As it stands, MJF is advertised to defend his AEW title against Hiroshi Tanahashi at this Sunday’s AEW/NJPW Forbidden Door 2 event.
The self-proclaimed 'Devil', one of the biggest names in pro wrestling, is not keen on the idea and have taking several swipes at New Japan in recent interviews.
The Long Island star claimed on last week's Dynamite that he has no plans on putting his belt on the line against the Japanese megastar, who has been NJPW's ace for nearly 20 years, come rain or shine.
This is, in fairness, typical MJF bluster before eventually having to put up or shut up - but is there any chance of him actually boycotting the event and not going through with the belt defence?
This wouldn’t be the first time that MJF has walked out on AEW in a storyline, so what would happen if MJF did decide to stay away from Canada this weekend and not got through with the match?
Enter CM Punk, a wrestler familiar with both MJF AND Tanahashi.
So, picture the scene: on tonight's episode of AEW Dynamite in Chicago, imagine if MJF actually goes through with his threat to shun the mandated title defence against Tanahashi... but Punk, who was set to defend the same title against Hiroshi at last year's inaugural Forbidden Door until injury got in the way, steps in and offers to defend what he calls 'the real' AEW World title against the Japanese star.
Punk cut a sizzling promo at the start of the maiden AEW Collision on Saturday, while carrying in a bag what he says is something he never lost - which surely is his version of the AEW World title belt, since his second title reign was quickly cut short by the Brawl Out controversy last Fall.
And if he were to volunteer himself as a replacement for MJF in the match, he would be able to further his case that he is still The Man in the company, not MJF.
This scenario elevates Punk into a position of power by beating a man who MJF opted against facing, and between that and framing it as an actual AEW World title match nonetheless, gives him plenty of ammunition against his former rival.
It would be reminiscient of the build to the classic Ladder match between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon at WWE Wrestlemania 10, where HBK's forced vacation of the belt was disputed and led to a conflict with Scott Hall's popular character as Michaels attacked him at every turn with his version of the belt.
Is MJF vs. Tanahashi’s abandoned bout the platform for a revival of MJF against CM Punk? Perhaps at All In in front of a huge crowd at Wembley Stadium?
This was the original plan when MJF returned at the end of All Out 2022 moments after Punk had defeated Jon Moxley to become AEW champion.
We may find out more on Dynamite, or even Collision, but whatever happens at this weekend's Forbidden Door event - which airs live on DAZN PPV in select locations - we're set for one hell of a summer.