MJF on WWE counter-programming AEW All In: ‘I think it’s a smart business practice’

MJF is certain that WWE’s counter-programming of AEW All In is deliberate — and he thinks it’s a good business practice.

AEW’s biggest show of the year takes place this Saturday with Globe Life Field hosting All In: Texas. It will face direct competition from NXT Great American Bash that afternoon, with the NXT PLE being one of three events WWE is holding in Atlanta this weekend along with Saturday Night’s Main Event and Evolution.

In an interview with TV Insider ahead of All In, MJF was asked about the WWE counter-programming strategy. He made clear that he believes the counter-programming is deliberate, but he doesn’t fault WWE for doing it.

“You mean shows that are running at the exact same time as us, even though they claim we’re not competition? How do I feel about it? I think it’s a smart business practice,” he said. “I give jolly old St. Nick [Khan] and Trips a whole lot of credit. At the end of the day, if you can stomp out your competition, you’re doing what is necessary. Lord knows I would. Everyone is judging them for it. I think that’s silly. Don’t judge them for it, but also, don’t be stupid. They’re not doing this by happenstance. This isn’t circumstantial. None of it is. The difference between me and everyone else is even though I know that, I’m not going to pretend that is not the truth or going to stand here and pretend that’s not an incredibly intelligent thing to do. I would stomp on anyone’s neck if it meant I would get ahead. I’ve done it a million times in my career. That’s my thoughts on that.”

MJF will be one of the participants in the men’s Casino Gauntlet match at All In, where the winner earns a future AEW World Championship match. Rivals MJF and Mark Briscoe are set to start off the gauntlet as the first two entrants.

While he never fully breaks character for interviews, MJF told TV Insider that everyone in the AEW locker room is on the same page right now and is giving 110 percent effort. He echoed similar comments that have been made by Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland, saying that he feels you truly need to be elite to be in AEW now.

“He has learned I’m his biggest star, which is why he pays me the big bucks,” MJF responded when asked what he thinks Tony Khan has learned from his past experiences in AEW. “He understands what I bring to the table more than ever. The other thing I would say Tony Khan has learned is you want people in your locker room that not only want to be there but are worthy of being there. We’ve had a lot of guys in the past come in and think they are going [to] be king sh*t just because they had their time in the sun for a millisecond in other promotions. That’s not [how] it f*ck’in works. It’s called All Elite Wrestling. Not All Average Wrestling. Not All Mediocre Wrestling. Not All…I’m going to show up, cash a check and expect to be world champion wrestling. It’s All Elite Wrestling. 

“Right now, everyone in that locker room is on the same page. We aren’t coming there to cash a check. We aren’t coming to give 50 percent. We’re all giving 110 percent. If you think you’re going to come into my company, and yes I said my company because I’ve been here since day 1, and I’m the best professional wrestler in the world. If you think you’re going to come into my company and barely put in work, you’re out of your goddamn mind. You don’t belong here. We don’t want you here. So stay where you are and be miserable over there because you don’t belong swimming in the ocean of sharks that is AEW. And you’re talking to the biggest shark of them all in MJF.”