Backstage update on MJF's reported heat with AEW and Tony Khan after Double or Nothing

AEW star Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) has been the talk of the town heading into Double or Nothing 2022.

Hours before the pay-per-view, The Salt of the Earth no-showed a meet-and-greet event at the AEW Fan Fest. Additionally, the company management also couldn't get in touch with him.

As noted by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, MJF has now claimed that he showed up shortly before his match against Wardlow at Double or Nothing. He also immediately left the arena following the match.

The report from SRS suggests:

"MJF claimed to us that he showed up shortly before his match, left right after, and has a lot to think about. I haven't been able to verify this with other people at the show, or if this was planned/approved/suggested by AEW."

Check out the tweet from Sean Ross Sapp below:

At the pay-per-view, Friedman was annihilated by his arch-rival Wardlow. The latter hit 10 powerbombs on his former Pinnacle stablemate and secured a comprehensive win.

After the loss, The Salt of The Earth was stretchered out of the arena.

Several AEW stars could reportedly follow MJF's path and possibly join WWE

It is no secret that Maxwell Jacob Friedman is seemingly frustrated with AEW at the moment. He has suggested that he will sign with the company that offers him the most money, hence hinting that he could eventually shift to WWE.

According to Bryan Alvarez on the Wrestling Observer Radio Show, several other AEW stars could follow the same path as the three-time Dynamite Diamond Ring winner.

Alvarez recently speculated:

“There’s been a big shift among people in AEW. Not that like they want out. But it’s definitely different in the sense that I get the impression that more people are willing to go [to WWE] if they get like a great offer. Whereas a couple of years ago, it wasn’t like they wouldn’t go if they offered tons of money but they were like so happy to be there [in AEW]. But now that they have seen that Cody’s made a lot of money and he’s like a top guy and he’s getting pushed, now things have absolutely changed in terms of the way that people view potentially going to WWE.”

MJF's current contract with AEW expires on January 1st, 2024. It remains to be seen whether he would end up in WWE after the expiration.