Maxwell Jacob Friedman made a surprise return to his old stomping grounds on Thursday night.
At MLW Summer of Beasts, top CMLL star Místico came out to the ring to address the crowd and was quickly attacked by Contra Unit, a top heel stable in MLW wearing black masks. One of the masked men was shockingly former AEW World Champion MJF.
FINAL FORBIDDEN DOOR UNLOCKED!#MLWBeasts ▶️ https://t.co/cOUSkyRNU1 pic.twitter.com/K3lLjsMNGx
— MLW (@MLW) June 27, 2025
MJF is no stranger to Major League Wrestling. Before joining AEW, he was a part of the company from 2017 to 2020 and became the inaugural MLW World Middleweight Champion. He also held the MLW World Tag Team Championships with Richard Holliday.
MJF and Místico's cross-promotional rivalry began in the weeks leading up to AEW Grand Slam Mexico. Following an emotional and unforgettable entrance from Místico that quickly went viral, the two did battle in the cathedral of professional wrestling a.k.a Arena Mexico on June 18, ending in a DQ victory for Mistico after MJF went for a low blow in front of the referee.
.@The_MJF isn’t just facing @caristicomx—he’s facing the entire Arena México!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 19, 2025
Watch #AEWGrandSlamMexico LIVE on TBS & MAX pic.twitter.com/VWFiU9VOSe
To add insult to injury, MJF stole Místico's mask in front of his home crowd. The audience in Arena Mexico was so disturbed that one fan reportedly tried to go after MJF after the show. According to Wrestlenomics, their match was the highest performing quarter hour of the show in Nielsen ratings.
Since stealing Místico's mask, MJF has paraded it around like a trophy, including during his surprise appearance at MLW. Following his attack at Summer of Beasts, MJF reiterated that he is "not done" with Místico and plans to wrestle him again soon.
While an official date for the rematch hasn't been confirmed, it's worth noting that AEW All In Texas is coming up on Saturday, July 12, and CMLL's 92nd Anniversary show was recently announced for Saturday, September 19.
⏳ FALTAN 92 DÍAS PARA EL 92 ANIVERSARIO#CMLLInforma || ¡La Fiesta Máxima de la Lucha Libre ya tiene fecha! El #92AniversarioCMLL será el Viernes 19 de Septiembre en la Arena México
— Lucha Libre CMLL (@CMLL_OFICIAL) June 20, 2025
https://t.co/kelGXKxJdL pic.twitter.com/CeAojwyhZM
CMLL and MLW have been working together for years, but it remains to be seen if MJF's return to MLW after 5 years is a one-off appearance or a sign of a consistent working relationship between AEW and MLW. AEW hasn't formally acknowledged the appearance on any of their social media channels, but on MLW's X account, the caption for the clip of the surprise appearance says, "FINAL FORBIDDEN DOOR UNLOCKED!"
MJF will be in action this upcoming Wednesday on the 300th episode of AEW Dynamite in a 4-way match to determine the #1 entrant into the men's Casino Gauntlet at All In Texas.
The Latest On AEW, WWE, & More
Debuting Superstar Reportedly Spotted In Saudi Arabia Ahead Of WWE SmackDown And Night Of Champions
Swerve Strickland To Play Major Role At NASCAR Race This Weekend
Jim Ross Announces He's Cancer Free, Ready To Return For AEW All In Texas
The Shocking Sum WWE Has Made From Saudi Arabia Events Compared To WrestleMania Since 1985
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!