's championship run over the past six months has been solid and it made sense that AEW would rely on a well-known name to carry the title, but it feels like All Out will be a change of guard for the company by putting over stars built up since its formation rather than the old guard that largely made its name outside of AEW. This starts at the top by crowning MJF as the new world champion.