AEW star MJF referenced in a surprising way just moments before WWE Backlash 2025

Minutes before WWE Backlash tonight, MJF was referenced on-screen. This was done in a manner unlike anything before, as he was compared to a top superstar from the Stamford-based promotion.

The former AEW World Champion is a name that fans are always talking about. Despite all his success with the Tony Khan-led promotion, The Salt of the Earth has often made references to or verbally namedropped wrestlers or situations related to WWE.

During the Countdown show before Backlash, an interesting placard could be seen right behind the presenters' desk. The fan-made sign compared Logan Paul to MJF, calling The Maverick a "poor man's version" of The Salt of the Earth:

"LOGAN PAUL IS THE POOR MAN's MJF," the placard read.

Look who just shut down all of Tony Khan's critics! More HERE.

You can check out a photograph of the sign below:

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Paul is not set for action at tonight's PLE, but he has been appearing on-screen more often lately. He recently confronted and went after Jey Uso, a sign that he could be the first major challenger for the new World Heavyweight Champion.

The 30-year-old is coming off an impressive win over AJ Styles at WrestleMania 41 almost a month ago. He could look to keep up his momentum and become a World Champion.

About the author

Enzo is a Pro Wrestling journalist at Sportskeeda, reporting on AEW. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Multimedia Studies, which influenced his decision of taking up sports writing professionally, and has been an avid fan of the athletic theater since childhood. He believes readers deserve authentic and unique content and aims to report in a manner which pro wrestling fans can easily relate to.

Growing up, Enzo admired former world champions like AJ Styles, Will Ospreay, Bryan Danielson, Triple H, and Randy Orton for their finishing moves. As an adult, he started to appreciate their character work, as they juggled between heel and babyface gimmicks.

If allowed to produce one final storyline involving his idols, he would have Orton lock horns with John Cena, would be their one last big feud as both of them seem to be approaching the tail end of their careers.

Other than pro wrestling, Enzo enjoys keeping up with Basketball, Football, and Formula One. He also loves watching films, playing video games, and listening to music.

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Edited by Sayantan Niyogi