MJF returns, CM Punk regains AEW World title at All Out

After more than three months away, MJF has returned and has new AEW World Champion CM Punk in his sights.

Minutes after Punk had defeated Jon Moxley to regain the title for a second time, the lights went out and a voicemail from Tony Khan to MJF played. The AEW head told MJF that being gone was screwing over the fans and for his final offer, he would give him a spot in the Casino ladder match, more money, and he didn’t have to sign a contract extension if he would return at All Out.

It then cut to footage of a Punk promo from his ROH days talking about “the devil you know” followed by another cut to the masked figure that won the Casino ladder match to open the PPV. He removed the mask but didn’t immediately show his face. He then said he was the devil before putting on his Burberry scarf.

MJF then walked out on the stage and motioned around his waist for the title, saying it was his. Punk raised the title up and the show ended.

While the group didn’t come out at the end, it appears MJF is aligned with Stokely Hathaway, Ethan Page, Gunn Club, W. Morrissey and Lee Moriarty given what happened in the aforementioned ladder match.

The two had a notable feud earlier this year that ended when Punk defeated MJF in a dog collar match at March’s Revolution.

Following his loss to Wardlow at Double or Nothing that punctuated a weekend where it was unclear if MJF would even appear due to contract issues, MJF cut a scathing promo on Tony Khan and AEW on the subsequent Dynamite and then disappeared for three months. That led many to wonder what his status with the company was as he went dark on social media and Khan didn’t answer questions about him.

Punk regains the title

The angle followed a violent battle between Punk and Moxley that saw Punk bleeding profusely from a shot into the stairs on the outside, opened up further by Moxley’s elbows.

Moxley rolled for most of the early portions of the match with Punk favoriting his foot at times. Punk regained the advantage, but by the end, both men were exhausted with a defeat coming at any time.

After a first GTS knocked Moxley out on top of a kneeling Punk, Punk later hit a second GTS that got him the win. The loss ends Moxley’s short reign as undisputed champion after defeating Punk in three minutes on Dynamite nearly two weeks ago to unify the lineal and interim titles.