On a recent edition of the “Insight” podcast, wrestler-turned-Hollywood actor John Cena recalled meeting former AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) at the premiere of The Iron Claw this past December.
Cena talked to MJF about possibly working for WWE during their brief interaction.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On meeting MJF: “The whole totality of the thing is, I knew he was going to be there. I don’t think the old me would have associated with him just because of how WWE I was. I still am WWE, but there is room for competition, and competition is great. Just because I wear the company brand, doesn’t mean you’re a bad performer. Sports entertainment is a finicky business, and there is a lot of chances to make moments. This is one of their top performers from AEW and I don’t know if I’m going to be the target of a moment, I’m just going to support a friend in a movie. He couldn’t have been nicer or more cordial. We meet each other, I got pulled away to take some pictures, and then we got pulled away to do everything else before I even got to him. I said, ‘Hold on, give me two minutes.’ I shook his hand, I said, ‘Man, I’m so sorry. Excuse my ignorance, I didn’t know what to expect from you today. You are a class act. I can’t believe you’re as professional as you are, that’s just my ignorance, I’m sorry I had that judgment. I want to thank you for being so special. Thanks for making my night.’”
On telling MJF about playing for “the right team one day”: “Then, we got back, and I was able to talk to him more. ‘Maybe we can get you to play for the right team one day,’ and all that. There is no denying the fact that he’s doing good work. I don’t think I should ignore that. Honestly, I was floored by his professionalism. It would have been an easy target, at a wrestling movie premiere, to have yourself a moment. We did have a moment, and it was one the internet paid attention to, and it was one where I was hoping that this person I met, I could once bet on. ‘If we just get you over here, that’d be awesome,’ but it was great. It was great to meet a professional, classy, driven young man.’”
MJF is on a hiatus following his loss to Samoa Joe at AEW Worlds End 2023.
In a recent episode of the “Insight” podcast, John Cena, the wrestler-turned-Hollywood actor, shared his experience of meeting former AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) at the premiere of the movie “The Iron Claw” in December.
Cena expressed his initial hesitation in associating with MJF due to his strong affiliation with WWE. However, he acknowledged that there is room for competition in the wrestling industry and that wearing the WWE brand does not make someone a bad performer. Cena recognized MJF as one of the top performers in AEW and admired his professionalism and talent.
During their brief interaction, Cena was pulled away for some pictures before he could properly talk to MJF. However, he made sure to take a moment to approach him and apologize for any preconceived notions he may have had. Cena praised MJF for being a class act and thanked him for making his night special.
As their conversation continued, Cena hinted at the possibility of MJF joining WWE one day, mentioning playing for “the right team.” Despite being aware of the competition between WWE and AEW, Cena acknowledged MJF’s talent and expressed his admiration for his work. He was impressed by MJF’s professionalism at a wrestling movie premiere, where it would have been easy to create a memorable moment for himself.
Cena described MJF as a professional, classy, and driven young man. He appreciated their interaction and hoped to see MJF succeed in the future.
It is worth noting that MJF is currently on hiatus following his loss to Samoa Joe at AEW Worlds End 2023.
The podcast episode featuring John Cena’s discussion about meeting MJF provides insights into the professional and respectful nature of their interaction. Despite their affiliations with different wrestling promotions, Cena’s admiration for MJF’s talent and professionalism showcases the mutual respect that exists among wrestlers in the industry.
Overall, this encounter between John Cena and MJF highlights the camaraderie and appreciation that can exist between wrestlers from different promotions, even in a highly competitive industry like professional wrestling.