Backstage Reaction to MJF’s Promo & Las Vegas Incident, WWE’s Current Interest in MJF

As noted before, MJF was involved in an incident this past weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada. This incident revolved around MJF no showing a scheduled AEW fan fest event in the city. MJF’s status for AEW’s Double or Nothing 2022 event was in doubt at the time but MJF ended up working at the event for his scheduled match against Wardlow.

This past Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite featured MJF delivering a “pipebomb” style promo airing his grievances and lashing out at Tony Khan for being a “f***ing mark” and not paying him top stars dollars while claiming Khan was hoarding the money just for all the ex-WWE guys he keeps signing to the company.

Fightful Select reported that the general reaction within AEW’s locker room over MJF’s promo, Las Vegas incident, and his contract issues situation was mixed based on those spoken to. It was reported that the reactions ranged from “it’s always been a work on MJF’s side” to “well, it’s definitely a work now.” One talent spoken to stated that they would be frustrated for many reasons if they learned that the whole incident had been a work from the start over the past weekend since other talent who had been scheduled for the fan Meet & Greet event had to stay longer than planned to make up for MJF’s absence.

Other talents spoken to debunked the myth of MJF was constantly in character with one talent stating that “if he acted like MJF all the time, he probably wouldn’t still be working here.” Those spoken to stated that MJF had experience a shift over this Spring with him becoming “more frustrated” than in the past over his pay situation.

In regards to the backstage reaction towards Tony Khan, the general reaction was that there would be no way Khan would have allowed MJF’s promo to air on television the way it did without there being a payoff or plan.

In regards to WWE’s current level of interest towards MJF, PW Torch’s Wade Keller reported that his sources stated that Vince McMahon is still willing to offer top money to sign MJF to a contract once his current AEW contract expires. These same sources also stated that McMahon is not deterred by MJF’s recent backstage behavior issues in AEW. Keller also speculated that he doubts that WWE has given an illegal offer to MJF to help cause his recent incident nor have had any sort of hand in MJF’s current contract dispute with AEW.

Keller stated:

“One source in WWE told me that MJF is seen as such a commodity that his recent and tractable behavior on and off-air with AEW wouldn’t deter Vince McMahon from making him a lucrative offer. Although a falling out with AEW could take away considerable leverage for MJF, MJF’s value to WWE would remain high. They need people. He’s young, he’s good, and he’d be paid accordingly, regardless of his reputation in AEW. Now maybe that changes a little bit with the headache that Vince McMahon feels Sasha Banks and Naomi put him through, but maybe not. But his reputation, in general, might take a blow if details about his latest interactions with Khan and AEW reflect poorly on his professionalism.”

Transcript h/t: WrestlingNews.co