AEW Double or Nothing: MJF Triumphs in Intense Showdown with Darby Allin
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) entered the AEW Double or Nothing main event with a lot of pressure. The event took place in New York City, marking an important occasion for MJF in his home state. His aim was to become a three-time AEW world champion, facing Darby Allin, who had defeated him over a month ago to claim the title.
Mick Foley, a legendary figure in wrestling, made his first appearance with AEW but didn’t offer MJF any support. Instead, Foley’s comments seemed to provoke MJF before the match began. MJF responded aggressively, delivering a kick to Foley and disappointing fans who were hoping to see Allin win and ultimately shave MJF’s head.
Throughout the match, MJF and Allin engaged in a fierce battle. MJF avoided Allin’s suicide dive, resulting in Allin crashing into the announce table. MJF retaliated with an apron powerbomb, followed by a piledriver on the steel steps, causing harm to both wrestlers. Despite their exhaustion and the toll of the match, the competitors continued to fight.
MJF carried Allin up the ramp, trying to gain the upper hand by preventing Allin from using the barber chair. However, Allin countered by knocking MJF down, setting him on a table, and climbing the scaffolding for a high-risk move. He honored Mick Foley’s legacy with a “bang, bang” gesture before leaping from the scaffolding onto MJF.
Allin’s head injury from the maneuver slowed him but he managed a Coffin Drop on MJF, only for MJF to kick out at two. Despite subsequent attempts to make MJF submit with a Scorpion Death Lock, Allin ran out of energy. MJF countered with a well-executed avalanche Tombstone Piledriver, ultimately pinning Allin for victory.
With this win, MJF, at the age of 30, became a three-time AEW world champion. This achievement places him among the ranks of wrestling greats like Lou Thesz and The Rock. Importantly, MJF avoided the prospect of having his head shaved.
After the match, Allin was taken out on a stretcher due to the injuries sustained. Kevin Knight emerged unexpectedly, attacking Allin with a UFO Splash while he was strapped to the stretcher. Knight’s actions suggest a heel turn, which is likely to be addressed during “Dynamite” on the upcoming Wednesday.