Backstage reaction to MJF promo and situation with AEW

MJF's promo was designed to gain a polarizing reaction, and it did just that.

Fightful spoke to countless AEW talent about MJF's situation in the company, with most of the talent ranging from "it's always been a work on MJF's side" to "well, it's definitely a work now."

One talent told us that if they found out the situation had been a work any further than this weekend, they'd be particularly frustrated for many reasons. One was that talent had talked to both MJF and Tony Khan in confidence in an effort to learn more about perceived issues -- which by all accounts were real issues. Tony Khan had indicated to numerous talent over the years and indicated that working talent isn't something they should expect there. Also, there were talent at MJF's scheduled meet and greet who ended up having to stay and do extra work in order to make up for the MJF no-show who weren't clued in of a potential work. 

Another talent indicated to us that they generally try to stay away from any kind of story that MJF mentions on interviews or Twitter, because sometimes it's difficult to decipher MJF's motivations, and just stick to talking to him backstage. However, the idea that "MJF is always working" was repeatedly debunked. One talent in the company said "If he acted like MJF all the time, he probably wouldn't still be working here," but did indicate they've noticed him being more frustrated this Spring than in the past.

A longtime friend of MJF's claimed that MJF was adamant to them backstage that the situation wasn't a work. However, that talent also said that it reeked of desperation on screen to make something happen, and they don't believe Tony Khan or AEW would allow that on television without a payoff or a plan. There were a half dozen wrestlers in AEW who said that the topic had been broached with MJF and he had seemed frustrated, but as of several weeks before Double or Nothing, nobody knew why.

There are numerous talent on the roster who sympathized with MJF's initial point of frustration regarding the contract scale for original talent compared to incoming free agents. 

Nobody that we spoke to could or would verify that Tony Khan had or is in on the work, even though most everyone we spoke to at the very least believes that's the direction it went as of the reported meeting between the two sides on Monday.

Note that any backstage feelings are an aggregate of those we spoke to, and no way reflect the entire locker room.