MJF vs. Will Ospreay is exactly what AEW needs

Since MJF returned from injury, AEW has had a genuine star to lean on. Not only is MJF one of the company's best in-ring talents, but he's also a generational talent on the microphone. Nobody cuts promos like MJF. He knows how to get the fans emotionally invested. The closest talent to him right now is Will Ospreay, who has been a smash hit since joining the company earlier this year.

Therefore, it makes sense to have two of the company's biggest stars going toe-to-toe in arguably the biggest storyline of the year. From a wrestling standpoint, the blueprint is exactly what you would expect. Ospreay is a "babyface," while MJF is a "heel."

MJF and Ospreay are scheduled to face each other on July 17. The Intercontinental championship will be on the line. Don't be fooled, though. This match is the precursor to a much bigger storyline. Tony Khan is using two of his biggest draws to attract new fans and try to recapture sections of the fanbase that have become disillusioned with the recent product. 

AEW has struggled for ratings this year. Both "Dynamite" and "Collision" have been experiencing a consistent decline. In-arena audiences have also been inconsistent, with some shows clearly struggling to fill seats. Those struggles were unexpected for AEW. Khan added a bunch of new high-level names to begin the year. However, injuries to some of the established stars in the company put storylines on hold and sucked the wind out of the company's sails. 

Fans have been waiting for storylines like the one between MJF and Ospreay. The roster is slowly getting healthy again. Darby Allin has returned along with Hangman Adam Page. Adam Cole should be back in the coming months, too. Suddenly, a lot of the storylines that have been left unfinished can begin picking up speed. The Undisputed Kingdom may start to gain steam, too, and that will be another storyline centered around MJF.

The timing couldn't be better for AEW. It's currently negotiating a new TV rights deal with Warner Brothers Discovery. If the ratings begin to rise courtesy of the bigger focus on traditional storytelling, it could directly help swell its bank account, thus solidifying its future for years to come.