AEW World Champion MJF recently spoke with the Players’ Tribune on a number of topics including how their company and their product may not be for everyone as well as how AEW means opportunity in every sense of the word and whichever type of performer you are, this will be the opportunity to show that.
MJF said, “Trust me, though, AEW isn’t for everyone. “Sink or swim” cuts both ways like a motherf***er. If you watched us in Year One, you know that. I won’t name any names. But suffice to say, there were guys who had all the buzz in the world coming in at the start — and it turns out it was just that. Buzz. Seriously, there were guys who no one could shut up about. Oh my god, so and so, that dude is a MASSIVE star. Then you’d hear someone mention Darby Allin and it’s like, Yeah, Darby’s cool and all … but he’s little. He’s not REALLY gonna get over. You know who the GUY is? It’s so and so. But here’s the thing: It wasn’t so and so. It was f***ing Darby, who was supposed to be too small and too weird. (And is a b***h who I’ve beaten twice with a headlock takeover — but still.) And it was f***ing Penta and Fenix, who definitely got dismissed by a lot of people at first as just these “run-of-the-mill” luchas. And it was f***ing Kingston, who is a BUM sure but got crazy over just by being himself, a dude from Yonkers. And it was f***ing me — who was meant to top out at “Cody’s sidekick” or the douchebag of the month or whatever. (And then of course you’ve got someone like Hangman, who everyone said would be great and he was. Prick!) Bottom line: AEW = opportunity in every sense of the word. If you’re good, it’s an opportunity to show that. If you’re mid, it’s an opportunity to show that. If you’ve still got it, it’s an opportunity to show that. If you’re washed as f**k, it’s an opportunity to show that. And if you’re a generational talent (me), it’s an opportunity to show that.”