MJF

[10.0] "Imagine yourself clicking on the dropdown menu every few seconds to switch between 9 and 10. Imagine doing that for a few minutes. I need to convince myself one way or the other which it is. MJF doesn't wrestle enough and people don't watch his matches enough, as only 74 of his last 100 ratable singles matches have enough votes to get a rating. MJF's match against Wardlow that he almost no-showed has more ratings than his match against Mistico. His match against Mistico ranks higher to me than his match against Danielson, which is still amazing. MJF is incredibly versatile, look at a handful of his most rated matches. He's amazing on the mic. He's a villain who contradicts himself. He's so deep in psychology that the psychology becomes the match. His athleticism is rarely on full display, much more relying on his other talents, but he still has the athleticism. Not sure what's going on backstage. Not sure what's going on inside him. He's enigmatic. He's a living myth akin to Heath Ledger's posthumous assessment. 9? 10? He's single handedly keeping kayfabe alive, he's a throwback, he's modern, he's real. 10? 10. I guess 10."

[9.0] "Probably the CLOSEST thing we can have to an old-school heel character that succeeds in the modern times. He works with different styles and is arguably THE AEW gatekeeper for any babyface wrestlers. Dependable guy but seems like a nice person irl."

[10.0] "I genuinely think he's the best American wrestler ever. I think Danielson is close but in terms of everything? MJF is the perfect wrestler. Phenomenal promo obviously, but everything else? Perfect. Incredible wrestler, very versatile, fantastic presentation, he FEELS like a star because he IS a star. The way he carries himself in interviews externally to his company is fantastic, you can't tell what's real and what's part of wrestling and his character, but I don't believe this is a character. This is who he is. He's cocky, arrogant, and better than you, and he's allowed to think this way because it's true. He's a winner. He plays his role to perfection, for me he's the most entertaining part of AEW, very rarely is there a feud or person that I want to see more than him. Under the age of 30, he's had countless modern classics and amazing rivalries, and he's got most likely another 15-20 years left. I can't wait to see how the rest of his career pans out."

[9.0] "MJF is a difficult wrestler to rate for me. He's undoubtedly one of (if not the) biggest stars AEW have built. He has the ability to deliver incredible promos, has the right look, a real commendable dedication to his character and kayfabe, and can really go in the ring. On the latter point, he has been in some of my favourite AEW matches of all time, having amazing matches with everyone from Bryan Danielson, to Kenny Omega, to Will Ospreay, to Hangman Adam Page, to Adam Cole. If I had rated him a year or two ago I would have probably given him a 9 or 10. I even thought his often criticised face run was pretty good, because it actually added depth to his character and explained in a realistic way why he acts the way he does. However, since his return from injury in mid 2024, I just feel he hasn't been the same. His quick heel turn felt fairly forced and his heel routine feels very one dimensional these days, with it being very Saturday morning cartoon villain esque. His promos have become fairly formulaic too and he does the same stuff regardless of who he is feuding with. He's still a reasonably compelling character to watch and when they match him with the right person, like Mark Briscoe and Hangman recently, it can be great television, but overall it just doesn't feels like not all his work is as consistent as it once was."

[10.0] "The greatest wrestler under the age of 30. Great promo Guy. Incredible matches. And gimmick, which literally makes you hate. This is MJF. For me, MJF is a guarantee of quality, because every time it appears on Dynamite releases, there is a belief that we will get either a great promo or a great Match. It's not worth looking for examples for a long time. The match against Brian Danielson at Revolution 2023, which I consider to be the best Iron Man match ever. And his promo 2021-2022 where he literally buried his opponents. The legendary feud with CM Punk and Better Than You Bay Bay. With a man like Maxwell, you can create one legendary moment after another. And with wrestlers like MJF, it's safe to say that the industry will be in safe hands in the future."

[10.0] "MJF is possibly the best heel of all time, and it disgusts me how often I agree with his insulting and rude personality. That's how good he is as a heel. His wrestling is hard-hitting and he's got the right size for the move-set he proves in the ring. I really do think he would take WWE by storm, but I applaud his brand loyalty to AEW and the matches he's had over his career in that wrestling ring. He's the biggest star AEW has outside of Mercedes Mone but seeing as how incredible AEW has been in 2026 I think he's going to have a lot of great competition and matches moving forward because he can make it work with any performer."

[10.0] "Despite being potentially the best all-round wrestler alive, he is still somehow underrated. Some people think he's just a promo and they couldn't be more wrong. While he's not my favorite wrestler in-ring, that's purely a taste thing and there's honestly nothing to fault with his work. His promo work is obviously fantastic, but I don't think that he gets enough credit for it. Some people think he's just good at talking shit about other wrestlers, but his brief semi-face run with Adam Cole proves he could also be a great babyface. He's not a one note promo like some other wrestlers in the conversation of best promos but his work as a shit-talking heel is so good it does the rest of his work a disservice."

[9.0] "Arguably the best wrestler on the planet today. He is known for his great edgy promos but his in ring skill is great too, as evidence by the modern classics he's been a part of."

[9.0] "The best promo in the world, one of my favorite characters, but someone who in my opinion was seriously undone by his recent heel characterizations. From a business perspective, I understand Max as a heel, but he was a remarkable Face during the build to the first All-In, and that run may have endeared me more to him than I've been connected to a wrestler in, shit, years? I cried for him multiple times, I very much related to his vulnerabilities and had hoped to see him grow more as a character. He could do so as a hell, but all of AEW getting amnesia, and treating Adam Cole as a retrospective hero in that storyline is some fantasy bullshit gooblygook. It's a shit retcon, and allows Max to play his heel shtick with half the characterization and depth that his face run had. It drives me mad. That heel shtick is fantastic, he has perfected it, he is one of the best both on the mic and in the ring. He makes a tremendous world champion. But he is capable of more, depth wise, emotionally, I believe there is the possibility he goes down as one of the best ever if he meets those, admittedly high, expectations."

[9.0] "I always imagined MJF, and this is no knock at all, as a more complete version of The Miz. Someone who you could listen to work a mic all day long whilst having the in-ring skills back up all the big talking. The dude's so effortlessly and naturally hateable as a heel that it's almost like it's not all kayfabe and that's just who he is. Love Big Hebrew, man."

[9.0] ""I'm better than you, and you know it" isn't just a catchphrase, it's the truth. This dude embodies what it is to be a great pro wrestler. In-ring skills, psychology, exceptional on the mic (getting better about using cheap heat finally), and a great ambassador for the sport. Even though he stays in character outside the ring, he still promotes AEW, shows support for his fellow wrestlers on social media, and is showing up all over the indies. That's what great world champions do. He's OUR Scumbag."

[9.0] "MJF has absolutely everything to succeed in wrestling, the promos, the looks, the skills inside the ring, despite a few hiccups were he can get a little too cute for his own good, he is an incredible talent constantly on weekly tv and on PPV, a true bonafide success from AEW."

[10.0] "If you think MJF isn't good in the ring, you need to get your eyes checked. How could a mediocre talent put on a performance like he did in the Iron Man match? Even Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart couldn't have executed it as well as MJF did. I'm not saying he is strictly better than those legends, but you have to admit, he is one of the only modern wrestlers who protects kayfabe in the real world just like the greats of the past."

[10.0] "Generational Talent. It's hard to describe MJF in a way that's not as close to truth as possible when you say he's the total package and he's got everything: presence, charisma, commitment. He may sometimes go overboard with his own booking and perception of himself, but the good outweighs the bad every single time."

[7.0] "Maxwell has always believed that life should be kayfabe, which I like to a certain extent. But that's where my main problem lies: he always comes across as a visionary, someone who says radical things that align with the ideals of people with equally radical ideas. Since his life has always been kayfabe, I've seen cats with more humanity than MJF. In the ring, he's pretty good; he can do a lot of things, but he always sticks to his heel moveset, which severely limits what he can do. He always looks like he can do incredible things, but heels obviously can't do gymnastics. On the mic, he's excellent; he can deliver a great promo that makes my blood boil (but that's because he's good at playing a heel). Overall, he's pretty good. Many might like that he always lives like MJF, but I'm not a big fan."

[10.0] ""Generational talent" isn't a gimmick, it's just who he is. MJF is his generation's Ric Flair to me. 10/10 promos, 10/10 in-ring work. So young, and already considered a legend in my eyes if he was to retire tomorrow. He pays an insane amount of attention to detail when telling stories IN the ring, paying homages to prior matches within a feud, or to seemingly just minor things that happened multiple years ago, against the same opponent. You rarely see any wrestler his age taking his craft that far."

[10.0] "Better than you, and you know it. Seven simple words that form the backbone of one of the greatest heels in the business in the twenty-first century. And dear god, Max commits with every fibre of his being. A lot has been said in recent years about heels "not being able to work post-kayfabe", but then you turn on AEW, and you wonder, "what the hell are you talking about? " Because MJF is a brilliant heel, and frankly, the complete package. A brilliant sports-entertainer, but also, an exceedingly capable workrate guy. Don't believe me? Punk, Danielson, Mistico, Omega, Darby, Hangman, Ospreay. A murderer's row of brilliant in-ring guys on their own merit, and Max can hang with all of them. And he's only 30! Dude has a decade and a half of excellence ahead of him, easily. If Ospreay is the next "first ballot hall of famer" by virtue of just waiting for the eligibility window to open for him, then MJF is surely the second."

[10.0] "MJF to me is a superstar in a wrestling company. He is currently one of the best promos talkers today. I also believe he is one of the most underrated wrestlers in AEW he could go with guys like Punk, Danielson, Mistico, Omega, Darby, Hangman, Ospreay, Moxley. If you ask me who is going to be the next big megastar after Roman Reigns it's Maxwell Jacob Friedman."

"He's gonna be one of the greatest of all time once his career is over. Not even in his prime yet. Such a great wrestler in every way."

[4.0] "I have a way different opinion, I do not like MJF that much really at all. He tries way too hard on the mic to be a good heel but it really just makes him look like an idiot who is trying way too hard to fish up a reaction from the crowd. His in ring skills are like extremely mediocre and just do not work for me. I think the only reason why people trick themselves to like MJF is because he constantly tries to do the fake shoot "you guys are marks" promos for a clip and his promos give me basically zero reaction. I've watched so many MJF matches and every time its always his opponent thats even doing anything hes just waiting to do his cheap heel bullshit that makes the crowd gasp even though its the same stuff he does every match. I get it you can tell he has a passion for the sport but he is nowhere near good enough in the ring to go a whole fucking hour. He is legit just a boring wrestler in ring and became well known off his mic skills, which aren't that good he just gets clips because he "shoots" on the business. Whatever dude he hasn't changed his act is still boring hes overrated to like an extreme level. He can go in the ring I guess, but not to the level AEW puts him at."

[10.0] "Max is a perfect wrestler, a charismatic heel who can generate genuine heat and back it up in the ring."

[10.0] "He's still 30, which is fucking crazy. Crazy good talent, he's just one of those guys who has it come to him naturally. He is so good on the mic, possibly one of the best to do it ever. There is no need to explain, he's just that fucking good."

[10.0] "One of the most complete wrestlers in the world right now. Imo best on the mic active right now, he can put on a great match with anyone, he can tell a story inside and outside the ring, he's a natural heel obviously but even his babyface run was fantastic."

[10.0] "MJF is on another level right now that is not comparable to anyone else on American soil at the moment. The guy understands wrestling WAY MORE than anyone else in my opinion."

"8.0 the reason I'm giving him an 8 instead of a 10 is because even though he checks all the boxes of what you'd want a wrestler to be there's a disconnect for me when I watch him. He's extremely talented but at times he comes across as very cringe & try hard"

[10.0] "really can't stand this guy. hate his guts, as a matter of fact. probably means he's doing something right"

[10.0] "The current best in the world and it's very, very possible he will become one of the greatest wrestlers in history when all is said and done."

[10.0] "I must admit, for the first several years of MJF's run in AEW, I didn't quite GET him. I obviously understood his mic work was top tier, and I found his character extremely funny and entertaining. But I always heard people say that he was this transcendent talent and I didn't really feel it. It felt more like he was just a fantastic heel and someone better than his young age would let on. But in the past few years, MJF has hit a level of consistency not just in his character but in the ring, that has taken him from amazing young star to transcendent, all-time villain. He is currently the AEW champion and the promotion is off to perhaps it's best year ever. Stories just seem to flow better when Max is at the pinnacle of the company, because he makes everyone he stands opposite the ring with 10x more likable and never fails to put his opponent over while keeping himself looking great too. He has mastered what Flair was doing in the territories decades ago. It's a fine like between being a great heel and being just another "chickenshit" stereotype, and Max has mastered riding that line. His Texas Death Match against Adam Page was one of the ages, and perfectly showcased the character work and in ring ability that makes him one of the best today and one of the best ever. It takes insane talent to go 40+ minutes and never make it boring. MJF cemented himself as a legend with the ending of that match, and he's now at the point of finally elevating the AEW Championship rather than needing it to elevate him. Whoever beats him for it will gain legitimacy not because they won the title, but because they beat MJF. Just the way Sting got over because he beat Flair. MJF really is in the conversations with the Ric Flairs, Roddy Pipers and Harley Races of history. And I left out the little detail that he just turned 30. He might have another 20 years left in him at this level, maybe more. MJF is a living legend and seeing him get better and better every year is truly a gift."

[9.0] "A great wrestler who sticks to being a heel. You see nothing like him today. Great mic work, can put on a great match occasionally, great heel as said before and true to his character. A guy who respects tradition while also being "modern." I guess my only complaint is that he's too edgy. He calls himself the Devil, acts one octave too arrogant (almost like he's trying too hard), and sometimes his promos are like a teenager trying to imagine himself in a promo battle and winning while in the shower."

[10.0] "Great on the mic, great in the ring, great as an actor, great in everything that happens around him in wrestling. I can't recall a single feud or match that was bad with him. He's a true big star, the kind of star I associate with AEW. It's his home."

[10.0] "This guy is something special, he's known for his promo work and he deserves all the credit for being a great promo guy, but his wrestling skills is nothing to scoff about either. MJF is a great heel.. he knows how to slow the matches down, cheats creatively, target body parts. He knows how to blend old school heel tactics with strong fundamentals and when it's time for big moments he always delivers."

[9.0] "MJF is clearly someone who loves professional wrestling and has a huge passion for it. Not many people are always in character these days, yet he always remains in character which is what makes him so unique. He's really just the full package. The only thing I dislike about him is that his matches can be a little too overbooked at times as we've seen. Crazy that he's only 29 years old. It's only going to get better for him."

[10.0] "cannot denied how massive talent mjf is. unpralleled mic work prove by his feud beetwen cm punk. Might be the best feud in history of all elite wretsling. But his first title run fell too entertaiment side and max work fell doing his worst tendecies when wrestle. Lets see how his second word title run might change my rating to maxwell"

[9.0] "He's the best all around talent in AEW. He can work, talk and understands his character better than anyone there. He may be the best all around wrestler of this generation period when it's all said and done. Sometimes he can be too juvenile on the mic, but nobody is perfect. Can work any kind of match believeably and is on point with the little things in the course of a match. I'm gonna go 9 because he's young and being a 10 means you can't get better and I believe he can still go higher."

[10.0] "The phrase "generational talent" is often overused but not in this sense. At the time of writing Max isn't even 30. I truly believe he will go down as one of the greatest wrestlers to ever live when his career is over."

[10.0] "I mean looking at MJF without any bias, what is there to hate about him? He has the look, he has the promo ability, he has the inning abilities, he has the character, he has the ability to maintain keyfabe, he has the accolades, he has the reigns, he has the matches, he has the fueds, he has the moments, really he does have it all. MJF is a generational galent in the most literate meaning of the world. My guy is 30 years old. Just as much as AEW made MJF, I'd argue MJF was just as vital in AEW succeeding. We had the Chris Jericho's, Kenny Omega's, Cody Rhodes's in the early days but ultimately a wrestling show has 2 vital aspects. It needs a face who can be cheered, and a heel who can be booed. Your face is only as good as your heel. And that's where MJF shines. He has gotten alot of slack and pushback from fans due to his insistence in keeping keyfabe (might be 1 out of 5 wrestlers in the world who cares enough to do that), and just the general trope where any successful wrestler always ends up hated, but honestly I don't want to be a mark, but WHAT IS THERE TO DISLIKE? Go look at what this guy has done since joining AEW? He is a 2 time AEW World champion, his first reign producing so many bangers, moments and fueds, and his 2nd run which is currently active being on track to outshine the first one. The AEW World champ has done well enough in keeping some prestige but with the inconsistent booking of late, it has been struggling, we had a few shaky reigns in Somoa Joe, we had a horrible reign in Jon Moxley, we had a seemingly pointless reign with Hangman, I'd argue the last time the title had any real prestige was when Bryan Danielson held it, and Swerve before him. MJF now has retaken that responsibility of getting back that prestige and he has been killing it man. Idk all I'ma say is don't look at the mainstream court of opinion, look at the facts. MJF has the promos to proof he is a generational talent (with the likes of CM Punk, the MJF pipebomb, etc), he has the matches to proof he is a generational talent (against the likes of Bryan Danielson, CM Punk again, Adam Cole, Darby Allin, hell even Mistico), he has the accomplishments and title reigns to proof he is a generational talent, he has the pops and moments to proof he is a generational talent (hell go look at his return at All Out 2022, one of the best natural face pops for a heel ever). Anyway I know unfortunately in modern wrestling, the more talent the less credit and the more hate is the norm. But for a guy who is only 30, I can't help but be excited for this mans future. He will go down as one of the best to ever grace our screens. Easy 10/10."

[10.0] "Professional wrestling has a heel problem. Not because there aren't talented villains, but because audiences have gotten too smart for their own good. Fans cheer the bad guys, boo the heroes, and treat the whole thing like performance art they're above investing in emotionally. It's exhausting, and it's made genuine heat nearly impossible to generate. Most wrestlers have given up trying. They either lean into getting cheered as cool heels, or they get go-away reactions instead of actual investment. The few who try to be traditional villains often come across as trying too hard, desperately begging audiences to hate them while fans smirk and refuse to play along. Then there's Maxwell Jacob Friedman, who looked at this entire landscape and decided to be the most hateable person possible. MJF isn't just the best heel in wrestling right now. He's operating at a level that makes everyone else look like they're playing a completely different game. What separates him from the pack isn't that he avoids every cheap tactic or always takes the high road. He absolutely goes for easy heat when it serves the character. The difference is that it works because everything else around it is so well constructed. He's a rich kid who wears designer scarves, flips off children, and cuts promos designed to make you want to punch him in the mouth. Sometimes it's clever, sometimes it's cheap, but it's always committed. That's what matters. The commitment is what makes it work. MJF never breaks. Not on social media, not in interviews, not in candid moments fans catch on their phones. He's a heel every second of every day, which is almost unheard of in an era where wrestlers post wholesome Instagram content and break kayfabe for cheap laughs. The man understands something fundamental that most of his peers have forgotten. The second you wink at the audience, you've lost them. Whether the heat is earned or cheap becomes irrelevant when you never give people a reason to cheer you. The promos are where MJF really separates himself. Sure, he'll take shots at local sports teams or insult the crowd's appearance. That's Wrestling 101. But he also builds promos like actual arguments, with callbacks and layered storytelling that makes everything feel connected. When he talks, you believe him even though you know it's a work, and that's a skill most wrestlers never develop. He mixes the cheap stuff with the clever stuff seamlessly enough that it all feels like part of the same character. In the ring, he's just as effective. Watch any MJF match and you'll see textbook heel psychology. He cheats, he stalls, he begs off when cornered, and then when he absolutely has to, he can actually wrestle. The cowardly heel who's secretly talented is a formula as old as wrestling itself, but MJF executes it better than anyone since Ric Flair. He builds heat segments that make you desperate to see him get his comeuppance, and when the babyface fires back, it feels earned because MJF made you suffer through the beatdown. His matches aren't trying to be five-star classics. They're trying to tell stories, and they do it better than just about anyone else working today. What really sells the whole package is that MJF clearly studied the greats and actually understood what made them work. He's not doing a Flair impression or copying Roddy Piper's shtick. He took the principles that made those guys legendary and applied them to a modern context. The result is a character that feels both timeless and completely current. His feud with CM Punk showed he could go toe-to-toe with one of the best talkers in wrestling history and hold his own. His title reign proved he could carry a company as the top heel. And through it all, he's never once compromised the character for an easy pop or a feel-good moment. The fact that he's this polished at his age is almost unfair. Most wrestlers spend decades learning ring psychology and character work. MJF walked in with it already figured out, and he's only gotten better. That's the difference between talent and generational talent. For fans who remember when heels were actually hated, MJF is a breath of fresh air. For fans who think they're too smart to get worked, MJF is a reminder that good character work transcends irony. And for wrestling fans who appreciate commitment to a role, MJF is proof that never breaking character still matters. There's a standard for heel work in professional wrestling. His name is Maxwell Jacob Friedman, and he's better than you, and you know it."

[9.0] "MJF is a terrific heel and is devotion to his character is second to none. However, while he cuts excellent promos, he tends to say very stereotypical things and then act like he dropped a pipe bomb and it's really the only thing that irritates me about him. he is very good, but he's not as good as he thinks he is. I saw him first at All In, where he was fine, but it was his betrayal of Cody Rhodes in AEW that fully bought me into his character. Since then, he's been one of the best in the business. He needs to man up and leave AEW for WWE the next chance he gets, because he's a big fish in a small pond right now. I think he would excel in WWE if booked right."

[8.0] "Better than you...but sometimes, he makes you think that he is not. Maxwell Jacob Friedman, how the hell can I rate you...damn. That guy had my favorite match ever against Bryan Danielson, is one of the reasons why AEW is so huge and famous and mostly important, is a superstar since the first time he stepped into an wrestling ring. The first belt he got was the World one for a reason. However, some of his sheninagans fucking sucks. Some of his promos, specially when he faces black or latino wrestlers, are just based on racism and nothing else, his rivalry against Jay White, Adam Cole and much more wrestlers I did not said looked fucking trash...he is that guy. Pretty polaryzed. Love or hate, this is it. You will never know what he could do in a wrestling ring for you."

[10.0] "MJF is one of the best heels in not just AEW history, but in wrestling history. He's everything you'd want in a wrestler, he's great in the ring, he's phenomenal on the mic, his entrance is great, and his ability to get heat is unbelievable."

[10.0] "MJF is just... different. Dude knows exactly how to make people hate him without doing too much. He talks, cheats, slows stuff down, and somehow makes you wanna watch every second. His moves aren't flashy, but they hit harder 'cause he makes it feel personal. Those little pauses, smirks, and sneaky stuff? That's what gets people into it. Honestly, he makes matches feel like a story, not just wrestling, and that's why everyone looks better when they're in the ring with him."

"Probably the best heel currently, top tier promo skills, amazing at making other wrestlers look awesome without diminishing his own credibility, and one of the most simple yet effective characters of all time A near-perfect modern era wrestler"

[2.0] "Years before MJF came to AEW, you could see he had talent to go well beyond just independent wrestling. Big problem is he has never developed past being that exact character. Nothing about him has evolved. His only really interesting angle in AEW was with Adam Cole. Past that its the same character, promo, shtick over and over. Clearly some people love it, he gets reactions. But still doing going back to the same racist promos and cringey name calling shouldn't be landing him world titles. They've spent so much time and energy trying to make sure we all see MJF as a top guy but put him anywhere else and he's floating in the middle. He's yet to evolve to a next level where he'll been seen as an all time great."

[2.0] "This generation's Jericho: constantly in the right place at the right time and in the good graces of the right booker with the right peers to elevate him - and any time he's left to his own devices, he flounders. From tanking the potential Wardlow babyface run with his inexplicable antics to delivering possibly the worst "babyface" title reign of the century, MJF shows that if it's not part of his formulaic routine he cannot rise to the occasion. His need for attention will devalue the AEW brand every time he's positioned at its helm but as long as he quips enough to make the crowd oooo and aaaa he will be allowed to help steer the vessel. I give him a two because with a legend leading him he's a heel that gets a reaction and that has led to a scant few great matches. Were I not trying to be somewhat unbiased, I would give him a zero because I find him embarrassing and think he's wasted more money and television time than anyone else this decade. A dogless churl who has just begun his second reign as AEW world champion and I foresee it being slightly better than the last one, which would make it the second worst reign in the title's short history."

[10.0] "Arguably, the best heel of the modern era, with the suit, the scarf, this mans ability to generate heat is incomparable. Literally, MJF could get heat in Antarctica. He is undoubtedly the best heel worker today. I'd say a better heel than the Miz or Dominik Mysterio, which is a talent."

[2.0] "Strong argument for the worst wrestler of the 2020's, at least outside of the WWE (or WWE system guys like COPE). A guy who endlessly sells himself as a 'real heel', as if saying a sports team sucks and doing a low blow is the most innovative work in the world, but he ALSO can't even do that! He's completely incapable of keeping Kayfabe, and is completely incapable of editing his many, many promos to keep anything narratively consistent. ///////////////////////You can first really see it start in the 2020 Mox feud, a feud against the big ace of the company who's been built as a big scary tough deathmatch guy, but MJF spends the whole time doing presidential election bits and doing worked shoot Cornette bits about Orange Cassidy. This is a blip in isolation, but it happens in nearly EVERY promo he does, whatever material that can be used for a cheap pop, whether it's face or heel, WILL be used up. Suddenly he's not an old school independently rich scumbag, he's actually someone who grinded and trained in wrestling schools for years! Suddenly, he's a lifelong wrestling fan disappointed at his idols leaving the WWE, suddenly, he doesn't hate AEW and want to leave, he's ride or die for it! His entire character can flip in every promo. ////////////////////////And this extends to his promos putting down other wrestlers too. Everyone gets the humiliation ritual of of him going through lines about your divorce, or your steroid use, or your ethnicity, or your wrestling style, or your time in the WWE, or your booking, or your age, or your tan, or your physical shape, and the 'old school heel' never has to take it back in any meaningful way. Even someone like Samoa Joe, a badass heel champ, who beat MJF for the world title, has to stand there and eat shit about his hairline from a guy fresh off a flight to Turkey for hair transplants. As an aside, it's very convenient for MJF's promo style that he's never run into Eddie Kingston, the only in the company that would probably call him out for this stuff, and has a ready baked underdog story against a rich guy from New York! I wonder why he started getting fewer in ring promos and de-emphasized during MJF's title reign? Curious thing to happen! ////////////////////////In ring, the same insecurity as his promos pops up. Like HHH, he needs the praise for the heat of being a cheating heel and doing coward spots, because that's 'good heel heat, ' but he also needs to portray himself as a badass, unlimited stamina, fighting through the pain super athlete who can't be out techniqued by Bryan Danielson or Hechicero, can't be outbombed by Kenny Omega or Takeshita, and can keep up for the requisite Meltzer 5 star match format (while whining that stuff in his promos). Wrestlers not only have to allow him to do his bad, lowest common denominator ideas like a kangaroo kick comedy spot, they also have to portray it as some badass move that allows him to destroy tag team champions on his own. That's before we get to his matches with Cole, Jay White, or Adam Page, which are the peak of atrocious, overbooked NXT excess. //////////////////////// It all belies an insufferable neediness to be all things to all people, which came to a head with his title run. A fairly simple narrative of a chickenshit heel who'd been built up for years getting the title and then (preferably) being owned by a babyface like Bryan or Hangman or Eddie devolved into endless slop with ANOTHER one of the worst wrestlers in the world, Adam Cole. This was the build to the main event of one of the highest attended non WWE shows of all time, VERY likely the biggest AEW show ever, and your main event heel, who you've spent YEARS building, insists on making babyface turn segments that CONSTANTLY broke Kayfabe and were about food being too spicy or whatever, leading to an all time terrible match. One of the biggest flop title runs in wrestling history. ///////////////////////Like some of his precursors and contemporaries in terms of being the WOTW that can (sort of) do moves (Adam Cole, Johnny Gargano, Seth Rollins, Edge), MJF cannot fail, he can only be failed. In wrestling coverage, the MJF title reign was only bad in retrospect. You get stock phrases like 'he's old school' or 'he knows how to get heat' and 'He knows how to do psychology' and he's the inevitable 'future of the industry' because he can say the local towns sports team smells bad and then do some Ric Flair spots. The massive drop in company attendance and general interest must have been because he was just too dang good at working the marks. You can have all your matches and promos be bad for years outside of miracle work by an all timer like Mistico, and still get endless praise off the inertia of hype. Sanjuki the Bull has had like 30 matches in his entire life, and has already had two 'old school heel' brawls with Kapeeka in SGW Uganda better than anything MJF has ever had in AEW, watch that stuff, it's class! //////////////////////////////Anyway, excited for his title run in big 2026! /////////////////////////////////EDIT:Also, I forgot Cagematch doesn't have paragraph breaks in reviews, I promise this doesn't look quite as insane if you treat the / things as paragraph breaks lol."

[9.0] "MJF is by far the best worker AEW has right now, and arguably is the greatest wrestler in the company's history. This guy knows how to get eyes on the product, how to get his opponents over, how to get heat, and most importantly (in an era where workers can't seem to cut a good one) knows how to cut a fantastic promo! Reminds me of the Miz back in his prime in the best way possible. It was a no brainer for them to put the belt back on Max, he's better than you and AEW knows it too."

[9.0] "People are over thinking this guy, he's one of the few wrestlers in America that can genuinely generate heat. It's a pretty rare feat and he does have iffy moments his 2022 is absolutely ridiculous, in particular his feud with CM Punk. I think that he will get back on track in 2026 and have an all timer year if given the ball."

[8.0] "MJF is a weird case for me. On one hand, the guy is a nuts promo and can be a brilliant worker. He understands his character really well and knows exactly how to play it in a match. As a wrestler, obviously not the most technically-sound or athletic but he is a lot better than what you'd initially think (at least in my case). He adds some fresh "sports-entertainment" style antics into his matches that I think can be a benefit towards AEW, when done correctly. The problem I have with MJF is, he leans too hard into what he's good at sometimes, and that can make him really unbearable. His match against Switchblade is a big example where it's just really overbooked garbage that is a waste of time. And his recent match against Hangman was another case where I was losing my shit (in a bad way) at how overbooked it was. Genuinely felt like I was watching WWE slop again. His promos (this is more so a recent thing starting from 2024) can be a bit dodgy as well when he leans too far into himself, and he'll just come off as a more edgy Miz (while being 10000000x the promo & wrestler that Miz is lol). I'm not particularly a fan of his, but it's hard to deny that he's not a critical piece of AEW's company and they wouldn't be in the spot they're in without him."

[10.0] "MJF is one of the best on the planet, if not THE best on the planet, and I'll die on that hill if I have to. Give him a microphone and you're in for 5-star movie levels of spoken work. Put him in the ring and you're likely in for a 4- or 5-star match. There's a reason why Tony Khan let him have the longest title reign of all time, and it's because Max is undoubtedly the best pillar of AEW. Long live The Devil!"