MJF has been playing up his contract situation with AEW every chance he gets, saying that he intends on playing the field in 2024 to see who will offer him the most money. Because Friedman doesn’t break character in interviews or social media, everything he says has to be taken with a grain of salt given his persona. But a new report from Fightful Select‘s Sean Ross Sapp states Friedman is legitimately considering leaving AEW once his deal is up.ย
Videos by ComicBook.com
News that there were issues between Friedman and AEW president Tony Khan recently popped up over frustration that Friedman conducted an interview with Ariel Helwani without clearing it with AEW’s PR team. The working relationship between the pair has apparently soured since then.ย
“MJF is said to be leaning towards leaving AEW as of now when his deal is up,” Sapp wrote. “As with anything, plenty can change as he’s got two years remaining on his contract, and contract negotiations have been mentioned to him. However, we’re not sure if that’s necessarily a renegotiation of his current deal or an extension after the fact. We haven’t been told he’s 100 percent on leaving the company.”
“Because I don’t just spam moves like I’m in a video game, I make people feel something because I’m going out there to win. I’m not going out there to show off. I’m not going out there to try and make sure that I get all these people talking about my star ratings. No. If that happens and it’s a by-product of what I do, fantastic,” he told Helwani. “But I didn’t get into this business to hit moves. I got into this business to make money. That’s why I got into this business. So that’s why I’m not afraid to talk about when my contract is up, January 1st, 2024, and I’m not afraid to stir that pot.”
“I will be wherever the money is,” he later added. “I am leaning, but I can’t say which way, but I’m certainly leaning. There is a frontrunner, and I’m not quite sure it’s the one people would expect, but yes, there is a frontrunner.”
Do you think Friedman will leave AEW for WWE? Or has this all been a ploy for him to get a bigger contract from Khan? Tell us your thoughts down in the comments!ย
