MJF believes the intense online tribalism between AEW and WWE fans is largely a myth when it comes to the reality inside wrestling locker rooms.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone Australia, the AEW World Champion pushed back on the idea that talent from rival promotions harbor real animosity toward one another, stating plainly that the perceived hostility “just doesn’t exist.”
“As far as [wrestlers like] Adam Copeland, Jon Moxley, CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, these guys aren’t turning around and saying ‘F that other company.’ They’re not in real life. I’m sorry. They’re just looking for a place to hang their hat,” MJF explained. “What I will say is there’s no bad blood between the boys in the companies. It just doesn’t exist.”
MJF acknowledged that wrestlers may have different priorities—such as creative freedom versus financial compensation—but emphasized that competition between promotions has ultimately benefited performers across the industry.
“Forget the fans, I don’t care about the fans. But the fact that the wrestlers now have places to hang their hat more now than ever is really cool. And the fact that when we started that, we became that alternative, we forced WWE or TNA or MLW to go, ‘Oh man, we have to pay our talent more money because there’s a new show in town,’ I think that’s incredible.”
According to MJF, the emergence of AEW has helped create a healthier ecosystem for wrestlers, giving them leverage and options that simply didn’t exist at the same scale in previous eras.
The interview was conducted as part of promotional efforts for AEW’s upcoming Australian tour, which includes Grand Slam Australia 2026 in Sydney on February 14.
As debates rage on across social media, MJF’s comments offer a reminder that the loudest rivalries often live online—while behind the scenes, many wrestlers are simply focused on finding the best place to do their work and build their careers.
