Just over a week ago, AEW hosted this year’s edition of one of its annual pay-per-views, Full Gear, in the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Now, the Jacksonville-based company is setting the stage for its next major event, Worlds End 2025, set to emanate from the NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Tony Khan is no doubt eager to ensure that his promotion’s programming heading out of 2025 and into the New Year generates as much excitement and conversation as possible, and he could go some way towards achieving that goal by bringing back one of his currently-absent top names – MJF.

Reports indicate that Maxwell Jacob Friedman is likely finished with his recent non-wrestling commitments and could soon make his way back to All Elite Wrestling. Assuming TK decides to bring The Wolf of Wrestling back to AEW sooner rather than later, let us consider three ways he could do so.

#1: MJF could feud with The Hurt Syndicate and retire MVP

Earlier this year in March, following on the heels of MJF’s loss to Hangman Adam Page at Revolution 2025, Friedman was approached by The Hurt Syndicate’s mouthpiece, Montel Vontavious Porter, who harkened back to his friendship with and confidence in Friedman and offered the latter a spot in his group, so as to revivify his career trajectory. After some consideration, MJF decided to join the stable, although he had to go to great lengths to convince its other two members, Shelton Benjamin and Bobby Lashley, to admit him in their ranks after quelling their suspicions with a variety of gifts and gestures.

After earning an AEW World Title shot courtesy of winning the All In : Texas Casino Gauntlet Match, Friedman shifted his focus on recapturing the belt. In the process of seeking their help to accomplish this goal, however, MJF antagonized Lashley and Benjamin, who withdrew their approval of him one by one. It was MVP who finally and officially severed the “young genius'” ties with The Syndicate, albeit seemingly on cordial terms. Without the dominant faction to rely on, Friedman proved unable to dethrone Adam Page for the World Championship at Forbidden Door 2025.

Whenever MJF does return to AEW programming, he could do so with the intention of wreaking havoc on anybody who derailed his path back to the World Title in any way. This could lead him to go after The Hurt Syndicate for kicking him out last year. He could do so by reforming The Pinnacle, or even through another temporary alliance with The Demand. More significantly, MJF could be the one to finally retire MVP from in-ring competition, a distinction that would greatly add to his already established credibility.

#2: MJF could return to challenge or cost TNT Champion Mark Briscoe

During the lead-up to AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2025, MJF was not only pursuing Men’s World Champion Adam Page, but he was also feuding with Mark Briscoe. After The Cowboy tricked him into executing his Casino Gauntlet contract for the pay-per-view, Friedman hatched an evil scheme to regain the advantage. Teaming up with Ricochet and GOA, The Salt of the Earth abducted Briscoe and threatened to set him on fire unless Page met his demands to revise the stipulations for their title bout.

Although MJF nearly had The Hangman beaten at Forbidden Door, The Sussex County Chicken interfered in the World Title match and prevented Friedman from stealing the victory. The self-proclaimed generational talent retaliated later by costing Briscoe a shot at the TNT Championship. He then challenged Mark to a match of his choosing at All Out : Toronto. Unfortunately for him, Briscoe’s stipulation turned out to be a Tables N’ Thumbtacks bout, in which the Conglomeration member defeated Friedman.

In an impassioned promo after his loss to Briscoe, MJF promised to return to AEW only after getting back in touch with his most dangerous self. The star obviously has unfinished business with Mark, who is now the reigning TNT Champion. If he is driven by the (storyline) desire to exact vengeance on Briscoe, Friedman could return to the company to cost the latter his belt, or maybe even be the one to end his run with the title.

#3: MJF could return to confront the AEW World Champion at Worlds End

The Men’s World Title picture in All Elite Wrestling recently took a turn for the unexpected, after Samoa Joe’s shocking victory over Adam Page just over a week ago at Full Gear 2025. The Destroyer is scheduled to defend his title for the first time against Eddie Kingston at Dynamite: Winter is Coming, and is also being stalked by both The Cowboy and the recently returned Swerve Strickland.

Although it is not clear exactly who Joe will defend the AEW Men’s World Championship against at Worlds End 2025, a section of fans expect the company to run another triple-threat between The Samoan Submission Machine, Swerve, and The Hangman at the upcoming PPV. Depending on the booking, Tony Khan could even throw Kingston into the mix and make it a four-way like last year.

No matter who ends up holding the World Title at Worlds End, the champion could find himself confronted by the returning MJF. Friedman’s history with Hangman Page is well documented, and fans would surely be excited about his prospective feuds with Swerve and The Mad King.

However, if Joe remains World Champion at AEW Worlds End, MJF will surely be extra motivated to unseat him, as it was The Opps member who ended his first reign with his “Triple B” at the same pay-per-view back in 2023.