Characters come and go in the world of professional wrestling at an often alarming rate.
It is not uncommon for a performer to go from heel to babyface or go in exactly the opposite direction. Rarely does a character take the wrestling world by storm right out of the box. It is even more of an anomaly when the person who mesmerizes and enthrals the viewer is a heel that they love to hate. Such is the case, however with MJF. Maxwell Jacob Friedman has set the wrestling universe on fire with his brash promos, in-ring acumen, and refusal to step out of character, ever.
MJF is nothing if not consistent with his verbal attacks. The self-proclaimed “Salt of the Earth” loves nothing more than dispersing his unique brand of wit equally among fans, opponents and the media.
His arrogance and his devotion to kayfabe have made him the character professional wrestling can’t do without. Many of today’s performers place a premium on attracting new fans through social media and positive fan interaction. The wrestling promotions themselves will frequently offer fans an up close and personal look at its stars through it’s meet and greet paid events. These fan friendly opportunities are meant to promote the brand and foster a connection between fans and performers. MJF has taken the opposite approach to these events and has set strict guidelines which his fans must adhere to in order to avoid an additional surcharge. Rules such as “no touching and no direct eye contact” are in place to let the general public know that he “is better than you.” Max Friedman was born in New York and made his professional wrestling debut in February of 2015.
The 23-year-old MJF has also wrestled under the monikers of Pete Lightning and Sandy Bunker prior to his meteoric rise as MJF. The hardware amassed thus far by the scarf wearing heel is impressive. In just over four years he has acquired multiple titles in both the singles and tag team divisions in promotions such as Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW), All American Wrestling (AAW Heritage), and many other professional wrestling entities. He is currently signed to Major League Wrestling (MLW) as well as All Elite Wrestling (AEW). At FyterFest, MJF ended his night by taking the media to task for having the audacity to ask him questions about the 4-way match between himself, Jungle Boy, Adam Page, and Jimmy Havoc. The reporter mentioned that MJF “came up short” in the match and the response was, well, very MJF.
In a departure for a heel, MJF has aligned himself with the promotion’s golden boy, Cody Rhodes. This, after Rhodes was assaulted with a chair by Shawn Spears at Fyter Fest. Many viewed the attack as a botch which resulted in a gash to the head of Rhodes.https://youtu.be/l-JQp-B8BZM Friedman was quick to stand up for Rhodes and blast Spears for his actions on twitter.
Cody Rhodes is set to face off against Shawn Spears, who will have Tully Blanchard in his corner, at All Out from Chicago, Illinois on August 31st. MJF is not currently set to appear and many speculate he will be in the building hoping to deliver his own brand of justice to Spears in retaliation for the attack on Rhodes.
Will All Out be the beginning of a new partnership between Rhodes and MJF? Could we see a three man stable in the future with MJF, Cody and Dustin Rhodes? This seems unlikely as Cody Rhodes is highly marketable as a singles competitor and as part of a tag team duo with brother Dustin Rhodes. A more plausible scenario might be to see MJF turn on Rhodes which would further cement his heel status and give the fans more fuel to add to the fire of hatred they harbor for him.
Professional wrestling it at its best when there is a common enemy for the fans and the rest of the promotion to root against. Think back to Hulk Hogan v Iron Sheik. Fans couldn’t wait to see their hero, Hulk Hogan give the Sheik his comeuppance. Granted, WWE played to national pride but the recipe of larger than life villain v humble hero went over big time with fans. This angle worked so well it was repackaged and given to us a few years later as Hulk Hogan v Sgt Slaughter and General Adnan.
It is clear that MJF has the charisma, wit, and in-ring skill to work the fans into a frenzy. MJF thrives on the negative reaction be it from fans, media, or wrestling insiders. His ability to incite emotion from the audience combined with his technical ability have made him the face of the franchise, a role he appears to relish. Whether or not this was intended can be argued but his status as the franchise’s most controversial and polarizing figure is undisputed.
In an industry driven by having the “look” of a wrestler and the “persona” of a wrestler, AEW has demonstrated time and time again that they are not constrained by these antiquated wrestling stereotypes. While AEW isn’t held captive by these traits they certainly would be foolish to turn them down if they came in the proper package. That package is MJF. He has the ability to capture the imagination of the audience and allow them to lose themselves in the moment.
What we have yet to see from MJF is if he can excel in a capacity other than as a heel. With the success both he and AEW are having with him in his current role I would not expect changes any time soon. Most wrestlers, however, do not stay static their entire career. Demands from fans as well as changes in culture and the advent of new characters often require the reworking of existing talent to meet the needs of a changing industry. Only time will tell if MJF has the ability to transition from this highly triumphant phase of career or if the industry ever demands that he change at all.
The “it” factor is one of those terms that is vague in its definition but precise in its meaning. We all know “it” when we see it. Very few people in any profession have this mystical trait. In the world of professional wrestling, The Rock personified the “it” factor.
Those that possess it tend to transcend the sport and elevate the organization with it. I’m not ready to anoint MJF as the next Rock and I’m not ready to declare that he has “it” but he is clearly on a different level than any wrestler on the planet. One test of the “it” factor is longevity and that trait in MJF remains to be seen. What is clear is that as long as MJF is present in the world of professional wrestling you better have your popcorn ready because with him it is always SHOWTIME!
And this is why he is MJF, and he is better than you.
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