WWE rival AEW turns two of the “Devil’s” masked assistants into champions at Dynamite. Will they also cost MJF the World Title this weekend?
The puzzling storyline that has been at the center of WWE rival AEW’s program for the past few months took a new twist just before the new year.
At New Year’s Smash, a special of the weekly TV show Dynamite, World Champion MJF lost one of his two titles: two of the masked sidekicks of the equally cloaked “Devil” took the tag team titles of AEW’s sister league ROH from him.
The “Devil” and his helpers trick MJF
MJF had continued to defend the belts on his own in the absence of his injured partner and friend, this week MJF had actually gained his rival Samoa Joe as a replacement. Joe, however, left him in the lurch and alone against the masked men – after a supposed attack on Joe by the mysterious villains that turned out to be a plot.
The betrayed World Champ was further outnumbered when a third masked man interfered and helped the two colleagues to victory with the “Heat Seeking Missile”, a move that is actually from MJF’s repertoire.
MJF, AEW’s arch-villain for years, had become more and more of a crowd favorite this year as a result of his unlikely friendship with Cole. It was reflected in his willingness to continue defending the titles he won with Cole on his own since Cole went out with a serious ankle injury in the fall – even though it repeatedly put his defense of the more important World Title in jeopardy.
For several months now, MJF has found himself targeted by the masked “Devil”, who wears the same mask MJF himself used to reintroduce himself in last year’s unfinished feud with the fired and returned-to-WWE CM Punk.
The title crowning of the “Devil’s Helper” now suggests that the identity of the group could soon be revealed. First up this weekend is Pay Per View World’s End, where MJF will defend his World Title one more time against heavyweight Joe, who weakened him even further with an attack at the end of the show.
Sammy Guevara and Chris Jericho reunited
Another major development at New Year’s Smash: Sammy Guevara, who had been out of action with a concussion, made his comeback and celebrated a reunion with his companion Chris Jericho.
Guevara had actually turned against Jericho a few months ago and joined the Don Callis Family, who are enemies with Jericho. Now, however, Callis has put the returnee off with disparaging comments about him and his newly born daughter.
The “Spanish God” then broke away from Callis and reconciled with Jericho – a plot twist obviously born out of necessity: Jericho’s actual partner Kenny Omega is out for an indefinite period of time due to a dangerous illness and had to be replaced unplanned.
Jericho and Guevara now face Konosuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher of the Callis Family at World’s End along with legend Sting and Darby Allin – who came to the pair’s rescue at the end – as well as Tag Team Champions Ricky Starks and Big Bill.
In two other pivotal matches, the finalists of the Continental Classic tournament were determined, who will compete at World’s End for the newly created “Triple Crown” of the ROH World Title, the NJPW Strong Title and the AEW Continental Championship: Finalist 1 is Jon Moxley, who prevailed in a three-way battle against Swerve Strickland and Jay White, the second final ticket was claimed by Eddie Kingston with a triumph over Bryan Danielson.
