AEW star Maxwell Jacob Friedman has a simple and direct message for former WWE Women’s World Champion and UFC Hall of Famer, Ronda Rousey: pro wrestling is a business. MJF took to social media to respond to recent comments from Rousey, where she expressed her frustration over being booked in a feud with Alexa Bliss in 2018 based on merchandise sales.
The conversation began when Rousey, in a recent interview, shared her frustration with the creative process in WWE. She specifically pointed to her 2018 feud with Alexa Bliss as an example of what she felt was flawed decision-making. “The fact that they had me fighting Alexa Bliss at all was fcking ridiculous, and you wanna know why they had me against Alexa Bliss? Because she had the most merch sales at the time… Like, what the fck!? That’s your decision-making process?” Rousey said.
MJF, who has never been shy about his own focus on the financial side of the business, saw these comments on the social media platform X and offered a sarcastic response. He feigned surprise that a professional sport would be treated like a business, a clear shot at what he perceives as Rousey’s naivety about the industry.
“It’s almost like pro wrestling much like any professional sport functions as a business. Fucking crazy,” MJF wrote in response. His comment quickly went viral, sparking a debate among fans about the balance between creative purity and business considerations in professional wrestling.
MJF has always been open about his business-first approach to his career. He famously orchestrated “The Bidding War of 2024,” where he negotiated with both AEW and WWE before ultimately re-signing with AEW for what is believed to be a lucrative contract.