A former WWE Intercontinental and Tag Team Champion, Lance Storm, recently criticized the segment involving MJF and Mark Briscoe on AEW Dynamite, labeling it as unrealistic and staged. The sequence aired last week showed MJF holding Mark Briscoe hostage backstage, threatening to set him on fire in an attempt to force Hangman Adam Page into agreeing to certain match conditions.
Storm expressed his frustrations on Wrestling Observer Live, highlighting how the depiction of such threats during a live broadcast felt disingenuous, especially compared to legitimate sports events like Wimbledon.
“My issue is that it comes off so incredibly fake. In storyline, this is airing live on TV while this guy threatens attempted murder. If a competitor at Wimbledon grabbed another competitor, doused him in gasoline, and told the opponent in the finals that they had to play with their non-dominant hand ‘or I’m burning this guy alive,’ the network would cut the cameras, they would evacuate the stadium, they would call in SWAT and police,” Storm stated. —Lance Storm, Former WWE Champion
Concerns Over Hangman Page Accepting MJF’s Stipulations
In response to the hostage situation, Hangman Adam Page agreed to MJF’s demands to protect Mark Briscoe. These stipulations for their AEW World Title match at Forbidden Door include Hangman potentially losing his title by countout or disqualification, while MJF would retain his casino gauntlet contract regardless of the match outcome.
Lance Storm criticized the plausibility of this storyline decision, suggesting that it detracts from the credibility of the match and sets the stage for questionable conclusions.
“Wimbledon wouldn’t then sanction the match where the other guy has to then play in the finals against the guy who threatened to kill a person, with his non-dominant hand – ‘Well he agreed to it, what can we do?’ It’s just so fake and stupid. You can’t buy in anymore. It’s supposed to be a live sporting event and, ‘Oh we’ll just air this potential murder. Briscoe might get set on fire. And since Page agreed with it, well, those are the stips.’ And the stips don’t make the match better. It creates an opening for a bunch of BS finishes.” —Lance Storm, Former WWE Champion
Implications for AEW’s World Championship Match
The criticism surrounding this segment highlights deeper concerns over the realism and storytelling choices in professional wrestling programming, especially in AEW’s high-profile events. Fans will be closely watching the AEW World Championship match this Sunday to see how these stipulations play out and whether the storyline affects the match’s quality or reception.
Lance Storm’s comments reflect a broader tension among wrestling audiences who seek authenticity amidst scripted drama, underscoring the challenge of balancing entertainment with believable narratives in sports entertainment.
