Cody Rhodes recently received a lot of attention online when he said, "I think one day you will see MJF in WWE." It's not a particularly controversial statement, but for die-hard AEW fans, the notion of the current AEW World Champion jumping ship as the American Nightmare did before him is more than they can handle.
As MJF continues to supposedly prepare himself for what he's dubbed the "bidding war of 2024," he's now shared his response to Rhodes' recent remarks.
"I saw fans absolutely sh*tting on him, when all he was saying was his opinion. It’s an opinion," he told SI Media With Jimmy Traina. "I pray to God I don’t get lambasted online for some of the opinions I’m doing in this interview. I just feel like everything’s so radicalized now and hyperbolic now. There’s certain aspects about social media I love. I think it brings people of the same like-mindedness together. I think it allows people to find their own communities."
"But what I hate about some of the social media is, I find that like hate-mongering and fear-mongering is the stuff that gets pushed the most. And it’s because of this sensationalist stuff that people start believing in the sensationalized stuff and the hyperbolic stuff."
While that might seem as if MJF is largely avoiding the subject, he'd go on to share his appreciation for Rhodes' endorsement. "I’m a straight shooter. I say it like it is 110% of the time. Cody Rhodes felt that way in Cody Rhodes’ mind and opinion. That was his way of putting over a friend, a prodigy, a former coworker, a former protege."
"I shouldn’t even say former. I still talk to Cody to this day, he’s a great guy," MJF continued. "He’s doing great things over there. I’m doing great things over here."
Despite recent reports that MJF has signed a lengthy contract extension with AEW, he maintained in this interview that's not the case and went on to share his thoughts on whether his character could work under WWE's PG banner (AEW is TV-14).
"I just don’t know how the f*ck you put a leash on me. And I swear to God, that’s my honest opinion. I don’t think anybody can hold me back from being the monster that I am," he explained. "I think my career trajectory in any company is going to be exactly the same. Do I think in some aspects, AEW fits me like a glove more so than anywhere else? Yeah, I do."
"Could an argument be made the other way around? Yeah, I’m sure. These are all things that I have to think about. What I do know, whatever company I pick, it will be because it feels right, and it means the most to me."
Where do you think MJF will end up? As always, share your thoughts in the comments section below.