Why AEW Veteran Wanted MJF Out Of The Hurt Syndicate
The Hurt Syndicate welcomed MJF into their group, but the former World Champion didn’t last very long in the group.
It was in October 2024 when The Hurt Syndicate trio officially formed in AEW. The trio consisted of MVP serving as a manager/part-time wrestler, joined by former WWE World Champion Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin, who is a decorated wrestler all around the world.
Lashley and Benjamin have been the AEW Tag Team Champions since January 2025 and have looked unbeatable as champions.
On the May 7th edition of AEW Dynamite, the egotistical former AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) was welcomed into the group after weeks of pleading and bribes from Friedman.
However, MJF’s run in the group only lasted about three months since he was kicked out of the group on August 6th. In the storyline on television, MVP told his friend MJF that his ego is more than anybody can stand, but the group would keep Max healthy so he can continue his quest to become the AEW World Champion again.
Bobby Lashley Gives His Reasons To Remove MJF From The Hurt Syndicate
There were behind-the-scenes reports that someone involved with AEW requested that MJF’s run in The Hurt Syndicate be cut short. It was supposed to last much longer, but the plug was pulled for creative reasons.
AEW Tag Team Champion Bobby Lashley appeared on The F Y’all Podcast to speak about how he didn’t trust MJF, even though he thinks Max is an amazing performer.
“I didn’t trust him, bringing him in originally, and since we’ve gotten in, I just kind of see that he is focused on his own path.
Instead of having to stay with us, and now we’re all moving in different directions, I was just, ‘…You go on your own path and let us go on our own path.’ I think we’ll both be super successful. He’s very successful in AEW. I have no ill will towards him. I think he’s amazing.”
In his quest to become AEW World Champion again, MJF has a guaranteed contract that he can execute whenever he wants, and that could lead MJF to become the AEW World Champion again. However, MVP did warn Friedman that if that happens, then Lashley is coming for him.