MJF Pinpoints the Biggest Issue With This Generation of Wrestlers

MJF considers himself a student of professional wrestling.

The second AEW World Championship reign of MJF, while shorter than his first, has arguably been far more successful. The main event scene of AEW programming has been rejuvenated this year thanks to several top names chasing Maxwell Jacob Friedman and his coveted Triple B.

While the main event of AEW is currently thriving, there are several stars in AEW and other companies looking to break through to the next level, but haven't been able to get there. There are a variety of reasons for this, but for MJF specifically, one major issue stands out to him.

MJF AEW — MJF | Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

AEW World Champion MJF was a recent guest on Self Made Sitdown. When it was mentioned to Friedman that he has a good head on his shoulders despite being so young, MJF said it came down to cope and explained what his biggest issue is with this generation of wrestlers.

"I think the biggest issue with people of my generation right now, besides reps, is the lack of watching wrestling," MJF said. "They'll pretend and lie to whoever their coaches, whether it be at the PC or whether it be the coaches at AEW, I know these cats ain't going home and consuming wrestling. They're not. Because everybody wrestles like the next guy in this generation, everyone's wrestling the exact same way, and it's a snooze fest for me.

"The way I wrestle, I'm a traditionalist at heart. Always have been, always will be. Everybody was telling me in the back, oh shit, you're gonna have to follow Kyle Fletcher and Mark Briscoe in a ladder match. Are you freaking out? No, because I knew my match was going to be so, so, so, so, so, so different that it wouldn't matter, and it's never going to matter. And I think that's why a lot of people struggle."

Is AEW making a big mistake with the upcoming match between MJF and Hangman Page?

The AEW trilogy between MJF and "Hangman" Adam Page began last year at Revolution. — MJF and Hangman Adam Page | All Elite Wrestling

Last week on AEW Dynamite, MJF had a face-to-face to set up their World Championship match at Revolution next month. During the back-and-forth promo, Hangman Page declared that if he loses to Friedman in a Texas Deathmatch, he will never be allowed to challenge for the AEW World Title ever again.

Not for as long as MJF is champion, but for the rest of his career. This is the same stipulation AEW used during their first year of existence when Cody Rhodes challenged Chris Jericho at the first Full Gear for the title. Rhodes lost the match, and a few years later, The American Nightmare returned to WWE and became the top star of that company.

If AEW and Rhodes hadn't booked themselves into a corner so early on, there's a chance we'd be currently living in a world where not only is Cody Rhodes still All Elite, he is also a multi-time AEW World Champion.

AEW Revolution MJF Hangman Adam Page — MJF vs. Hangman Adam Page at AEW Revolution 2026 | All Elite Wrestling

One year later, at Full Gear 2020, AEW broke out this stipulation again for the Young Bucks as they challenged FTR for the AEW World Tag Team Titles. However, this time Matt and Nick Jackson defeated Dax and Cash to become AEW World Tag Team Champions.

Several years later, the stipulation is being used once again. But this time, the stakes are arguably higher than they've ever been. Logical booking would dictate that Hangman must now win at Revolution to avoid potential storyline issues for him down the road in the company.

However, MJF's current reign is extremely hot right now, and taking the title off him now could hurt the momentum the company has been building. AEW has one more opportunity to talk themselves out of what was said last week, this Wednesday on Dynamite. But if they decide to go through with this, the company might find itself in a lose/lose situation at Revolution.

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