MJF

[Grimmas]

Microstatistics:

Up there with Darby Allin as one of the best post-2015 debutantes. At first glance, he seems like purely a mic guy with limited chops in the ring. Until you actually watch the big matches, which deliver in spades. He does well to combine old-school psychology with hyper-modern offense. Charismatic, particularly as the heel, though his unshakable kayfabe bit could be over-the-top. His commitment to long-term limb selling is also admirable, even if not everyone is going to be a fan of that particular style of selling I suspect.

vs. Darby Allin (AEW, 11/13/2021) 

vs. Bryan Danielson (AEW, 3/5/2023)

vs. Jay White (AEW, 11/18/2023)

[Tetsujin]

Still too soon for him, but he's getting there, for sure. He's capable of putting anything over in a match, he knows how to implement comedy as well as anybody ever, and he is actually a wrestler that can do a lot more than he usually does, but chooses not to for the sake of the match (and when he unleashes a more spotty persona, it's because the story of the match calls for it). Great character work protrayed in the ring.

[EnviousStupid]

A great litmus test for how people view various aspects of wrestling.

 

 

[Tawren]

MJF is really good and is a guy who has some really high highs. For example, the Danielson Iron man and the punk dog collar match, but he also has a ton of really bad lows. For example, the Jay white match at full gear 2023. I just can't see MJF making my list. Maybe if he has a crazy good next few years but he feels more like a 2036 discussion and even then I think he has too many bad instincts.

[MidasGloves]

Max recently listed off his in-ring influences in an interview, and in order he lists: Jericho, Punk, Piper, Flair, Tully, Don Muraco, Buddy Landel, Chris Candido, and Adam Cole. The tonal whiplash of the trajectory of that list of names and ending on Cole of all people (even though I know Max is a fan of his) is like a microcosm of watching MJF. I feel like my opinion on Max can swing rapidly depending on the month; his first AEW Title reign doesn't hold up well at all (Danielson Iron Man is its peak and the first 30 minutes of that 65-minute match are mostly spinning their wheels when you go back and NONE of the Cole stuff is good) and he's had some real overbooked messes of matches as well as promos that leave a bad aftertaste, and yet you look at his Punk & Mistico feuds with incredible blowoffs and how much better his current reign is going alongside some absolute gems of backstage promos and I can't really pin down my overall opinion on him. Ironically I think his indie work is basically his Median; usually pretty good stuff but nothing remarkable. I think the sentiment that he's one to watch for 2036 is right because he really could lean either way right now and that's not really conducive to ending up on my ballot.