Jungle Boy, Darby Allin and Sammy Guevara all don’t seem like real threats to MJF’s AEW Championship, ahead of the four pillars match at Double Or Nothing.
This Sunday, MJF will defend his AEW World Heavyweight Championship against ‘Jungle Boy’ Jack Perry, Darby Allin, and Sammy Guevara at AEW’s major pay-per-view event, ‘Double Or Nothing.’
MJF, Perry, Allin, and Guevara have always been recognised as the ‘four pillars’ of AEW. These four young talents are homegrown and widely regarded as the future of the company.
On paper, this first-time match should feel like a significant event, and initially, it did when it was announced. However, early on, fans began questioning whether the match would attract enough pay-per-view buys. With tickets still unsold just days away from the event, these concerns may be justified.
Despite AEW spending two months building up the match, the overall buildup has been lackluster. None of the wrestlers, except perhaps Darby Allin, feel like legitimate championship contenders. Jungle Boy was dominated in his recent match against Rush, only managing a lucky win. Sammy Guevara’s face turn during the storyline, despite being part of a heel faction, hasn’t established him as a credible threat.
On the latest episode of Wrestling Republic’s Daily Broadcast, I explained how AEW needed to focus the go-home episode of Dynamite on the four pillars to generate interest in the match. However, AEW failed to do so. Jungle Boy received a rushed pre-recorded interview, while Sammy Guevara had a brief backstage interview. MJF delivered a brilliant promo, but it made the match feel more like MJF versus Tony Khan rather than any of the three challengers being legitimate threats. Darby Allin’s promo was the only one that made him feel like a credible threat, but it took until that moment for anyone in the feud to give that impression.
How I Would Have Booked The Four Pillars On Dynamite
In my opinion, AEW should have utilized the last episode of AEW Dynamite to build up the match. Here’s how I believe they should have done it:
The show opens with MJF belittling his opponents, proclaiming that fans don’t believe any of the four pillars but him can win. At this point, some readers might question my booking, but my intention is for MJF to reflect fans’ skepticism about the match, with his opinion, as well as the fans’, evolving throughout the episode.
After MJF discredits all his opponents, Darby Allin enters and cuts the exact same promo as he did on Dynamite. Following this, Sammy Guevara confronts MJF, prompting MJF to escape. Jungle Boy seizes the opportunity and attacks MJF on the ramp, triumphantly holding up the title.
After a commercial break, Renee Paquete interviews Jungle Boy Jack Perry. He states that fans will witness him holding up the title again on Sunday, despite everyone doubting him and believing he won’t win. Perry explains that doubters have been a constant in his career, but he has consistently proven them wrong, just as he proved Christian Cage wrong. Finally, he emphasises that he never gives up, just as he persevered against Rush, and his victory wasn’t mere luck but a testament to his resilience.
The camera then cuts to Alex Marvez chasing after MJF, who appears worried. MJF dismisses Marvez and reveals he has a plan.
After a few unrelated segments, MJF is shown again, entering the Jericho Appreciation Society’s locker room. He offers Sammy Guevara double what he previously offered, proposing that Guevara lie down in the main event of ‘Double Or Nothing’ to ensure MJF’s victory. Guevara rejects the offer, declaring that he’s tired of living in others’ shadows and is determined to prove everyone wrong. He asserts that he will do what nobody believes he can do and win the championship.
Exiting the locker room, MJF encounters Marvez once again, but this time his anger is more evident as he sharply tells Marvez to “shut up.”
Later in the episode, after the “main event” match on Dynamite, the camera cuts to MJF storming backstage, searching for Tony Khan. Failing to find him, MJF heads to the ring and grabs a microphone. He accuses Tony Khan of trying to sabotage him by putting him against three opponents because Khan is afraid of losing the “Bidding War of 2024.” Jungle Boy interrupts MJF and points out that MJF’s tone has significantly changed since the start of the show when he claimed none of them were threats. MJF vehemently denies being scared, but the fans can see through his words. He attempts to low blow Jungle Boy, but Darby Allin and Sammy Guevara rush to the ring, forming an alliance to beat down MJF before their upcoming match.
With MJF lying on the ground, Jungle Boy reaches for the title once again, but this time, Darby Allin grabs the other end. The two wrestlers lift the title to the height of their waists together, staring each other down. Suddenly, Sammy Guevara delivers a surprise GTH to Jungle Boy out of nowhere, followed by a low blow to Darby Allin, making it clear that Guevara remains a heel.
Guevara takes the microphone and delivers a passionate promo about how everyone doubts him. He declares that he will leave Double Or Nothing as the AEW Champion ‘no matter what’ he has to do in order to win, as he proudly raises the championship.
In my opinion, following this booking would have effectively built up Darby Allin as he was already presented on the show. It would also establish Sammy Guevara as a legitimate threat, causing fans to speculate that he might actually win, especially after his “no matter what” line. Additionally, the fact that Darby Allin was the only one who didn’t lift the championship on his own above his head during the episode could spark discussions on social media, with fans speculating that he might be the true winner of the match. It’s the small details that make a difference, and incorporating them can enhance the overall experience.
