MJF is preparing for what could be his final appearance on the American independent wrestling scene for the foreseeable future.

The reigning AEW World Champion is scheduled to face Bobby Orlando at Beyond Wrestling’s Break the Walls Down event on June 5 in Cranston, Rhode Island. Ahead of the match, MJF spoke with Justin Barrasso of The Undisputed and revealed that he expects this independent booking to be his last in the United States for a very long time as he shifts his full attention back to AEW.

Reflecting on his recent loss of the AEW World Championship to Darby Allin in April, MJF pointed to that setback as a wake-up call.

“I’m going to announce that this is probably the last American independent match I’m going to have for an extraordinarily long time,” said Friedman. “I need to focus on AEW. I took my eyes off the ball for a millisecond, and a dude who is like 145-fucking-pounds soaking wet beat me. That can’t happen. I don’t care that he hit me in the nuts and spammed his finisher on me four times, and Aubrey Edwards, who is a complete liar, made a fast count. But glass half full, I’m now a three-time champion at the age of 30.”

Friday’s appearance will mark MJF’s first match for Beyond Wrestling since 2019. The company played a significant role in his rise through the independent ranks after he first competed there in 2016.

“Beyond was one of the first independent circuits that really took a chance on me,” said Friedman. “That’s where I could talk on the microphone before my matches, and it’s where I wrestled big matches with top names at the time on the independent circuit.

“Now I want to come in and see what Bobby Orlando is all about. I’m excited to test this kid, I’m excited to get more eyeballs on him and on Beyond, and that’s naturally what is going to happen because I am the biggest fucking draw in this business. I’m looking forward to it, and hopefully he gets a contract out of it.”

MJF has made a handful of independent appearances this year despite his AEW commitments. Most recently, he defeated Pat Buck at a WrestlePro event on May 31. Prior to that, he faced Max Caster at a Create-A-Pro Wrestling show in May and defended the AEW World Championship against Alec Price for Limitless Wrestling in January.

Before stepping into the ring with Orlando, MJF is set to defend the AEW World Championship against Rush on the June 3 edition of AEW Dynamite.