Latest news with #AllEliteWrestlingWorldHeavyweightChampionship
Newsweek
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
AEW Star MJF Sends Brutal Warning To Goldberg
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. If Goldberg is truly unhappy with his recent WWE retirement match, AEW star MJF is offering him an alternative. The former AEW World Champion has laid out a challenge to the WWE Hall of Famer for one final match in All Elite Wrestling. Speaking on Busted Open Radio, MJF responded to the news of Goldberg's dissatisfaction with his send-off. He made it clear that if Goldberg wants a "proper" retirement match, he should face a "generational talent" like him. The Challenge Is Laid Down In his signature abrasive style, MJF both praised and insulted the WCW legend while issuing the challenge. He threatened to destroy Goldberg in the ring, but also positioned the potential bout as a massive dream match. "If Goldberg wants some, I'm right here, but I will embarrass him. I will demolish him," MJF began. "I will snap, crack, and pop every single tendon, ligament, and bone in his stupid, old, musty body... So if he wants a proper send-off, he should be facing a generational talent. I'm right here if he's interested." MJF acknowledged the business hurdles, noting both he and Goldberg would need to be paid a lot of money for the match to happen. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: Wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman visits the SiriusXM Studios on August 21, 2023 in New York City. Friedman defends the All Elite Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship on November 18,... NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: Wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman visits the SiriusXM Studios on August 21, 2023 in New York City. Friedman defends the All Elite Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship on November 18, 2023 at AEW Full Gear. More Photo byMore news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation A Lifelong Favorite MJF also brought up his own personal history with Goldberg. He referenced a famous television appearance from his childhood where he named the WCW icon as one of his favorite wrestlers. "Have you seen me on Rosie O'Donnell as a child?" MJF asked. "Do you remember the two names of my favorite pro wrestlers when I was a kid... It was [The Rock and Goldberg]." This history adds a unique layer to the challenge, positioning it as a student-versus-hero scenario, albeit one filtered through MJF's arrogant and insulting persona. Goldberg's Disappointing Send-Off The challenge comes just over a week after Goldberg's retirement match at WWE's Saturday Night's Main Event. He lost to World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER in his hometown of Atlanta. In an interview with Ariel Helwani days later, Goldberg expressed his disappointment with the experience, stating it was "less than to be desired." He was unhappy with the match being on a smaller premium live event and frustrated that he was cut off on the microphone almost immediately after the bout. MJF sees this dissatisfaction as an opening. He assessed a potential MJF vs. Goldberg match as a "huge box office match," calling Goldberg an "incredible, intense mega star" but also a "bumbling idiot" on the microphone. While the challenge is drenched in MJF's typical bravado, it presents a fascinating "what if" scenario for the unhappy legend. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports
Newsweek
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
AEW's MJF Praises Unpopular WWE Business Practice
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. AEW star MJF has shared his thoughts on WWE running shows head-to-head against his home promotion. In a recent interview, MJF said that he views the practice not as a petty move, but as a savvy business decision. Speaking with TV Insider, the former AEW World Champion gave credit to WWE's leadership for their competitive tactics. He stated that if he were in their position, he would do the same thing. It's Business, Not Personal Rather than showing frustration, MJF explained that he respects the move from a business perspective. He believes that any company should do what is necessary to "stomp out" its competition. "I think it's a smart business practice," MJF said. "I give jolly old St. Nick [Khan] and Trips [Triple H] a whole lot of credit. At the end of the day, if you can stomp out your competition, you're doing what is necessary. Lord knows I would." He added that while some may view WWE's scheduling as a coincidence, he believes it is a deliberate and calculated business strategy. "They're not doing this by happenstance," he stated. More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation A History Of Wrestling "Wars" The concept of "counter-programming" is deeply rooted in wrestling history. The most famous example is the "Monday Night Wars" from 1995 to 2001, when WWE's Monday Night Raw went head-to-head with WCW's Monday Nitro. The intense competition, which included tactics like giving away taped results and talent jumping between companies, is often seen as the creative and commercial peak of the industry. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: Wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman visits the SiriusXM Studios on August 21, 2023 in New York City. Friedman defends the All Elite Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship on November 18,... NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: Wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman visits the SiriusXM Studios on August 21, 2023 in New York City. Friedman defends the All Elite Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship on November 18, 2023 at AEW Full Gear. More Photo bySince AEW's launch in 2019, a new, smaller-scale war has emerged. The two promotions first went head-to-head during the "Wednesday Night War," when AEW Dynamite consistently beat WWE's NXT in the ratings, forcing NXT to move to Tuesday nights in 2021. A Timeline of Competition Since the end of the Wednesday Night War, WWE has continued to schedule programming and events opposite AEW's major shows. In October 2023, a "Supersized" episode of NXT, featuring major stars like John Cena and Cody Rhodes, went directly against Dynamite and won the ratings battle. On multiple occasions, WWE has scheduled premium live events like NXT Battleground on the same weekend as AEW's flagship Double or Nothing pay-per-view. This trend continues this coming weekend. AEW will present its massive All In: Texas stadium show on Saturday, July 12. On that same day, WWE will be airing two premium live events: Saturday Night's Main Event on NBC and The Great American Bash on Peacock. While AEW President Tony Khan has criticized these moves in the past, MJF clearly sees the competition as a sign of respect. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports
Newsweek
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
AEW Star MJF Reportedly Involved In Scary Fan Incident
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. According to a report by Fightful Select, a fan confronted top AEW star MJF at his hotel following the historic Grand Slam: Mexico event. The incident underscores the intense heat the former world champion generated during the show. Sources within AEW claimed that a fan "went after" MJF after the event in Mexico City. The report notes that MJF was unharmed and laughed the situation off. A History Of Generating Real Heat MJF has built his entire career on being one of the most effective heels in modern professional wrestling. He consistently blurs the lines between his on-screen character and reality to provoke fans. This dedication to his craft has led to some of AEW's most memorable moments. This includes his lengthy and controversial reign as AEW World Champion and the infamous "Bidding War of 2024" storyline. This latest incident appears to be another example of his success in generating a genuine, emotional response from the audience. He was reportedly proud of the interaction. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: Wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman visits the SiriusXM Studios on August 21, 2023 in New York City. Friedman defends the All Elite Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship on November 18,... NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: Wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman visits the SiriusXM Studios on August 21, 2023 in New York City. Friedman defends the All Elite Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship on November 18, 2023 at AEW Full Gear. More Photo byThe Grand Slam: Mexico Angle The fan's anger was likely fueled by MJF's actions during the Grand Slam: Mexico show at the legendary Arena México. There, he faced off against the beloved lucha libre icon, Mistico. More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation As a member of the villainous Hurt Syndicate faction, MJF used antagonistic tactics to defeat the national hero in his home country. This was designed to create maximum animosity from the passionate live crowd. AEW officials were reportedly very happy with the success of the event. His career is headlined by a historic, record-setting 406-day reign as the AEW World Champion, during which he defended the title against top stars like Bryan Danielson and Kenny Omega. A unique achievement, MJF dominated the Dynamite Diamond Ring battle royale for four consecutive years (2019-2022), using the prize as both a status symbol and a weapon. His championship collection also includes a run as the self-proclaimed "AEW American Champion" (formerly the International Championship) and an ROH World Tag Team Championship reign with Adam Cole. Beyond titles, his career is defined by critically acclaimed rivalries against legends like CM Punk and Chris Jericho, earning him multiple awards for his charisma and promo skills. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
WWE Legend Reveals Secret Meeting AEW's MJF About Dream Match
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Hardcore legend and WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley recently disclosed that he had a "top secret meeting" with AEW star MJF. Foley presented a detailed, multi-week storyline for what could have been Foley's final wrestling match. Foley shared this information on The Wrestling Classic's Casual Conversations podcast, shedding light on the serious consideration being given to his potential in-ring farewell at the time. "I had a top secret meeting with MJF about the possibility of having one last match with him and he laid out like six really solid weeks of storytelling," Foley revealed. The discussion between the two Long Island natives occurred at a steakhouse. "Two Long Island guys meeting at a steakhouse, and we didn't even take a photo of the situation, but it was cool." More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation While Foley commended MJF's creative vision, describing his ideas as "good" and noting they "could have been a really good six-week program." He added that this specific match doesn't currently seem likely to materialize. Nevertheless, the encounter underscored MJF's profound respect for the hardcore icon and his aptitude for crafting compelling, long-term narratives. Foley also shared that MJF wasn't the only prominent name interested in being his final opponent. "When I put out a feeler about doing a final match, believe me, there was no shortage of guys... it was really from the death match guys to MJF to Karrion Kross in WWE, there was no shortage of guys who were willing to do that match with me." NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: Wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman visits the SiriusXM Studios on August 21, 2023 in New York City. Friedman defends the All Elite Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship on November 18,... NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 21: Wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman visits the SiriusXM Studios on August 21, 2023 in New York City. Friedman defends the All Elite Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship on November 18, 2023 at AEW Full Gear. More Photo byThis desire for "one last match" has been a recurring theme for Foley, who has expressed wanting a memorable, possibly hardcore-style, send-off around his 60th birthday in June 2025. He has been training and undergoing medical evaluations to assess the feasibility of such a return. However, Foley's legendary career is synonymous with an extensive and severe list of injuries. Foley has suffered multiple concussions, significant damage to his back, neck, hip, and knees, famously lost part of an ear, and suffered numerous other physical traumas. Regardless, he remains in good spirits these days and will regularly make convention appearances in addition to other appearances. MJF is still going strong in AEW as a top star. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
