MJF made a tough choice in 2019.
Despite MJF being very open about starting a bidding war between the two companies in 2024, the 26 year old star has revealed that his decision back in 2019 was quite easy given the circumstances. In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, MJF recalled his decision to sign with AEW over WWE three years ago.
“I had a decision to make there. I was [21 or 22] at the time. I knew there was serious interest in me in WWE but I thought to myself ‘Are they gonna let me be me?’. That’s my biggest thing, cause I’m not fake. Everything about me is real. Are you gonna let me do what I do best? Then, I got to talking to Tony Khan. I was linked up with him by my good friend Cody Rhodes — hope you’re doing well buddy. We talked for hours on end over the phone about Mid-South, about AWA, about Buddy Landel and Butch Reed. I immediately thought to myself ‘Okay. This guy gets it and he gets me’. At that point in my career it was a no-brainer. Now, you bring me anywhere and I’m gonna be a top guy in your promotion. [Back then] I needed to make sure I had the perfect launching point in my career."
It's hard to argue that MJF didn't make the right choice in 2019, as he has been featured as a prominent figure on AEW television and holds wins over some of the promotion's top stars.
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