MJF Returns to AEW, Targets No. 2 Casino Gauntlet Spot After Andrade Wins No. 1

Q: After dismissing Omega's title as a toy, what destructive lengths will MJF go to reclaim his AEW crown?

MJF has signaled he is willing to use violence, disruption and opportunism to force his way back into the AEW title picture. His return at Grand Slam Mexico made that clear. After Andrade El Idolo earned the No. 1 entry in the Casino Gauntlet, MJF stormed through the crowd, attacked him from behind with his custom “Triple B” belt, then used the Dynamite Diamond Ring to leave Andrade bloodied. In his promo, MJF called himself AEW’s “one true champion,” dismissed Kenny Omega’s belt as a “toy,” and framed Omega vs. Will Ospreay at Wembley as a “fake main event.” That suggests MJF’s path is not subtle: he intends to bully his way into next week’s Las Vegas qualifier, secure the No. 2 spot in the Gauntlet, and target Andrade again at All In. The immediate evidence is that he is already using signature weapons, public humiliation and ambush tactics to weaken the man standing between him and another title shot. The broader pattern also supports that expectation. MJF won last year’s Casino Gauntlet, turned that into another world-title reign, and has repeatedly shown he treats the Gauntlet as the fastest route back to the championship. After a long injury-related absence, his message is that he will not simply compete for the crown — he will try to wreck challengers, undermine the legitimacy of Omega’s reign, and seize the contract by any means available.

Q: Will MJF's brutal ambush on Andrade completely derail the highly anticipated Casino Gauntlet at All In?

No. MJF’s ambush is more likely to intensify the Casino Gauntlet at All In than derail it. Nothing in AEW’s announcement suggests Andrade El Idolo has lost his No. 1 entry after beating Komander and Tommaso Ciampa at Grand Slam Mexico. The attack came after the qualifying match, so the storyline effect is to weaken Andrade physically and raise the stakes, not erase his spot. AEW also immediately folded the angle into next week’s plan, with MJF declaring he will try to win the No. 2 qualifier in Las Vegas. That makes the Gauntlet look more loaded, not less. Andrade now enters Wembley as a wounded but still qualified contender, while MJF is trying to force his way in from the second position. Given that MJF won last year’s Casino Gauntlet and later turned that momentum into another world-title run, his return gives the match a proven threat with a clear motive. The bigger uncertainty is Andrade’s condition after being left bloodied and driven off the stage, but AEW’s own framing points toward continuation of the feud rather than a cancellation. MJF explicitly said he wants to face Andrade again at Wembley, and his promo also tied the Gauntlet to his grievance with Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay, further connecting the match to AEW’s top stories. So the brutal return angle does not appear to be derailing All In’s Casino Gauntlet. It is repositioning the match as one of the event’s central attractions, with Andrade’s resilience and MJF’s chase now driving the drama.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 6

Grand Slam Mexico brought MJF back to AEW TV as he stormed through the crowd, attacked Andrade El Idolo after Andrade won the No. 1 casino gauntlet entry spot, and reclaimed his Dynamite Diamond Ring.
Next week in Las Vegas, MJF said he will enter the qualifying match for the No. 2 spot in the casino gauntlet at All In, where the winner earns a future AEW World Championship contract.
Kenny Omega currently holds the AEW World title, and MJF framed his return around winning the gauntlet and setting up a bid for a fourth reign after calling his Triple B belt the only “true” championship.
July’s Beach Break loss to Omega had kept MJF off AEW programming, but he is now trying to repeat last year’s All In gauntlet win and force his way back into the title picture.