AEW World Champion MJF has a blunt message for fans who question how often he wrestles: try taking a bump yourself.
‘The Salt of The Earth’ went on the offensive against his critics during a recent podcast appearance, while pulling back the curtain on the physical toll of his title reign, including a knee he says is currently swollen and in pain.
Speaking on Shut Up and Wrestle with Brian R. Solomon, MJF said he often laughed at supporters who asked why he was not in the ring more frequently earlier in his AEW run.
I always laugh, especially earlier on in my AEW career when fans were like, ‘Why isn’t MJF wrestling more?’ F*ck you. You take a bump, p*ssy. It hurts. Do you have any idea how much it hurts?” MJF said.
He went on to describe wrestling through pain even as he sat for the interview, pointing to a knee he described as badly swollen.
Everything we do in there hurts. While you’re interviewing me right now, my knee is f*cked. You know what I mean? It’s swollen to sh*t. I’m in a sh*t ton of f*cking pain,” he said.
MJF On The Toll Of Being The Top Guy
MJF framed his decision to keep competing as a responsibility that comes with carrying the promotion, even while hurt.
But it’s on me because I’m the f*cking top guy, and people are leaning on me to make sure that we’re doing well. So I’ve got to lace my boots up and get in that goddamn ring,” he said.
He was careful to note that he is not wrestling against medical advice, clarifying that the swelling and pain do not mean structural damage. The comments line up with earlier reporting on his refusal to take time off despite a nagging knee, detailed in this MJF injury update ahead of AEW Dynamite.
Obviously, a doctor is never going to let me go in there unless structurally I’m okay. So don’t think I’m burying the AEW medical team. I’m in a lot of pain, there’s swelling, but structurally I’m good,” MJF said.
A Message To Younger Fans
MJF reserved his sharpest words for what he called a newer wave of fans who, in his view, do not grasp the sacrifice wrestlers make every time they step through the curtain.
There is this new wrestling fandom of younger kids that think this is all funsies, and they don’t understand how much we’re putting on the line physically every time we go through the curtain. It takes a toll,” he said.
At 30, MJF said he is already worried about the cumulative damage.
Dude, I’m 30. I’m in pain, and I’m only 30. I can’t imagine what I’m going to feel like when I’m 40 or 50,” he said.
Even so, MJF stopped short of asking for sympathy, stressing that the path was his own choice.
I’m also not asking for sympathy either. I’m not a b*tch. I fully understand I signed up for this sh*t. This was my decision and my dream to chase. However, I just wish wrestling fans understood more that every time we go out there, it’s painful,” MJF said.
The backstory on how the injury happened was covered in a backstage update on how MJF was injured, and the real-world fallout was clear when he was pulled from an appearance after an AEW Dynamite injury.