Tag: maxwell jacob friedman

MJF comments on never getting to wrestle John Cena: ‘He’s an incredible guy’

Posted on by Ian Carey

MJF says that in a different world, he would have gotten the chance to wrestle John Cena.

During a recent interview with Mostly Sports, the new AEW World Champion was asked if he’s sad that he’ll never get to face Cena. MJF responded:

“Yes, absolutely. I think that there is a different world where that match would have happened. Unfortunately, it’s not this one.”

“I’ve had so many incredible run-ins with John where we’ve shot the shit. He’s an incredible guy. He watches our product. He’s seen my stuff. He was very complimentary. Obviously, I’m super complimentary to him.”

“I’ve said it before in other interviews, but before CM Punk, my favorite wrestler growing up as a kid was John Cena. He was a fathead on my wall in my bedroom. So I’d wake up, salute the OG, and then get ready for school.”

MJF and Cena drew headlines in late 2023 when they appeared in a photo together while attending The Iron Claw premiere. MJF played the role of Lance Von Erich in the film. Cena later told Chris Van Vliet that he said to MJF that day, “maybe we can get you to play for the right team one day.”

The interview with Mostly Sports was taped before MJF won the AEW World Championship for a second time at Worlds End on Saturday. He becomes the fifth wrestler in history to win the title multiple times, joining two-time champions Samoa Joe, Hangman Page, and CM Punk, as well as four-time champion Jon Moxley.

MJF’s comments about Cena begin around the 16:53 mark of the interview. The video below is cued.

MJF explains why he still wears AEW Dynamite Diamond Ring

Posted on by Ian Carey

MJF addressed still wearing his AEW Dynamite Diamond ring during a recent interview.

The new AEW World Champion spoke with Mostly Sports ahead of his title victory on Saturday. During the interview, it was noted that MJF continues to wear his Dynamite Diamond ring despite Bandido winning the ring this year. MJF explained that another wrestler winning the ring does not negate the times he previously won it.

MJF said:

“So, here’s the deal. Think of this as a Super Bowl ring. Just because this guy won it doesn’t retract all the ones that I’ve won year after year after year after year.”

MJF won the Dynamite Diamond Ring in each of the first six years of its existence, winning it in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.

“Are we up to five or six? I don’t even know. I’ve lost count, frankly. Genuinely, I’ve lost count. It might be six. So, congrats to this guy. He won the ring this year because I wasn’t involved in it. And my boss is a mark and hates my guts, he decided to make this the first year where if you win the ring, you don’t just win money, you also get a guaranteed title shot at Maximum Carnage.”

“I thought that was a little f—ing weird, that I’ve won this ring year after year and I never got a title shot out of it. But anyway, c’est la vie.”

The interview was taped before MJF won the AEW World Championship at Worlds End. With his title win and Bandido winning the AEW Dynamite Diamond Ring in 2025, the two will meet for the championship at AEW Maximum Carnage on January 14 in Phoenix.

Bandido and Ricochet were the final two wrestlers remaining in the Dynamite Diamond Battle Royal on the December 17 episode of Dynamite. Bandido went on to defeat Ricochet to win the ring on the December 24 episode of Dynamite, which was taped on December 20.

MJF’s comments about continuing to wear the Dynamite Diamond ring begin around the 9:13 mark of the interview. The video below is cued.

A clip of Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer discussing MJF and the AEW Dynamite Diamond Ring is below:

MJF: ‘I’m lapping everyone in the professional wrestling landscape’

Posted on by Ian Carey

Maxwell Jacob Friedman says he’s back to “save the day” in AEW.

The former world champion spoke to SI.com recently about his return at AEW Double or Nothing and his upcoming appearance on tonight’s Dynamite. MJF says his return is going to be just what the promotion needs.

“Daddy’s back,” he said. “Daddy’s going to make a change, and Daddy’s going to help the health of the company.”

“I said it in my interview when I grabbed the stick–it’s not my fault everybody in comparison sucks a big ol’ bag of donkey d—-. No one is on my level. No one has ever been on my level. Sometimes I feel like I’m jaywalking because I’m moving so much faster while everyone else adheres to the stop signs and the yields. There is no stopping with me, and that’s why I’m lapping everyone in the professional wrestling landscape.”

When Triple appeared on The Pat McAfee Show in the build to WrestleMania earlier this year, fans in the live audience began to chant for MJF. This, according to the 28-year-old, is more evidence that he is one of the biggest stars in the industry.

“Cody Rhodes is a mentor of mine,” MJF continued. “I f—— love the guy. I love the Rhodes-a-coaster. But when Triple H is doing an interview on one of the biggest sports shows, whose name were they cheering in the background? My name. I’m not just the biggest star in AEW. I’m one of the biggest stars in the history of the f—— business.”

MJF returned to AEW at Double or Nothing in Las Vegas, and wore a familar looking leather/denim jacket when he did so. The jacket bore a striking resemblance to the one Triple H wore on the January 7, 2002 episode of Raw from Madison Square Garden after missing eight months with a quad injury.

“The jean jacket was over what I feel is my leather jacket, but that jean jacket was certainly an homage to a return that meant something to me when I was a kid in Madison Square Garden,” said Friedman. “I’m sure people can connect the dots. Outside of that, the video of me walking through one of my palatial estates in the most magical place on earth–Long Island, New York–looking at that trophy room, it allows people to remember all the moments I created in a very short period of time. The dog collar match. The epic promos with CM Punk. The Iron Man match with Bryan Danielson. The promo with William Regal. The Dynamite Diamond Ring and all the wins that came with that. Dinner Debonair. My pipe bomb in LA. Lashing and whipping Cody. Kicking Cody in the dick after I threw in the towel and ruined an opportunity for him to become world champion in my promotion. Me putting Wardlow through the paces.”

MJF revealed at Double or Nothing that the “War of 2024” is over. He’s not giving anything away regarding how long he’s under contract with AEW for, however.

“I’m making a ton of f—— money. As far as when the contract ends, that’s nobody’s business but my own,” he said of his deal with AEW.

The full interview with Sports Illustrated is available here.

Former AEW champion MJF wraps filming of comedy movie ‘The Floaters’

Posted on by Ian Carey

MJF has been doing some acting work since losing the AEW World title.

The 27-year-old will appear in the comedy “The Floaters” by Jackie Tohn (GLOW) and Sarah Podemski (Reservation Dogs), Deadline reported on Wednesday. 

The project recently wrapped filming in New York. 

The film was directed by Rachel Israel (Keep the Change) and stars Aya Cash (The Boys), Judah Lewis (The Babysitter), Nina Bloomgarden (The Resort), Jake Ryan (Asteroid City), and Steve Guttenberg (Three Men and a Baby). 

Noted wrestling fan and one-time Raw guest host Seth Green (Family Guy) is also featured in the movie. 

The plot involves a struggling musician who accepts a job mentoring misfit campers at her childhood Jewish summer camp. 

MJF’s role in the film has not been revealed. 

“We are very proud to say that The Floaters boasts Jewish actors cast in virtually every role – allowing for an authentic portrayal and celebration of the diversity within modern Jewish communities,” said Israel. “The Floaters resists tired cliches often attributed in the media to embrace a rich culture and explore multidimensional Jewish characters.” 

“We look forward to sharing an uplifting comedy beautifully directed by Rachel Israel that celebrates a Jewish community, which the world needs more of right now,” said producers K180 and Athena Pictures. “A formative part of our own childhoods, Jewish summer camp is a place where campers are free to be themselves and forge lifelong bonds — The Floaters captures the humor and heart of that experience that will widely resonate with audiences.”

MJF was cast in the role of Lance Von Erich in “The Iron Claw,” although many of his scenes were cut from the final version of the film. He was also credited as an executive producer on the project. 

While speaking to Comicbook.com in December, MJF said he would like to have full-time careers in both wrestling and acting. 

“I genuinely think in five years from now, I’m going to be a guy that people see regularly on their TV screen outside of the professional wrestling landscape,” MJF said. “Trust me, I love wrestling too much to not still be involved in it. I will most likely still be full-time, but I want to be acting full-time as well by then. I would also like to put out an album by then. I would like to be a well distinguished actor that is recognized as being a great actor that transitioned from wrestling like these greats that did it before me. Like Dwayne [The Rock], like Batista. Like Cena.”

MJF debating whether to rehab shoulder injury or get surgery

Posted on by Ian Carey

MJF could be out of action for a long time. 

The former AEW World Champion announced in November that he was dealing with a torn labrum but would still defend his title against Samoa Joe at Worlds End. 

Our own Dave Meltzer gave an update on MJF’s condition on Wrestling Observer Radio, noting that the 27-year-old is still deciding whether to have surgery or rehab the injury. 

Meltzer said: 

From what I was told, he is either going to have to rehab the shoulder, which is the main problem, or he may need surgery and just judging from how severe it was, he may need that surgery. And the surgery would put him out for quite a while. He is still debating which tact to take. I think it’s probably the best thing is for him to have the surgery but that’s a long time off.

MJF went into his match against Jay White at Full Gear with his shoulder already injured. However, it was further aggravated by a top rope uranage during the bout. MJF also injured his hip after delivering a top rope elbow drop to the outside of the ring. Meltzer addressed these injuries in the November 27 edition of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter. 

MJF legit suffered a dislocated hip during the match as well as aggravated a prior shoulder injury. The hip injury took place when he was planning to do the spot where you come off the top rope and fly far, ending with an elbow drop putting your opponent through a table. However, when he put White on the table, it collapsed. Instead of just ditching the spot, he felt that the crowd was going to flatten if he didn’t do the spot, climbed up to the top rope and did an elbow drop from the top rope to the floor, which is an absolute killer on your hip. It was popped back in but he was in terrible pain. The shoulder injury worsened from a top rope uranage.

MJF addresses character fatigue: ‘No one stays hot forever’

Posted on by Ian Carey

MJF addressed “MJF Fatigue” in an article for the Player’s Tribune published on Friday. 

The AEW World Champion’s article covers a variety of topics, including Saturday’s pay-per-view, the five-year history of AEW, and more. Near the end of the piece, he commented on fans being a little burned out with his character at the moment. 

MJF wrote:

I know our fans are a little tired of this run I’ve been on. And for the first time since this company started, I know there’s some MJF fatigue. Which is fine, by the way — no one stays hot forever.

Right now, though, as I’m writing this? It’s Wednesday morning. It’s three days before Worlds End.

It’s five days from five years of MJF in AEW.

And I don’t know what comes next.

He continued to say that he sometimes wonders if standing up to antisemitism has made him a less popular wrestler in 2023. 

People are always telling me how getting bullied is a part of my “backstory” — nope, f*ck you, it happened. Kids threw quarters at me and told me to “pick it up, Jew Boy.” Not a backstory. And if you think this is that ’80s good guy promo I was teasing a couple of paragraphs ago, it isn’t. Actually … you want to know the truth? Sometimes I wonder if standing up to antisemitism would even be a “babyface move” anymore. No, for real — I legit wonder. I wonder if being a proud Jew like I am, in 2023, has actually made me LESS popular as a wrestler. And if deep down, when someone says they have “MJF fatigue,” what they really mean is “enough with the Jewish stuff already.” I honestly don’t know the answer to that … and I’m sure I’ll get sh*t for even asking the question. But that’s where my thoughts are right now. It’s “fear the worst.” I’m a Jew in America and I’m f*cking soul sick.

He continued:

Allow me to say this, straight up, point blank: I don’t support terrorism, Zionism, genocide, war, bombs, genocidal governments, dead innocent Palestinians, dead innocent Israelis. I don’t support people — any people — dying because of hate. I’ll tell you what I do support, and what I definitely am: I’m anti-hate. I’m sick to my stomach that people are calling for the death of Jews over something that’s happening on the other side of the world. And I’m sick that Hamas, a literal terrorist organization, has fans on this side of the world — as on a daily basis I’m having to read antisemitic sh*t from all kinds of people: celebrities (hi, Kanye), strangers, even people I know. It’s just very sad. We’re all human, man. We all deserve rights, we all deserve freedom, we all deserve happiness and respect. (I really wanted to clarify these things and I hope I have. These are the serious conversations I have with the very hot woman I’m in love with, who by the way is Palestinian.)

MJF defending the AEW World Championship against Samoa Joe will headline Saturday’s Worlds End pay-per-view. The show takes place from the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY. 

“AEW chose the Nassau Coliseum for the show, evidently wanting to be in Long Island, since MJF is the headliner. The modern arena that AEW has had success in, the UBS Arena, is booked that night with an NHL game,” our own Dave Meltzer wrote of the event in today’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter. 

Report: MJF dealing with hip, shoulder injuries after AEW Full Gear

Posted on by Ian Carey

MJF did not walk away from AEW Full Gear unscathed. 

During the post-event media scrum, MJF mentioned he dislocated his hip in his match with Jay White on the pay-per-view. WrestlePurists is reporting that he suffered the injury while delivering a diving elbow from the top rope to the floor. 

MJF positioned White on top of the announce table moments before the spot but the table gave way, sending White to the floor. MJF decided to go through with the move anyway despite the table not being there to break his fall. He later needed to have his hip popped back into place.

MJF is also said to be dealing with a banged-up shoulder from taking a top rope uranage during the match. He is not expected to miss any TV time but could be featured in a non-wrestling capacity to allow him to heal up before the Worlds End pay-per-view on December 30. 

MJF credited as executive producer of ‘The Iron Claw’

Posted on by Ian Carey

MJF has commented on being an executive producer for “The Iron Claw.”

An official poster for the film was released on Monday revealing MJF’s behind-the-scenes role. He also portrays Lance Von Erich in the film.

“27 years old. Executive producer for an A24 movie and a masterpiece by Sean Durkin. Proud is an understatement. However I don’t have time to celebrate. I’m a man on an island surrounded by the enemy, and Nov 18th will be my hardest obstacle yet,” he wrote on X. 

The film is set to be released in theaters on December 22, 2023. Sean Durkin (The Nest, Dead Ringers) wrote and directed the project. 

“The story of the rise and fall of the Von Erich family, a dynasty of wrestlers who made a huge impact on the sport from the 1960s to the present day,” reads a description of the film. 

Members of the cast include Jeremy Allen White (The Bear, Shameless) as Kerry Von Erich, Zac Efron (High School Musical, Neighbors) as Kevin Von Erich, Harris Dickinson (Beach Rats, Triangle of Sadness) as David Von Erich, and Holt McCallany (Mindhunter, Foundation) as Fritz Von Erich.

MJF to speak at Stand Up To Jewish Hate event

Posted on by Ian Carey

MJF will be speaking at an event to combat anti-semitism on Thursday. 

The AEW World Champion released a statement on Wednesday announcing he will be at tomorrow’s event in Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium. He also commented on Juice Robinson referencing acts of bullying MJF dealt with in high school on Dynamite last night.  

Tonight that piece of shit, Juice Robinson decided to bring up a story from my childhood that has left me scared. I’m glad he did. He brought awareness to something we’ve all gone through in one way, shape, or form in our lives. On behalf of anyone who’s ever been bullied for being different in any capacity. I look forward to leaving him scared too. I also look forward to this Thursday #StandUpToJewishHate

Robinson pulled out a roll of quarters with “Friedman” written on it during Bullet Club Gold’s promo on Dynamite. MJF had previously mentioned that fellow students at his high school tossed quarters at him and bullied him for being Jewish. 

MJF also released a statement on Monday, noting that he respects people of all religions, but not Jay White, who he will defend his title against at Full Gear. 

Religion is a touchy subject in 2023. This photo was captured candidly. I pray before I go through the curtain every week. Have since I started wrestling. It gives me confidence and strength. To me, I find it silly when we fight over these things. I’m a Jew, but I respect anyone and everyone’s beliefs. Whether you are Christian, Islam, atheist, agnostic,Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, etc. We’re all on a floating rock in the middle of space just trying to get through this experience we call life. We’re all human. Except Jay white. Fuck that guy.

The segment with MJF and Bullet Club Gold last night garnered some criticism online. Some fans expressed concern regarding the angle given recent world events. An article on AwfulAnnouncing.com was critical of the segment, writing that it was “especially controversial this week following the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.”

MJF released another statement on Wednesday afternoon. 

Muhammad Hassan was portraying an evil Muslim terrorist. I’m actually Jewish. I’ve actually gone through this. This is my real life!!!!! MY STORY! And I Look forward to giving Catharsis to every single person who’s ever been oppressed or bullied. If you think I’d play with that or take it lying down or WORST OF ALL Hide from the hard conversations like a coward… You’re on crazy pills. I look forward to the hard conversations this starts and creates. I look forward to people being further educated. My life’s work is to stand up to any and all injustices done to people due to something as Stupid as being different. To anyone that thinks that can’t be done through the avenue of professional wrestling. Then that’s an indictment on things that have happened in this sports past. I look forward to bringing this sport into the present. I look forward to knocking Juice Robinson’s teeth down his throat. And most of all I look forward to getting back the Triple B!

MJF promises Adam Cole rematch for AEW World title

Posted on by Ian Carey

Maxwell Jacob Friedman has made a promise to his good buddy, Adam Cole. 

On last night’s edition of AEW Dynamite, MJF told Cole that after they wrestle FTR for the tag titles on Collision, he’s going to give him another shot at the world title. However, Roderick Strong interrupted the segment shortly after and told Cole he can’t trust MJF.  

Cole and MJF went to a 30-minute time limit on the 6/14 Dynamite from Washington. Our own Dave Meltzer rated the match four and one-quarter stars. It’s not clear when or where MJF vs. Cole II will take place, however. 

Following their title match, MJF and Cole were paired together in AEW’s Blind Eliminator tag team tournament. They defeated Daniel Garcia and Sammy Guevara in the finals of the tournament on last week’s Dynamite. 

As of this writing, MJF’s title reign currently sits at 250 days (third all-time) with five successful defenses (fifth all-time). In less than four weeks, MJF will pass Jon Moxley’s first run with the title in terms of length. Moxley’s first title reign lasted 277 days with nine successful title defenses.  

AEW Dynamite segment originally hinted at MJF’s next title challenger

Posted on by Ian Carey

A segment on AEW Dynamite this week was originally going to drop a hint about MJF’s next title program. 

Renee Paquette attempted to interview MJF backstage on Wednesday’s show by the world champion slapped the microphone out of her hands. The segment was not what was initially scheduled. 

The original plan was for an in-ring promo segment with MJF, his opponents at Double or Nothing, and also Britt Baker, who has been referred to as a “Pillar of AEW” similar to MJF, Jungle Boy, Sammy Guevara, and Darby Allin.  

Baker was supposed to hint that even if MJF retains the title on the pay-per-view, Adam Cole will be waiting for him. 

The change of plan was addressed by our own Dave Meltzer in today’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter. 

Meltzer wrote:

The segment where MJF slapped the mic out of Renee Paquette’s hands was not the original plan. There was a promo segment involving everyone in the match and Britt Baker was involved. It ended with Baker saying that even if he wins, he’s not going to hold the title long Bay Bay. The idea is that Cole gets the next big title chase against whoever wins the match. But there was something about it that was deemed not good and instead of doing it again, they changed to what they did. 

Meltzer continued to speculate that a possible reason for the change is AEW not wanting fans to think MJF retaining on the pay-per-view is a certainty. As of this writing, he is currently a -5000 favorite to win and few fans seem to be giving the other pillars much of a chance. 

AEW’s MJF to receive ‘town’s highest honor’ from Oyster Bay, New York

Posted on by Ian Carey

MJF’s hometown of Oyster Bay, New York, is issuing him the “town’s highest honor.”

The AEW World Champion will be given The Key to the Town at a public ceremony at Oyster Bay Town Hall on Monday. The town also announced that April 3, 2023, will be declared “Maxwell Jacob Friedman Day.” 

“It’s the town’s highest honor, we don’t present the Key to the Town too often,” Curt Ludwig, Town of Oyster Bay Press Officer told the Wrestling Observer on Friday.

“Within wrestling he plays a role that’s not always the most popular in different towns but in our town and here on Long Island, he’s so popular, people love him,” Ludwig continued. 

AEW will present Dynamite from the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York next Wednesday, April 5, 2023. 

The Town of Oster Bay issued the following:

Oyster Bay, NY — Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino will present the Key to the Town to AEW (All Elite Wrestling) World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman, a 2014 graduate of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK High School, who has gone on to reach the pinnacle of professional wrestling. Known to millions as “MJF,” the Town will also proclaim “Maxwell Jacob Friedman Day” in the Town of Oyster Bay in honor of the Champ, who, despite his international success, is exceedingly proud of his hometown roots in the Town of Oyster Bay and has given back through numerous charitable endeavors.

WHEN: Monday, April 3, 2023 2:00 p.m. WHERE: Oyster Bay Town Hall 54 Audrey Avenue Oyster Bay, NY. 

 

Ricky Starks on AEW Dynamite promo: ‘What you saw out there was me winging it’

Posted on by Ian Carey

Ricky Starks memorized exactly what he wanted to say in his promo on AEW Dynamite but when the moment came, he decided to “just wing” it instead. 

After winning the Dynamite Diamond Battle Royal on Wednesday, Starks cut a promo on AEW World Champion, MJF, who he will face next week at Winter is Coming. He would later speak to Comicbook.com about his decision to abandon his original plans for the segment. 

“I think you’ll hear a lot of wrestlers say, ‘Oh, I didn’t think of it. I didn’t plan it out, I didn’t write it out.’ And Cody [Rhodes] makes the same joke, but that’s bull,” Starks said. “Even the best promos had to have some type of structure to them. And I am somewhat in the same way, admittedly. I’m not one to really pull back the curtain on anything here, but yesterday, earlier in the day, I had wrote out this whole thing, and in my head memorized it and did all this, and stressed myself out, and then had a match to do. Anything could have gone wrong where I just forget it in the match.”

“I remember Max cutting that promo and saying these comments, and in that moment I was like, ‘I’ll just wing it. I’ll just wing it. I know where I want to go and what I want to get to, and I’ll just fill in the blanks.,'” Starks continued. “So what you saw out there was me winging it. That’s how I operate. Yes, I can come up with some lines and think about it, but for the most part, whatever I feel, I just say, and it comes off in that moment.”

Starks would continue to talk about the positive reception he’s received regarding the segment and other times that he’s spoken “from the heart” during promos. 

“I’m not a stranger to this type of reception to a promo I’ve done,” Starks added. “Earlier in the year, after I lost the title to Hook, I had a similar promo. The common theme between all that is it’s just me really speaking from the heart in every single instance.”

Speak Now: AEW Dynamite and WWE NXT recaps

Posted on by Denise Salcedo

This is a very busy episode of Speak Now Pro Wrestling hosted by Denise Salcedo.

There was a lot that occurred on AEW Dynamite which unfortunately included Hangman Adam Page being stretchered out, a great promo exchange between MJF and William Regal, and a lot more. 

Plus on the NXT side of things, we had a very entertaining go-home show leading into WWE NXT Halloween Havoc. Tune into the show for a good time! 

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MJF believed to be making ‘more than $1 million per year’ after AEW raise

Posted on by Ian Carey

MJF is now believed to be making in excess of $1 million per year in AEW. 

The 26-year-old returned to the company at All Out after a more than three months away. His last appearance before this sabbatical was on the June 1 edition of Dynamite when he cut a promo about not being paid as much as “ex-WWE guys” on the roster. 

During an interview with Ariel Helwani on Monday, MJF noted that he has received a pay increase and is now receiving “a stupid, absurd amount of money” from the company. 

Our own Dave Meltzer noted in Friday’s edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that MJF is now earning more than $1 million per year. 

“MJF did an interview with Ariel Helwani to promote the Arthur Ashe Stadium show. He said that he got a huge raise in pay to return (based on things we heard it’s was more than $1 million per year) and claimed he did not have to sign an extension and his contract expires on January 1, 2024,” Meltzer wrote.