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Despite having brought in many former WWE talents, AEW has managed to build plenty of homegrown stars, from Jade Cargill and Darby Allin to Ricky Starks and Julia Hart. But atop the mountain of these young stars sits current AEW World Champion MJF.
At just 27 years old, Maxwell Jacob Friedman has become one of the brightest stars in the wrestling industry. He's received praise from every corner of the business – even from pundits who are typically critical of All Elite Wrestling, like Jim Cornette.
WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff has had his own issues with AEW but seems to be all in on MJF. On a recent edition of his Strictly Business podcast, the former WCW chief heaped praise on the young star, claiming that fans have only seen "the tip of the iceberg" in regard to his talent:
"In the limited time that I've spent with MJF, and the interactions that I continue to have with him, I think very highly of him," Bischoff said. "I don't know him well enough as a person, but I think the world of him as a talent. I think we're just seeing the surface, the tip of the iceberg of what MJF can be as a talent. I love watching him, listening to his promos, and the fact that he embraces heat — there's so many things that I truly respect and admire about MJF." [H/T Wrestling Inc]
MJF set to break Kenny Omega's record as longest-reigning AEW World Champion
MJF is just the sixth man to hold the AEW World Championship, but the names that preceded him – Chris Jericho, Jon Moxley, and CM Punk – put him in elite company.
The Salt of the Earth's title reign has stretched for almost a year now, but one record stands in his way of becoming the longest-reigning world champion in the company's short history: that of Kenny Omega.
Omega was the AEW World Champion for 346 days, from December 2, 2020, to November 13, 2021. According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, Friedman will eclipse that record on November 1.
MJF has defied the odds and managed to hold onto his title against the likes of Samoa Joe, Adam Cole, and Bryan Danielson. With the 27-year-old set to stamp his name in the history books, it remains to be seen if there is anyone in the company capable of taking the title from him.
Are you a fan of MJF? Who do you think will ultimately dethrone him? Let us know in the comments section below!
