Maxwell Jacob Friedman is taking a leave of absence from All Elite Wrestling, while former world champion Kenny Omega is expected to return in the near future. The roster updates were detailed in a September 26 report, two days after MJF publicly announced his hiatus during the September 24 episode of AEW Dynamite.
MJF’s departure coincides with his newly confirmed role in the film Violent Night 2. The exit was set up in a pre-recorded promo on Dynamite, where the longest-reigning AEW World Champion explained his decision to step away. “I’ve lost what made me the best,” he admitted, signaling the storyline justification for his absence.
Kenny Omega’s return comes after being written off television in an angle with TNT Champion Kyle Fletcher. Fletcher delivered a Brainbuster that sidelined Omega ahead of the All Out pay-per-view in his home country of Canada. The former AEW World Champion has worked a reduced schedule throughout 2025, competing in only 12 matches since recovering from a life-threatening case of diverticulitis.
Adam Copeland also announced an indefinite leave during the September 24 broadcast of Dynamite. His hiatus is to accommodate filming for the third season of the Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians. The kayfabe explanation followed the events of All Out, where FTR delivered a Spike Piledriver to Beth Copeland while Adam, handcuffed to the ring post, was forced to watch. In a backstage promo, he told Christian Cage he was stepping away to be with his family.
These moves are part of a broader wave of AEW roster shifts. Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland are currently out of action, while Eddie Kingston, Orange Cassidy, PAC, and Hook have recently made their returns to television.