Where should MJF sign in 2024?

AEW World Champion, MJF (Maxwell Jacob Freedman) has been on top of the AEW roster, squashing opponent after opponent to retain his championship. For over a year now, MJF has teased what’s to come following his AEW contract expiring January 1st, calling it “The bidding war of 2024.” Being AEW’s biggest draw, one might wonder how much AEW CEO, Tony Khan is willing to spend to secure the champion with a multi-year contract. On the contrary, how much interest does WWE have in acquiring the current AEW champ?

MJF went on a podcast for Sports Illustrated just over a week ago and was asked about his current contract status with AEW. MJF responded by claiming he has not yet re-signed with the company, as we draw closer and closer to the first. However, fans all over the internet have speculated that MJF had already re-signed with AEW in secret. Freedman had this to say in response to the speculation and rumors.

“I think fans leak out what they want to be true. I love AEW. I want to stay in AEW. After this Pay-Per-View [Worlds End, Dec.30th,] It’s time to assess the situation.” Said Freedman.

The Interviewer asked MJF to clarify if he had signed, to which he responded by saying “Not Yet.” 

While MJF was clear that these rumors are simply just that, fans still barely believe his claim. Many think that he would have to be a fool to jump ship when he’s in the middle of being the longest AEW World Champion; the biggest run of his entire career so far. This is an accurate statement. Freedman has accomplished so much in just five years with the company. If AEW has been this beneficial for Freedman thus far, why change it up now? Looking at the competitors, a journey this fast would not have been possible for MJF in WWE. 

While AEW was trying to find new talent to make stars out of back in 2018, WWE had (and still has) far too much talent for a rookie to strive the way that MJF did in AEW. It’s an incredibly competitive company and that can be seen every time a deserved superstar doesn’t get the spotlight that they deserve. Even now, WWE would not be able to showcase Freedman the way that AEW has and will continue to do if he re-signs for another number of years.

On the contrary, WWE has been known to make exceptions and push who they want to the main event picture, regardless of where they’ve been in the past. We’ve seen this with the signings of AJ Styles in 2016, Cody Rhodes in 2022 and just recently CM Punk last month. If someone like Nick Khan or Triple H sees something special in MJF that would make them put him in the main event spotlight, it would make the brand jump well worth it for Freedman. While most superstars don’t get immediate main event treatment coming into WWE from the outside, MJF has proved for five years in AEW that an exception for him should be made. 

Not to mention, MJF in WWE would open up doors to endless dream matches and feuds within the company. Many have already imagined Freedman taking on The Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns in a WWE ring, as both competitors are currently at the very top of their respective promotions.  Additionally, It would be a great opportunity to further the feud of CM Punk vs MJF, a feud that Freedman claimed on the Sports Illustrated Podcast to be “The greatest feud of the modern era.” While he has momentum in AEW, the possible stories that can be told using MJF in WWE are truly intriguing to say the very least. 

While there’s still plenty of uncertainty, AEW’s World’s End on December 30th should be a good implication of Freedman’s plans one way or another. If he is to retain, we’ll know that he plans to continue both his reign as AEW World Champion and his career as an AEW competitor. However, on the off-chance that his opponent, Samoa Joe takes the title from him, It will most likely be the last time we see MJF in an AEW ring, as Tony Khan most likely wouldn’t want MJF leaving the company as a current world champion (He already had that experience with CM Punk just earlier this year.) When the dust settles on the 31st, we’ll know what “our scumbag’s” future plans are for his career.