Every MJF AEW PPV Match Of 2023, Ranked

MJF had a 2023 to remember, putting together some of the best performances not just in AEW, but the entire business. He dominated the main event scene for the company and got the chance to compete against the very best in the industry, showcasing the quality that he has as a wrestler.

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While MJF is often thought of as a great character and a fantastic talker, he is just as gifted when it comes to his work inside the squared circle, and 2023 certainly proved that. Competing in countless title matches and encounters that were the biggest draw of the show, the Salt Of The Earth star more than made his mark.

10 Competing In A Handicap Match

Vs. The Righteous - WrestleDream (ROH World Tag Team Championship Match)

• MJF was originally scheduled to team with Adam Cole
• MJF used the Kangaroo Kick
• His shortest PPV match of the year

Throughout the year MJF has been involved in several tag team encounters, but when Adam Cole got injured he ended up having to step up on his own to try and defend the ROH World Tag Team titles. Being in a handicap match instantly created a different dynamic than would usually be seen in a match, and it meant he was fighting against the odds throughout.

While that allowed him to tell a different type of story, it wasn't necessarily the strongest match of his year. MJF blended quite a lot of comedy into this encounter, which ended up being a brief and forgettable one.

9 Working Alongside His Enemy

Vs. The Gunns - Full Gear Zero-Hour (ROH World Tag Team Championship Match)

• MJF teamed with Samoa Joe
• They retained the ROH World Tag Team titles
• MJF was attacked post-match

Heading into Full Gear MJF ended up teaming with Samoa Joe, despite the fact they were rivals at that time. They competed on the pre-show in what was a very routine and standard match with the two of them dominating against The Gunns.

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This was more of an angle than anything else due to the post-match attack on MJF which played into the main event of the show. But when it comes to this match by itself, it felt like a safe encounter with no big risks.

8 Another Pre-Show Moment

Vs. Aussie Open - All In Zero-Hour (ROH World Tag Team Championship Match)

• This was in the pre-show
• Better Than You Baby hit the double clothesline
• They defended the ROH World Tag Team titles

Adam Cole and MJF's friendship was a big part of 2023 for AEW, and that led to a huge match for them to face Aussie Open at Wembley Stadium. Even though they were competing in the main event that night they didn't play things safe here and put on a quality match against their opponents.

It was hard-hitting and saw some excellent double teamwork for both teams which helped to make this an enjoyable one. The live crowd bought into it massively, and the competitive nature of this made for a good pre-show match.

7 Competing Against A Legend

Vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi - Forbidden Door (AEW World Championship Match)

• MJF's first Forbidden Door appearance
• Tanahashi has never held AEW gold
• This was a first-time ever match

Heading into this show MJF had constantly claimed he didn't want to wrestle at Forbidden Door, and that did take away from this slightly. The match was enjoyable enough as the two of them worked hard to try and create a compelling match, but it was obvious MJF was never losing which made it a trick to get into from an emotional perspective.

It wasn't helped by the fact that Hiroshi Tanahashi is past his prime at this point in his career, working a lot slower inside the ring. However, MJF worked around those limitations and ensured that there was an entertaining match.

6 Fast-Paced Tag Team Action

Vs. The Dark Order - All Out (ROH World Tag Team Championship Match)

• Better Than You Baby defended the titles
• The Dark Order worked as heels
• Samoa Joe's rivalry with MJF started post-match

Adam Cole and MJF proved to be a great surprise tag team in 2023, and this was one of their strongest matches as a duo. The Dark Order aren't always taken seriously as a threat, but they worked well in this encounter particularly because they took up a heel role.

Evil Uno on the outside was constantly trying to take shortcuts, while inside the ring there was a very fast pace which made the encounter an enjoyable one to watch.

5 The End Of An Era

Vs. Samoa Joe - Worlds End (AEW World Championship Match)

• MJF's only PPV loss of 2023
• MJF lost the AEW World Championship
• The Devil was revealed as Adam Cole post-match

The final PPV match of the year for MJF saw him compete against Samoa Joe, and it was also the only time he was defeated on PPV throughout 2023. This brought an end to his title run as he was unable to get out of Joe's Coquina Clutch, after what had been a physical back-and-forth match.

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MJF was dealing with legitimate injuries heading into this match, so he was limited to some degree. However, that didn't stop him from going out and telling a great story where he was fighting from underneath, going against the odds in everything he did to try and take down his bigger opponent - even if it was to no avail.

4 Working A Leg Injury

Vs. Jay White - Full Gear (AEW World Championship Match)

• MJF returned in an ambulance
• He had Adam Cole in his corner
• MJF used the Dynamite Diamond Ring to win

AEW divided fans with the booking of this match as he was attacked earlier in the night and seemingly unable to compete, to the point where Adam Cole (on crutches) was going to be allowed to wrestle in his place. It's something that made no sense, but when MJF did turn up it allowed him to have something to sell throughout the match.

Jay White targeted MJF's leg injury throughout the entire encounter, and that in itself did tell an effective story. MJF had to pull out all the stops to try and retain his title, including using the Dynamite Diamond Ring in what ended up being an entertaining bout.

3 The Pillars Collide

Vs. Darby Allin Vs. Sammy Guevara Vs. Jack Perry - Double Or Nothing (AEW World Championship Match)

• This saw the 'four pillars' face each other
• MJF pinned Allin to win
• He used a side headlock takeover to pin Allin

This is a match people had been expecting for some time as AEW had branded them as the 'four pillars' of the company early on, as the young wrestlers AEW was seemingly being built on. Seeing them all compete for the AEW World Championship was a big moment, and they all pushed to make sure it was a memorable one.

Each member of the match got the chance to shine, and there were some good false finishes thrown into the mix. Matches with this many people are never easy, but they kept things fast-paced adding in plenty of multi-man moments which helped the match.

2 A Historic Title Match

Vs. Adam Cole - All In (AEW World Championship Match)

• This was the biggest show in AEW history
• They both worked double duty
• They teased falling out post-match, but came together and celebrated

Headlining the biggest show in AEW's history is no mean feat, but Adam Cole and MJF certainly rose to the occasion. They put on an enthralling back-and-forth match that was filled with amazing moves, false finishes, and genuine emotion.

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Because of their friendship heading into this show, the subtle teases that they were going to fall out during the encounter helped to make it special. With a red-hot crowd at Wembley Stadium cheering this one on, it ended up being a true main event classic.

1 Going The Distance

Vs. Bryan Danielson - Revolution (AEW World Championship 60-Minute Iron Man Match)

• MJF won 4-3
• The match lasted 65:15
• It was his first title defense on PPV

Out of all MJF's PPV matches his Iron Man match against Bryan Danielson was easily the best, as this was one of the matches of the year in any company. Danielson is often considered one of the best in the world, so the fact that MJF was able to easily go toe to toe with him was a big step in his career.

They told a fantastic back-and-forth story throughout this one, eventually going to 65 minutes after they'd been drawing 3-3. MJF came out on top, but he was pushed to his limits in a match jam-packed with drama.