As PWMania.com previously reported, AEW star MJF discussed his contractual status with AEW during his appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani.
MJF also shared his thoughts on Cody Rhodes making the jump from AEW to WWE and how the locker room in AEW reacted to it.
“The American Roller Coaster did what he had to do. He’s a businessperson, just like MJF… I cannot speak on Cody Rhodes’ behalf, but I will say this. A lot of people are very into tribalism these days in the world of professional wrestling. And it’s cute. I dig it. It’s the same as having a favorite MMA star or a favorite football team, or a favorite baseball team.
“But if you look historically at our industry — I’ll give you a prime example. Terry Funk. Massive, major star in professional wrestling. Did Terry Funk only wrestle for one company in the entirety of his career? No. He was travelling. He travelled. He would go to a territory, he would pop the territory huge. And when he felt it was time to hang his hat there, he would go onto the next one. And he did that multiple times in his career. And he wrestled for pretty much every premiere wrestling promotion in the world. Because Terry Funk, like me, was a massive draw. So I do not blame Cody Rhodes for his decision. Cody Rhodes did what was best for Cody Rhodes. And MJF always does what’s best for MJF. So kudos to him.”
On how the locker room reacted to Rhodes’ exit:
“I think, honestly favorably — not favorably in the sense that ‘Yay, Cody’s gone.’ But favorably in the sense that we’re all profesional wrestlers. And what happens when somebody leaves is, it opens room for opportunity for another person to step up to the plate. And you know, that’s wrestling. Wrestling is cyclical, it’s like a wheel. And as somebody who has the highest wrestling IQ in the history of the business, I can tell you when big names leave, big names step up. That’s just how this business works, and that’s a fact.
“So I again, I think people who were friends with Cody were sad to see him go on a personal level, but this is a very competitive sport. People want that spotlight. And people stepped up to the plate.”
You can watch the show below:
(h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription)
