AEW World Champion MJF has offered a blunt assessment of the current atmosphere inside the company’s locker room, making it clear he believes the promotion is in a much stronger place in 2026.
Speaking during an interview with Sports Illustrated, MJF did not hold back when discussing the culture within AEW, claiming that the roster is now filled with talent that genuinely wants to be part of the promotion. According to the outspoken champion, the environment has shifted significantly compared to earlier periods in the company’s history.
MJF explained that the locker room has become more unified and focused, with less room for internal issues or personalities that do not align with the company’s direction. He suggested that anyone who does not fully buy into AEW’s vision quickly finds themselves on the outside.
“There’s no bullsht. There’s no more cancers. There’s no more a**holes that think they’re too cool for school. There’s no more shmegegges that think they should be elsewhere. Everybody in this promotion wants to be in this promotion, and if you don’t, you get weeded out pretty damn fast because we’ll beat the sht out of you and send you packing.”
The champion’s remarks reflect the confidence he currently carries as the face of the company. MJF has spent the past year positioned as one of AEW’s central stars, frequently headlining major shows and representing the brand in media appearances. His comments suggest he sees AEW as a place where hungry talent is driving the momentum rather than relying on established veterans.
MJF also took the opportunity to comment on the difference between AEW and WWE when it comes to who sits at the top of the card. While noting that it is not his place to criticize another company’s booking decisions, he pointed out that AEW’s main event scene features a noticeably younger group of stars.
“If they [WWE] want to have those guys on the top of the card, and wrestling fans are upset that those guys on the top of the card are in their 40s and 50s, that’s not my place. But what I will say is the guys on top of the card in our promotion, the alternative, are not in their 40s and 50s, and that’s just the truth.”
The comments add another layer to the ongoing discussion among fans about how the two major promotions present their main event talent. AEW has increasingly leaned into highlighting younger stars such as MJF himself as pillars of the brand moving forward.
With AEW continuing to build around a core group of rising performers, MJF’s words underline the company’s push to present itself as a promotion built on the next generation rather than relying on legacy names.
