MJF explains why wrestling fans hate AEW: "I'm actually going to relate this to Judaism"
AEW World Champion MJF recently discussed why many on the internet dislike the Tony Khan-led promotion.
It's safe to say that Maxwell Jacob Friedman is the face of AEW right now. He is one of the few homegrown stars of the company who have reached the pinnacle of the sport within a short period. The 27-year-old has been world champion for over a year, defeating top names like Bryan Danielson, Samoa Joe, and Adam Cole.
Being one of the top guys in the company, Friedman is often tasked with addressing the criticism surrounding the promotion. During his interview with SEScoops, The Salt of the Earth explained that AEW was different than other companies, leading some viewers to dislike its offering.
"Yeah, well, here's why. I'm actually going to relate this to Judaism because I'm very good at my job. When you think about why people hate us and why we constantly get attacked, it's because we're different, and being different makes people uncomfortable."
Friedman admitted that there was some constructive criticism regarding the company on the internet, but most of it was non-constructive. He added that WWE RAW was the longest-running pro wrestling television show ever, and AEW had been around only for a few years.
"I think the reason that's happening is Monday Night RAW is the longest reigning [sic] episodic television show of all time. We have only been around for what, four and a half years? That's new, that's different, and what's different (...) different scares people."
MJF says he has not yet re-signed with AEW
Over the past year, MJF has been teasing a "bidding war" in 2024 after his current contract runs out. However, it was recently reported that he had quietly re-signed with the Tony Khan-led company, and the "bidding war" was a storyline.
On a recent episode of the SI Media podcast, Friedman claimed that he had not yet re-signed with All Elite Wrestling.
"I’ve been saying the same thing. I never lied. January 1st, 2024. When stuff like that gets leaked out, it makes me laugh because I remember something leaked out about Cody [Rhodes] having secretly re-signed, and then he showed up [in WWE]. I think fans leak out things that they want to be true. I love AEW, [and] I wanna stay. After this pay-per-view [Worlds End], it’s time to assess the situation in a professional setting. So (…) not yet [I haven’t re-signed]." [H/T Post Wrestling]
It remains to be seen what the future holds for MJF in 2024. Will he re-sign with All Elite Wrestling? Only time will tell.