WWE veteran says popular star is AEW's version of The Rock - "You have nobody else that can match him"
It's been a tumultuous and historic five years since AEW was founded, and the company has seen plenty of highs and lows. Much of the young company's success can be traced to its core of talented stars, but it hasn't managed to develop mainstream talent on the level of WWE legend The Rock.
Former WWE personality Jonathan Coachman believes that MJF is the closest the Jacksonville-based promotion has gotten in this regard. Maxwell Jacob Friedman quickly drew the eyes of fans and became a top star in AEW, going on to become the longest-reigning World Champion in the company's history.
MJF is now taking All Elite Wrestling on a ride as the American Champion. Jonathan Coachman recently appeared on the Reffin' it Up podcast, where he praised the 28-year-old as "The Rock" of AEW. However, he expressed concern about no other stars being on Maxwell's level:
"To me, MJF, I was shocked, and from what I understand, I heard the number that he’s making now with his new deal, and none of us ever know. But he’s the one dude to me that moves the needle a little bit. But when you have a guy like him who’s as close to The Rock as they have, but you have nobody else that can match him on the mic — do you guys feel this way? That if you don’t have a guy that can match you, sometimes you come off as a bully or just using lines that can get a pop from the crowd?" [H/T POST Wrestling]
Jonathan Coachman believes AEW's Mercedes Mone isn't as good as she thinks she is
Despite his praise for Maxwell Jacob Friedman, former WWE personality Jonathan Coachman has plenty of criticisms regarding AEW, although he admits that he wants the young company to do well.
On the same podcast, Coachman opened up about TBS Champion Mercedes Mone, who recently turned heel. Coach believes that Mone has never been able to back up her arrogance, and she's now getting exposed on the mic in All Elite Wrestling:
"You gotta be able to back it up with the arrogance and Mercedes has never been able to do that in the WWE. I don’t know why Tony Khan, but hey, she made all the money, but now she’s getting exposed because they’re giving her-her own mic segments every week and it’s not good and that’s why the crowd the other day told her to shut up. The crowd knows you gotta be able to talk and work and she can’t talk and that’s why sometimes she comes on, I turn it off. It makes more people money. It makes more people money if they do well, and absolutely I do (want AEW to do well)."
The Jacksonville-based promotion is riding a wave of momentum heading into All In 2024 at Wembley Stadium. Whether the company can fully utilize its top stars to continue its ascent remains to be seen.