AEW World Champ MJF on Tough Challenges, Being the Villain & Hollywood

Pro wrestling is largely built on the faces or good guys and heels or bad guys. Then there is Maxwell Jacob Friedman. Someone who thrived on being the unabashed villain of All Elite Wrestling. Over time though something happened. The audience found love and respect for the brash Burberry bad boy, even when he was insulting them. MJF has been relied upon by the company to deliver, and he has certainly done that. A vital member of the roster for a company snakebitten by injuries, backstage drama, and everything in between.

It’s the 27-year-old’s connection with the audience that has only gotten stronger during his run as AEW world heavyweight champion. The people’s “scumbag” has defended the gold in stellar bouts with Bryan Danielson, Jay White, best friend Adam Cole, and his now former Ring of Honor tag team championship partner Samoa Joe. He must contend with the latter one more time in another David vs. Goliath showdown at the Worlds End pay-per-view before a hometown crowd in the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

“I have to prove again to these fans why I’m in the position I’m in,” MJF said. “Not letting down my countrymen in Long Island. For me, Long Island feels like its own country. It’s the most magical place in the world.”

Here the champ opens up about the weight of standing atop the AEW mountain, entering Hollywood through The Iron Claw, and his future.

Congrats on your recent induction into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. My dad would only watch pro wrestling if Bill Goldberg appeared. When it comes to representation, what does it mean to you to be that person for others?

MJF: Right now with the rampant antisemitism, specifically going on in America, it means everything to me. I’ve never read so much antisemitic smut in my entire life. To me, being an outward Jew, talking about being Jewish proudly means the world. It means everything to me that I have young Jewish men and women who walk up to me and thank me for doing so without fear. There have been many times in the history of the world where Jewish people have been blamed for sh*t we’re not involved in. I wasn’t born in Israel. I was born in America, and the fact that American Jews are being punished right now for things that are happening on the other side of the world makes me sick. And I won’t stand for it.

AEW

How do you reflect on your reign as AEW champion this year? The one constant as the company fought through its share of challenges. 

Let’s face it. This has been a rebuilding year for us. A lot of crazy sh*t has happened. People have left. People have gotten injured, and there have been f*ck’in serious issues in the back. Through it all guys like me have had to steady the f*ck’in ship. I’m not asking for a pat on the back. It’s my job to do that. It’s why I’m the guy and world champion.

As the world champion, I’ve often managed to help bring AEW million-dollar houses. I’ve sold a boatload of merchandise and done good ratings for our shows. The fact of the matter is that’s not enough. I always need to be looking to grow not just my brand but our brand. I think it’s telling that Worlds End sold out and we had to add more seats in the Nassau Coliseum. What that proves there is a lot of interest in seeing me versus Samoa Joe, the wrestling legend. Frankly, I’m a wrestling legend in the making. I think all the crazy sh*t that has gone down this year, guys like me and Joe made it a point to be the guys you can pass the rock to and we can go and score a f*ck’in touchdown for our company.

You’re such a great storyteller through your matches and on the mic. How important was working with Adam Cole in allowing you to show that other side of yourself? 

It was because of Adam Cole that I was able to get comfortable and get that love from the crowd. Now that he is not around at the moment,  I’ve been struggling both mentally and physically. I feel December 30 is an opportunity for me to remind people of why they fell in love with me in the first place. I’m taking this very seriously and not taking it for granted. There will be no smoke and mirrors or bullsh*t. You’re going to get a non-nonsense main event between me and Samoa Joe for the AEW world title.

A lot of people were excited about your recent staredown with Swerve Shane Strickland. What is it like for you to see how far he has come? 

I think me and Swerve are two sides of the same coin. When I got into this business, I could have just leaned into my God-given ability to talk. When Swerve got into the business, he could have leaned into his God-given ability of being a freak athlete. Instead, he worked on talking while I worked on wrestling. Now I genuinely think we are two of the most complete packages in wrestling now. I think Shane has all the momentum in the world. I understand he keeps asking, “When am I getting a world title shot?”

I remember asking the same thing when I felt I had all the momentum in the world. I was in the same position when I was feuding with CM Punk. He feels like a rockstar because he is a rockstar. Do I feel like he is as good as me on the mic and in the ring? No. Do I feel he should have the opportunity to prove otherwise? Yes. Do I feel like if we wrestled on pay-per-view and television it would be one of the greatest singles matches of all time? I do. You saw what we did with three minutes of talking in a locker room area. Imagine if that happened in a ring for 20 or more.

How would you compare your relationship with Tony Khan from the start to today as you go into 2024 amid so much speculation about your future? 

There is a lot more earned respect. I feel like I’ve earned his respect and vice-versa. I’d like to ‘no comment’ on the 2024 [contract]  thing because I feel like it has been beaten over the head, and I don’t think anything will be gained from talking about it right now. I would genuinely say our relationship is very good. I love the direction AEW is heading in right now. I feel like we are gaining momentum again. It’s because of guys like young stars like Daniel Garcia that’s happening. It’s because of that hard work and dedication. The Continental Classic has been balls to the walls amazing.

I look at guys like Ethan Page and Tony Nese. A lot of people were tuning into that Ring of Honor pay-per-view to see Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, FTR, Eddie Kingston, and others. I think they left thinking about Tony Nese and Ethan Page. I think it goes to show you how important ROH is. It can show you who the next stars are. Tony Khan pours his literal heart into the company. Much like I do.

Much like everyone who genuinely cares about this company does. Everyone who was there during that pandemic era knows what this company was built on and respects it and those three letters. They don’t look at this company as a parachute process they can go to after getting fired by WWE. They look at it as their home. That’s something I’ve been struggling with because sometimes it hasn’t felt like home. But it’s starting to feel like home again. That’s due to everyone’s hard work and dedication to All Elite Wrestling. I’m the furthest thing from a locker room leader, but I want to see AEW succeed very badly.

AEW

What are some things you think AEW should work on in 2024 to move forward? 

I frankly think what we are doing now. We are bettering the product. I think we lost our footing at points, but I think that’s had to do with some crazy f*ck’in sh*t that went down. Let’s face it, some of it was out of our control. Also, some of it was in our control. So, I think it’s very important when we read criticism we take it as constructive. I mean when we can. There is a difference between, “I want AEW to die. Fed is better. LOL.” That kind of tweet. And, “I miss when AEW kind of had a more sports presentation.” Or, “I miss MJF chopping it up on the stick and f*ck’in bury people.”

There are constructive things though. I think now more than ever we are the listening company. We are trying to be the listening company. I think the reason there is so much criticism online, and I’m starting to see it lessen because we are starting to give people what they are asking for, but it’s because the fans hold me and the company to a higher standard. I take that with a lot of pride. There is a reason to expect greatness from me. It’s because I’ve given it to them before. I plan on giving it to them at Worlds End.

The Iron Claw is officially in theaters. As an executive producer, how is it for you to see the pro wrestling community come together to support this film?  A potential way of getting new eyes to the product. 

I felt director Sean Durkin and the whole cast did an exceptional job of capturing the vibes of World Class and vibes of that generation with the soundtrack. Me and my girlfriend are pretty retro. We like weird zany 1970s decore. So being on that set and looking around, I’m thinking this looks like my house. I loved everything about the experience.  I think this will make you cry and make you laugh. To me, that makes a great movie. When it gives you all the rainbows and flavor of emotion. I thought they embodied the curse of the Von Erichs. You can see how much that hung over the heads of that family The pressure the dad put on sons and the pressures of this industry.

I get that. I’ve had some of the highest of highs and lowest of lows this year by being the top guy and world champion. This is a really hard job. If the company is doing well, you sometimes get the credit. Other times you don’t. When the company is doing poorly, you most certainly get the credit and are blamed for it. It’s not an easy role, but I take it on the chin because people expect greatness. We try to deliver it to them. This movie will mean a lot to wrestling fans. It’s one of the best adaptations of pro wrestling I’ve ever seen in cinema. They nailed this. That’s why I’m proud to have EP credit on this.

MJF/Twitter

What are you watching right now? 

Squid Game is awesome. Yellowjackets was f*ck’in awesome. I love it this year. 90 Day Fiancé, no shame in my game. I watched the original one, and I watched The Other Way. I just got done watching 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way. It was phenomenal. Me and my girlfriend do this bit where I’ll just scream Shekinah real loud. She is dating this crazy abusive guy from I think Turkey. He would be like seven miles away and yell Shekinah! I’ll scream that in the house. It has been a fun year for TV. I also love Wipeout. Shoutout to my boy John Cena.

I know you’ve already addressed the speculation about this “Bidding War of 2024” and if you are staying with AEW or going elsewhere. But I’ll just ask what are your criteria items when making this decision? 

I feel like no matter what I say I’ll get in trouble, so I’ll just say money. But it’s not entirely true.

You probably want a place where you feel fulfilled and have goals to accomplish. 

Every wrestler is going to tell you the same thing. Pro wrestling is all about two things: cash and creative.

That said, Sting is having his last match next year. Who do you want to see him face? A lot of people think it should be you. 

I get contacted by a lot of people saying they want Sting and me to go at it. As far as Sting goes and being in a match, Darby Allin should be involved in some way. A thousand percent. If not, I think that’s weird.

AEW Dynamite, Wednesdays, 8/7c, TBS

AEW Rampage, Fridays, 8/7c, TNT

AEW Collision, Saturdays, 8/7c, TNT

AEW World’s End, December 30, 8/7c, Pay-Per-View