Former WWE Star Sees MJF Becoming "The Highest Paid" Wrestler Ever in 2024

Maxwell Jacob Friedman has less than two months until he becomes a free agent. The AEW World Champion has made his legitimate contract status with All Elite Wrestling completely transparent for the past two years, interweaving the "bidding war of 2024" into his on-screen persona. MJF would make sporadic teases of jumping ship to WWE on AEW Dynamite, making note of his prior relationship with current WWE executive Bruce Prichard and sharing admiration for WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H and WWE CEO Nick Khan. MJF has significantly scaled back the televised teases about his looming free agency in recent months following his babyface turn over the summer.

This past October after an AEW World Championship defense against Kenny Omega on AEW Collision, MJF addressed the live crowd after the broadcast concluded, once again admitting that he has not made a decision regarding what he plans to do come January.

Historic Contract For MJF?

The highest bidder is going to have to back up the Brink's trucks.

Speaking to Chris Van Vliet on Insight, former WWE personality and commentator Jonathan Coachman noted he believes MJF's next contract will set records.

"I think he's going to be the highest paid superstar in the history of the business when he becomes a free agent," Coachman said.

Professional wrestling has one of the widest ranges in all of sports when it comes to its contracts. Developmental talent are said to make mid-five figures when they first start out. Stars on weekly television earn well into the six figures. Only a select few across the industry are making millions.

"There are very few people that in the history of the business that have figured it out. I believe this to be true, 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin made the most money for Vince over the years," Coachman reflected on some of WWE's highest salaries. "But when you're talking about salary, how much guys make, Stone Cold and Rock probably topped out between five and ten million dollars a year. They were the ones that really got that downside guarantee as high as it's ever been. [John] Cena was up there too."

Regarding his faith in MJF to bring in the big bucks, Coachman added it all boils down to how he's elevated himself since teasing an exit.

"How many guys have the guts, a year or two before your contract is up, to say publicly [to not] even think about coming to me with some weak offer before my deal is up because I don't care what's on that piece of paper, I'm going to be a free agent," Coachman said. "Think about how many guys in the business today have the guts to say that, and then nobody crushes them. I haven't heard anybody say, 'Woah, he's putting his career in jeopardy.'"

MJF becomes a free agent on January 1st, 2024. It's worth noting that AEW is set to run a pay-per-view in MJF's hometown of Long Island, AEW Worlds End, just two days before on December 30th.