Wardlow Reveals Original Plans For AEW Face Turn

After much anticipation, Wardlow finally turned on his employer Maxwell Jacob Friedman at March's Revolution pay-per-view as he left the Dynamite Diamond Ring - the weapon that had proved so useful for MJF - in easy reach for CM Punk and The Second City Saviour proceeded to deck Friedman with the ring to win their Dog Collar Match.

Fans had been wanting to see Wardlow turn on MJF and Shawn Spears for some time and Wardlow revealed the original plan was for him to turn on Friedman much earlier but the COVID-19 pandemic caused those plans to be postponed. 

"You know, I think COVID played a big factor in a lot of things. I think COVID kind of hung up a lot of plans for a lot of people and maybe things should have happened at a different time. But then again, no. Everything has happened exactly how it was supposed to. Trust me, there's days where I think I should have slapped MJF a long time ago and gave him the middle finger. But I wouldn't change a single thing at all," Wardlow told Inside The Ropes.

"So I always had this feeling that when that time came, it would be a big deal. And you obviously, you hope and you pray for the proper response. However, that moment exceeded all of my wildest expectations. You know, you question how to handle that moment and what is the proper, the true, proper way to handle that moment. And it was done perfectly. And again, I can truly, honestly say there's nothing I would have changed about that night, about that moment, and to hear the crowd's reaction when I set that ring down in front of punk and turned around and walked away. The reaction from the fans as I walked away was and I think you could see it in my walk. I was feeling a certain way." 

Wardlow has feuded with MJF since the Revolution pay-per-view and they will go one-on-one at Double Or Nothing on Sunday, May 29. If Wardlow wins, he frees himself from his contract with MJF but if Friedman should emerge victorious, Wardlow will never be able to sign with All Elite Wrestling.