MJF has named John Cena as a childhood hero.
The AEW American Champion was recently interviewed by Jack the Jobber of Cultaholic during his UK trip to compete against Michael Oku of RevPro. They talked about things such as the reported Britt Baker incident and more.
During the talk, Jake mentioned how MJF has named Roddy Piper and CM Punk as people he was a fan of during his childhood. When asked who else he looked up to before becoming a wrestler himself, the Salt of The Earth named The Cenation leader. Though only during his Doctor of Thuganomics days:
John Cena was a fat head on my wall when he was rapping. Then he stopped the rapping and he started being very nice and I didn't care for it.
John Cena and MJF: Generational Talents
When Jake talked about Cena burying his fellow countryman Wade Barrett under a pile of steel chairs during their 2010 TLC match, MJF actually defended the 16-time world champion. He mentioned how the former Nexus leader was always attacking him:
Well okay I'm not one to defend my, first of all my good friend John. I don't know if you've seen it but he puts me over all the time in interviews, as he should. I'm a generational Talent. Generational talents you know, know generational talents when they see one.
I think we can all agree that your people are rude and abrasive and loud and obnoxious and very arrogant. Wade was constantly attacking him with multiple people which again is something your guys do. You never try to have a fight one-on-one. Your friends always drunkenly jump in right. So I feel John was just defending himself and his country in that moment.
MJF is currently scheduled to defend his AEW American Championship against Will Ospreay at the 2024 All In Event from Wembley stadium on August 25.
