MJF Explains Why He Thinks He’ll Never Leave AEW

Is MJF an AEW lifer? Or will he eventually make the jump to WWE?

Back in 2023, MJF would regularly play up the "great bidding war of 2024," pitting WWE against AEW for his services. Friedman would ultimately choose to remain with AEW, leaving many WWE fans disappointed that the Salt of the Earth didn't make the jump.

Despite that, plenty of fans and former WWE talents are convinced that MJF will eventually depart AEW and head to WWE. But how does MJF feel about potentially leaving the company behind he's been a part of since day one?

MJF recently spoke with Adrian Ochoa of ABC 7 KVIA and when asked about his decision to remain with AEW in 2024 and what it is about the company that keeps him there, Friedman offered a surprising, seemingly out-of-character response.

"What keeps me at AEW is my ability to be myself," MJF said. "There's no leash on me. I don't have to worry about anybody sitting me down and telling me what I'm doing right or wrong. My boss knows I'm the draw. I have the World Title right now. Ratings are up, ticket sales are up. I wonder why? And he lets me do my thing, so I don't think I'll ever leave."

Why is MJF working the independent scene as AEW World Champion?

One major difference between MJF's current AEW World Title reign and his last one is the number of times he's defended the championship in a short period of time. Friedman has even defended the title multiple times outside of AEW at various independent promotions.

When asked why currently working the independent scene as AEW World Champion is so important to him, MJF admitted that he views himself as a throwback and believes the greatest World Champions of all time traveled the territories to prove they were the best in the world.

"Some of the greatest World Champions of all time, Buddy Rogers, Ric Flair, Harley Race; these gentlemen, they would get in their cars or on planes or on their jets, and they would go wrestle the best of the best on the territory system," MJF said. "If they heard one guy was the best in El Paso, Texas, that would piss them off.

"And they would go to El Paso, Texas, and they would prove that wasn't the case, and then they'd go back home to their comfy mansion, and I want to bring that back. I'm a throwback. People know I'm a throwback. When they watch me wrestle, I wrestle differently than everybody else in this generation.

"Because everybody else in this generation is only concerned with hitting cool moves, doing a cool flip, and trying to maim and or kill themselves. I'm concerned with being a throwback, and I'm a traditionalist at heart, and that's why doing these independent shows means so much to me."

MJF will continue to defend his championship this week on AEW Dynamite against Kevin Knight. If successful, Friedman will move on to Revolution to defend the title against Hangman Adam Page in a Texas Deathmatch.