AEW World Champ MJF Won't Get Surgery, Thinks He Can Work 'Smoke And Mirrors Matches'

MJF is currently dealing with two significant injuries — a torn labrum and a dislocated hip — but the AEW World Champion reportedly plans to work through the pain. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, MJF won't be getting surgery to fix either injury, and will instead be undergoing stem cell therapy and rehab to get ready for his title defense against Samoa Joe at Worlds End.

The 27-year-old reportedly opted against surgery, as going under the knife would put him on the shelf for a couple of months. It's presently unknown if MJF plans to work any more matches before his clash against Joe, but WON notes MJF believes he can deliver "careful matches or smoke and mirrors matches" in the lead-up to AEW's last pay-per-view of 2023. This injury isn't new to MJF, as he worked through a torn labrum at Double or Nothing 2020, where he wrestled Jack Perry in a critically acclaimed match between two of AEW's four pillars. However, the tear he's dealing with currently is said to be worse than his previous one.

MJF announced the news of his shoulder injury via X, informing fans an MRI revealed he had suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder. According to Dave Meltzer, MJF suffered the tear while on the receiving end of a top rope Uranage from Jay White at Full Gear, aggravating his already injured shoulder in the process. As for the hip injury, MJF got hurt while delivering an elbow drop off the top rope to White on the floor. The original intent was for White to be placed on the announce table rather than the floor, which would have broken MJF's fall, but the table collapsed prematurely. MJF dislocated his hip later in the match, and since then, Meltzer's sources say that his swelling has subsided but he continues to deal with pain.