Next up on the docket for MJF is an ROH World Tag Team Title defense alongside Samoa Joe on the 12/27 AEW Dynamite. They’ll be defending the titles against opponents of The Devil character’s choosing. Following that, MJF is heading into an AEW World Title defense against Samoa Joe at Worlds End.
Praise was heaped onto MJF by Ric Flair while Flair was being interviewed by The Wrestling Classic. He stated that the AEW World Champion could be the next Randy Orton.
Well number one, I think he’s (MJF) actually — he comes across as confident in real life as he comes across with his confidence in the ring and he’s got a good interview, he’s got a great look, he worked hard. I think he’s got the confidence in real life that he portrays on TV and I think the future is unlimited for him and he’s really good. He could be the next Randy Orton. That’s about as high a praise as I can give him.
Flair signed a multi-year deal with All Elite Wrestling. AEW President Tony Khan commented on Flair’s deal and said AEW is being paid by Wooooo! Energy for all of Flair’s appearances.
If the quote in this article is used, please credit The Wrestling Classic with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcription.
With all due respect to Randy Orton as I am a big Orton fan, I’d argue that MJF is already better then Randy Orton. Randy NEVER had the charisma on the mic that MJF has, and again Randy is a great speaker when he wants to be.
I don’t think I’d agree he’s a bigger star, but I do think he’s better. Love WWE or hate it, when that machine gets behind someone they get more star power. It’s just numbers.
Either way, I think the comparison is stupid there’s no way MJF has a ceiling like Randy Orton. In a lot of ways he’s already better than Randy Orton. His ceiling is way closer to the rock or Cena , and that comparison makes more sense. Like he’s not jumping to WWE to become Randy Orton. He’s going there if he thinks he can become the next Cena or Dwyane Johnson.
Ric Flair is an idiot. He just uses Randy Orton which makes no sense. MJF is nothing like Randy Orton other than maybe Randy wrestlers very lazy and MJF can as well. What Randy Orton promo do you remember as being as great ?
Ric Flair compares MJF to one of the most popular, successful and talented wrestlers of the last two decades. The IWC focuses on any tenuous way that this could somehow be seen as a negative.
I don’t think that’s fair. If someone said Connor McDavid could be the next Ron Francis, most hockey fans would scratch their heads. That’s all this is. If he said that MJF could have Ortons longevity, I would agree. But it sounds like he’s saying MJF could get to the level of Orton which is odd considering most find him more entertaining already.
Oh I agree. My only issue was with the word “star”. All of my casual wrestling friends know Orton, not a single one knows who MJF is. But star power and talent are two different things.
Again, I agree MJF is superior to Orton, but Orton has had his fair share of great promos. Off the top of my head there is this one.
And I remember him doing some really good promo work with Edge and Hardy in 2020, but I cant remember which shows they were.
Regardless, I get your point and I agree, on the mic MJF > Orton.
Just to add some context that seems to be missing. In past interviews Ric has said that Orton is the best wrestler working today (in his opinion).
So saying MJF could be better than Orton is him trying to say he could be the best wrestler in the industry.
I think a lot of people might disagree with the first part. But most everybody agrees with the second. It’s not as strange a comparison as some people are thinking.
Perfect example of how toxic the internet is. A person (in this case Flair) makes an opinion and people say he’s stupid and a drunk. It wasnt even an outlandish thing to say.
It’s sad that this type of behavior made it here to this board.
What a shame.
Ric flair is a disgusting human being. Have you seen his dark side of the ring. He’s always having some garbage lately tk make a buck since he doesn’t think taxes apply to him yet says he doesn’t need to
Money. Nothing he says should be taken seriously and he doesn’t deserve much better from anyone.
Absolutely agree about the part of the toxic behavior making it’s way into this forum. The comments recently on here are such terrible takes.
I’m no Flair fan but this is incredibly high praise for MJF and majority of wrestling fans will see it that way. Randy Orton is a megastar.
After SS, Punk’s return video was trending number one on all of YouTube. Orton’s was number 2. In fact it was neck and neck until Punk’s video pulled away after a week. At worst he has the 2nd most over move in wrestling history. Only behind the stunner and many younger fans would put it ahead. Probably the most main stream move.
In 15 years time, MJF would have done very well to have the stardom Randy has. Of course that doesn’t mean MJF doesn’t have a higher ceiling. He absolutely does.
Probably that whenever the headline is “so and so makes comments on the industry he works in” and the comments on the board are he is an idiot or a drunk or does coke. And then they defend it as oh well he had some allegations agaisnt him in the past so he’s a disgusting person.
Like just say you disagree and make your point.
It would be different if in this case Flair was defending say Riddle when the allegations came out about him. But this is a veteran wrestler giving his opinion on the product today. The two things have nothing to with each other.
And lately this is how the commentary on this board goes for any news item
