The May 27 edition of AEW Dynamite delivered another memorable heel moment from AEW World Champion MJF, as the outspoken champion instantly turned a loud Philadelphia crowd against him with a brutal response to their “ECW” chants.

MJF arrived in over-the-top fashion, carried to the ring by four men while soaking in the spotlight. He wasted no time insulting the hometown audience, joking that if he ever wanted to hear people from Philadelphia make noise, he “would’ve made the mistake of being born there.”

The champion then shifted focus to his recent success, boasting about defeating Darby Allin at Double or Nothing and becoming a three time AEW World Champion before the age of 30.

His celebration was quickly interrupted by Mark Briscoe, who stormed to the ring and tore down MJF’s banner. Briscoe told Friedman that Philadelphia stood for hard working and tough people, adding that MJF did not represent the city at all. He also reminded the champion that he previously pinned him in the middle of the ring and demanded an AEW World Championship opportunity.

MJF immediately dismissed the challenge, mocking Briscoe repeatedly before attempting to walk out of the segment. However, his exit was cut off when Rush appeared on the entrance stage.

Rush accused MJF of ducking competition and called him out for not acting like a true fighting champion. After exchanging insults and verbal shots, MJF reluctantly agreed to defend the AEW World Championship against Rush next week on Dynamite.

One of the loudest reactions of the segment came when Philadelphia fans began chanting “ECW,” referencing the legendary promotion closely tied to the city’s wrestling history.

Rather than ignore the chants, MJF fired back instantly by calling ECW a “dead company,” drawing immediate boos from the crowd inside the arena.

The line fit perfectly with MJF’s arrogant heel persona and once again showed why he remains one of AEW’s top antagonists.

ECW originally launched in 1992 and became one of the most influential wrestling promotions of the 1990s before closing in 2001. WWE later revived the brand in 2006 before officially ending it again in 2010.

Outside of storylines, MJF has previously spoken positively about ECW and wrestling history in interviews, making it clear the remark was purely part of his on screen character work.

The crowd chanted ECW

“Dead company.”

– MJF #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/dWRn9xlQG1

, Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) May 28, 2026