MJF is back in AEW, but the clock is ticking ahead of the Bidding War of 2024.
“The Salt of the Earth” was previously embroiled in controversy after he did an interview with Ariel Helwani and discussed his contract status, leading to some tension between the two sides. He then reportedly no-showed a meet and greet ahead of AEW Double Or Nothing. On the following episode of AEW Dynamite, he cut a fiery promo on Tony Khan and demanded the AEW president to fire him. He then spent a number of weeks away from AEW programming before he returned at AEW All Out.
Speaking with Helwani on The MMA Hour, MJF was asked about any blowback he got about the previous interview. He stated that PR may have been a little upset, but now they have to deal with it because things have changed.
“Now we’re talking about rumor and innuendo. Much like my very good personal friend Bruce Prichard, I don’t deal in rumor and innuendo. It’s not my thing, I don’t do it. Now, if you ask me questions about me, myself, I will give you flat-out answers. Now, did PR get a little upset that I didn’t clear it with them. Yes. Does PR now have absolutely no choice but to just salivate at the fact that MJF is leaving his house to do an interview in regards to Arthur Ashe? Yes because things have changed a little bit. The ball’s in my court, pal. That’s what’s changed.
“What does that mean? Let’s talk. I’m one of the biggest ratings, not just in AEW, but in all of professional wrestling, minute for minute. If you don’t believe me, but hit up Brandon Thurston, he’s a great guy, he puts up a lot of stuff. Analytics. So what has changed is this, I’ve come back. Tony Khan had no choice but to understand and to deal with the fact that if you want MJF on your show l, you gotta abide by MJF rule. It’s that simple. MJF wanted to be on the Ariel Helwani show today, MJF’s on the Ariel Helwani show….I do what I wanna do when I wanna do it because they really want to keep me around.”
MJF was then asked about the looming bidding war, and he emphasized that he’s focused on money, which means he isn’t necessarily limiting his options.
“What happens happens,” MJF said. “Here’s the deal. A lot of people think I’m leaning towards one place or the other. Here’s what I’m leaning towards: money. That’s all I care about. That’s what I live for. That’s what I live and die by. So I go where the money’s at. Whoever’s gonna me the most amount of money is where I’m gonna go. That could be anywhere. Hell, if there’s some financial backer out there that wants to start his own wrestling company and use me as the figurehead, that’s where I’ll go. It’s that simple. That’s all I care about is money.”
.@The_MJF on his free agency in 2024: "Whoever's going to offer me the most amount of money is where I'm going to go." ? #TheMMAHour
▶️ https://t.co/OUk8Jph4Fk pic.twitter.com/awvhAfRew5
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) September 19, 2022
The Dynamite Diamond Ring winner was then asked whether he got a new deal before he returned.
“I most certainly did with no contract extension,” MJF said. “Because once again, love Tony Khan to death, you’re my BFF, but kinda got the man by the balls because I’m a draw and I’m only 26.”
He went on to address the plane ticket controversy after the aforementioned meet and greet; while he didn’t confirm or deny the existence of the ticket, he noted that he did what he had to do to get what he wanted,
“What I will say is this: I do what I have to do in order to ensure that what I need gets done,” MJF said. “It got done. I’m back, I’m making by a stupid absurd amount of money, and I didn’t have to sign a contract extension.”
As for his absence, MJF stated that he made his demands clear, and when he was asked about his contract, he confirmed that it still expires in January 2024.
“When I went home, I made it very clear to Tony Khan. I said, ‘Pay up, or daddy doesn’t show up.’ Fact,”” MJF said. “[I got a] stupid bump in pay. Stupid. Still, yes, January 2024.”
When asked, he pointed out that anyone would want to re-sign him, but he views his contract expiration as a bargaining chip.
“Who wouldn’t want to sign me to an extension? If it was up to Tony Khan, I’d be signed til 2060,” MJF said. “Right now, I am the number one contender to the AEW World Title. If I win that world title, which trust me, I will, what is more bargaining power than having the most important championship in your hands? There is none. So when January 1, 2024 rolls around, like I said, the devil goes to the highest bidder. It’s that simple.”
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