MJF is a bit of a Renaissance man in professional wrestling.

Sure, he can work a match against about anyone, even if he prefers to wrestle as little as possible, but the “People's Scumbag” is quick to borrow from the world of single-digit WrestleManias, where fans would pop like crazy over a single bodyslam, or, in his case, a Double Clothesline, Side Headlock Takedown, or Kangaroo Kick, over the flashy gymnastic routines that put the likes of the Young Bucks, Will Ospreay, and Kommandar on the map. He's also taken up the tradition of professional wrestlers jumping to Hollywood for external opportunities for self-promotion, with the current AEW World Champion serving as an executive producer on The Iron Claw in addition to having a part in the film where he plays Lance Von Erich.

Discussing one of the very famous people he was autographed standing with at The Iron Claw premier, John Cena, in an interview on the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast, MJF noted his extreme admiration for “The Champ,” noting that he's a fan of his work inside and out of the ring, and the feeling, apparently, is mutual.

“We’re two guys that are both massive fans of each other’s work. He loves what I’m doing in AEW, I obviously love everything that he’s done in professional wrestling as a whole,” MJF said via Fightful. “He’s easily a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and I literally am a Hall of Famer, but I believe that I am also soon to be a first-ballot professional wrestling Hall of Famer as well. We exchanged pleasantries, and we talked and discussed about how we’re fans of each other’s work. I told him straight-up, I find him to be an absolute inspiration, what he’s been able to do with Make-A-Wish, with all these kids, and also what he’s been able to do completely transcend outside of the professional wrestling sport and landscape is something that I’ve begun to do as well. I’m really proud of that, and I don’t think I’d be able to do that without following the footsteps of these major giants of professional wrestling history, like him, like Batista, like The Rock. If not for these guys, they wouldn’t take me seriously as an actor.”

Say what you will about John Cena the wrestler during his prime, when he near-single-handedly ruled over WWE with an iron claw of his own that suffocated younger, more interesting talents, but he truly has become the blueprint not just of what folks expect from a WWE Superstar, but for a performer who transcends the sport entirely to become a well-rounded entertainer across multiple mediums. If MJF wants to be that guy for AEW, he has a pretty good role model to look up to.

MJF wants to be a positive force in AEW's continued growth.

Elsewhere in his conversation with Jimmy Traina on the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast, MJF discussed the perception of AEW being in a bit of a “rebuilding phase” after losing a few stars to injuries, free agency, or WWE.

While Friedman admits that it did feel like AEW might be in trouble there for a minute, he feels as though the promotion is rushing toward something great, and he wants to be a big part of “restoring the feeling.”

“Look, my best friend got hurt. Of course, it blows. But with professional wrestling, the show must go on,” MJF explained via Fightful. “I feel that we as a company have just definitely proven we have such a stacked, incredible roster, and with me at the helm, the houses are starting to go up again. The show, in my opinion, has gotten better and better every week. Nature is healing. I feel like the company right now, there was a minute there where it felt like we were kind of in this rebuild phase, and I feel like right now, we’re really building some serious momentum. There are fans online that say ‘Restore the feeling,' and I dig that line. I’m pumped because I feel like we are and we have, and we’re continuing to do so, and I’m proud to be at the helm of that.”

What does the future hold for AEW and MJF? Will the two sides stick together in 2024 and beyond, re-upping the “Salt of the Earth” on a new contract that keeps him in AEW as one of the promotion's long-term faces? Or will he ride his current momentum all the way to WWE, where he could reunite with Cody Rhodes and “take some swings” with the big boys of professional wrestling? Either way, it's safe to say Worlds End is shaping up to be a can't-miss Pay-Per-View in a year of can't-miss AEW Pay-Per-Views.