Phase 4's Avengers Problem Can Explain Why Wong Fights Abomination

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Wong fighting Abomination in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings may be because of an ongoing Avengers' Phase 4 problem. Destin Cretton's first MCU film introduced Simu Liu's titular hero, and while it mainly focused on his more intimate family story, it also set up his place in the bigger universe. As with most Marvel Studios films, Shang-Chi featured several connections to the wider MCU, including cameos from some familiar faces.

Admittedly, the biggest surprise appearances were saved in the mid-credits scene with the involvement of Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) and Captain Marvel (Brie Larson). But Wong (Benedict Wong) was the primary connecting thread between Shang-Chi and the aforementioned Avengers. In that same mid-credts scene, the Master of the Mystic Arts was the one who felt the beacon the Ten Rings emitted and brought Shang-Chi and Katy (Awkwafina) to Kamar Taj. Even before this, however, Wong had already appeared in the movie. He was among the warriors fighting in Xialing's (Meng'er Zhang) underground fight club in Macau and fought Abomination (Tim Roth) during his round.

This particular moment in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was prominently used in the film's marketing, so it wasn't exactly a surprise. But in the movie, it was further revealed that Wong's fight with Abomination was actually a purposeful, staged setup. Between the limited screentime and Marvel Studios' penchant for planting plot seeds for future endeavors, no further context was provided about this. This mystery may have something to do with the Avengers currently having monetary issues in Phase 4, however. As revealed in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, some of the Avengers are struggling for funds in the wake of Tony Stark's death, especially those who had been on the run for years. As Wong is now an active member of the Avengers, staging a fight with Abomination could be his way to earn some cash to continue funding his misions.

Initially, it was S.H.I.E.L.D. that was footing the bill for the Avengers Initiative since it was Nick Fury's (Samuel L. Jackson) program. When S.H.I.E.L.D. fell, Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) funded the Avengers so that they could continue to operate. He explicitly said this in Avengers: Age of Ultron: "I just pay for everything, design everything, and make everyone look cooler." Both headquarters of the team were also originally Stark properties, which he provided — the Stark Tower in New York and the old Stark Industries warehouse in the upstate. Granted, Tony didn't pay for the heroes' salaries, but everything else was taken care of. Now that the MCU's inaugural hero is gone, Wong, who appears to be heavily involved in keeping the remaining Avengers updated with what's happening, needs to find alternative ways to earn money for their other needs.

This makes sense, as the Shang-Chi fight between Abomination and Wong was among the top-tier battles in Xialing's underground fighting ring in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Naturally, that comes with more money compared to the smaller skirmishes on the side. It also explains why Wong was willing to sneak Emil Blonsky from the Raft; he's fully aware that seeing a monstrous creature and a sorcerer go at it would automatically grant them access to the bigger stage, allowing them to get paid more for more than just one fight.

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