Sports Illustrated’s The Takedown on SI held a recent interview with AEW World Champion MJF. One of the topics discussed included MJF’s thoughts about his issues with a lot of today’s indies wrestlers.
“I think a lot of these guys suck. The guys that I’m wrestling on these independents are the guys that are working hard and making the towns and doing everything that they need to do to become better talents.
I think a lot of these new guys are lazy, they’re not getting in the car, they’re not traveling to do ring crew. Brother, when I was on the independents, I would get in my car, and I would drive to, name a state in North America, I drove there. Name a place in Canada, I drove there. Name a place in Mexico, I drove there. And I did it for $20 and a can of Coke and a hot dog and a handshake. I did it because I wanted to get better, and I needed reps.”
MJF also gave his thoughts about some of the indies names that complain about not being signed to a major or notable wrestling promotion.
“A lot of these guys that are coming into the industry, they’re thinking, ‘Oh, there’s AEW, there’s WWE, there’s TNA, there’s MLW, why aren’t I signed yet?’ You’re not signed yet because you f—ing suck. Get better. Apply yourself. Go to training three to four times a week. Find a ring. Roll around. Make yourself better. Do tape study. Become a student of the sport.”
MJF also gave his thoughts about his warning to indies talents who have this type of mindset for their wrestling careers and how AEW is not a “lazy promotion.”
“Stop resting on your laurels, just assuming you’re gonna be handed something. If you want to be a part of AEW, you better be ready. You better be ready to work, and work hard, and want it. We’re not the lazy promotion. Now if you wanna f**k around and j**k off, go somewhere else. So that would be my advice to these cats on the indies. Nothing’s going to be handed to you. If you want to come to AEW, be ready to work.”