The Pinnacle (professional wrestling)

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The Pinnacle
The Pinnacle logo.JPG
The Pinnacle's Logo
Stable
MembersSee below
Name(s)The Pinnacle
DebutMarch 10, 2021
Years active2021–present

The Pinnacle is a villainous professional wrestling stable formed in the professional wrestling promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW). The group, which was formed in March 2021, is led by Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) and includes Tully Blanchard, FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler), Shawn Spears, and Wardlow.

History[]

Origins[]

During the early days of AEW, Tully Blanchard would join the company as the on-screen manager of Shawn Spears. He would later take a hiatus due to COVID-19, but return a few months later in Spears's corner, as well as that of the tag team FTR, the latter of which has received a lot of comparisons with Blanchard's former tag team with fellow Four Horseman stablemate Arn Anderson, The Brain Busters. However, FTR and Spears never appeared on-screen together despite it being acknowledged that Blanchard was managing both.

Starting in late 2020, Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) was seeking to join The Inner Circle, another stable in AEW led by Chris Jericho. Jericho agreed to allow MJF to join the stable if he beat him in a match at that year's Full Gear, broadcast on November 7.[1] MJF beat Jericho and was subsequently inducted into The Inner Circle along with his bodyguard, Wardlow.[2] MJF competed as a member of the stable for the next several months, during which time there were suspicions that he was planning some sort of takeover of the stable, meeting privately with fellow team members Jake Hager, Santana and Ortiz.[3] On the February 10, 2021 episode of AEW Dynamite, Sammy Guevara left the faction following a confrontation with MJF.[3][4]

Formation[]

On the Dynamite episode The Crossroads (aired March 3), Spears and FTR were united on screen with Blanchard for the first time with former Four Horseman manager J.J. Dillon making a guest appearance; likewise, Arn Anderson (who was serving as the "coach" of Cody Rhodes) came out and acknowledged the group with everyone putting up the signature Four Horseman hand signal. At Revolution (aired March 7), the tag team of MJF and Jericho failed to beat The Young Bucks for the AEW World Tag Team Championship,[5] following which, Jericho announced a "War Council", where The Inner Circle members would discuss the future of the stable.[6] At the War Council, Guevara returned to the group and it was revealed that MJF had been planning a coup. However, after the other members of the group revealed that they were still loyal to Jericho, MJF announced that he was actually building his own stable.[7] Following this reveal, the lights went out in the arena, and when they came back on, Tully Blanchard, Dax Harwood, Shawn Spears, Wardlow, and Cash Wheeler had appeared in the ring and subsequently beat up the members of The Inner Circle.[8][9]

The faction was formally introduced on the March 17 episode of Dynamite, with MJF and Blanchard announcing that the stable would be known as The Pinnacle.[10][11] The previous day, AEW had filed to trademark the name of the stable.[12][13] During the announcement, Blanchard recounted how, during his time as part of The Four Horsemen stable, he felt like he was at "the pinnacle" of wrestling,[14] explaining that the new stable was similarly "at the pinnacle of this sport".[15][16]

At AEW Blood and Guts, the Pinnacle defeated the Inner Circle in a Blood and Guts match, after Inner Circle member Sammy Guevara surrendered.[17]

At AEW Double or Nothing however, the Pinnacle were defeated by the Inner Circle in a Stadium Stampede match. If the Pinnacle had defeated the Inner Circle, the whole team would have to disband.

Members[]

* Founding members
L Leader
Member Joined
Cash Wheeler * March 10, 2021
Dax Harwood * March 10, 2021
MJF *L March 10, 2021
Shawn Spears * March 10, 2021
Wardlow * March 10, 2021
Tully Blanchard * March 10, 2021

Sub-groups[]

Affiliate Members Tenure Type
FTR Dax Harwood
Cash Wheeler 		2020–present Tag team

Championships and accomplishments[]

  • All Elite Wrestling
    • Dynamite Diamond Ring (2021) - MJF
  • Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide
  • Pro Wrestling Illustrated
    • Ranked MJF No. 26 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2021
    • Ranked Wardlow No. 218 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2021
    • Ranked Dax Harwood No. 254 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2021
    • Ranked Cash Wheeler No. 255 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2021
    • Ranked Shawn Spears No. 270 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2021

References[]

  1. ^ Tennant, Matt (October 29, 2020). "MJF vs. Chris Jericho Set For AEW Full Gear". Inside The Ropes. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  2. ^ Tennant, Matt (November 8, 2020). "MJF Joins The Inner Circle". Inside The Ropes. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Edwards, Scott (February 12, 2021). "What's Next For The Inner Circle After Sammy Guevara Quits The Group". Last Word on Sports. Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  4. ^ Knight, Cain A. (February 10, 2021). "Guevara quits the Inner Circle". Cageside Seats. SB Nation. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  5. ^ Chiari, Mike (March 7, 2021). "Young Bucks Beat Chris Jericho, MJF; Retain AEW Tag Team Titles at Revolution". Bleacher Report. WarnerMedia. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  6. ^ Defelice, Robert (March 7, 2021). "Chris Jericho Announces Inner Circle 'War Council' Meeting For March 10 AEW Dynamite". Fightful. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  7. ^ Badrose (March 10, 2021). "Chris Jericho Fires MJF, MJF And His New Stable Destroy Inner Circle". Wrestling Attitude. Archived from the original on March 11, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  8. ^ Knight, Cain A. (March 10, 2021). "MJF's new horsemen lay waste to Jericho and the Inner Circle". Cageside Seats. SB Nation. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  9. ^ Casey, Connor (March 10, 2021). "AEW Dynamite: MJF Launches His Own Faction, Destroys The Inner Circle". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on March 16, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  10. ^ Dehnel, Joel (March 20, 2021). "AEW DYNAMITE HITS & MISSES 3/17: Praise on historical women's main event, The Pinnacle hits a home run, more". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on March 21, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  11. ^ Badrose (March 17, 2021). "MJF Stable Now Known as The Pinnacle". Wrestling Attitude. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  12. ^ Lugris, Mark (March 20, 2021). "AEW Trademarks The Pinnacle". The Sportster. Archived from the original on March 21, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  13. ^ Gagnon, Joshua (March 20, 2021). "AEW Trademarks The Pinnacle". Wrestling Inc. Archived from the original on March 21, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  14. ^ Casey, Connor (March 17, 2021). "AEW Dynamite: MJF's New Faction Gets Its Name". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  15. ^ Defelice, Robert (March 17, 2021). "Tully Blanchard Names MJF's New Group 'The Pinnacle'". Fightful. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  16. ^ Jalbuena, Joan (March 18, 2021). "AEW Dynamite: MJF's New Faction Name Revealed, The Pinnacle". Wrestling World. Archived from the original on March 21, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  17. ^ Chiari, Mike (April 22, 2021). "AEW Rumors: Chris Jericho's Blood and Guts Match to Be Full Dynamite Episode". Bleacher Report. Archived from the original on April 22, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
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