On the February 5 episode of Mostly Sports, hosted by Mark Titus and Brandon Walker, AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman appeared live from San Francisco’s Radio Row ahead of the Super Bowl. While the interview covered his wrestling career, acting roles, and interactions with the hosts, the conversation took a serious turn when the topic of Jeffrey Epstein arose.
During a segment where Brandon Walker jokingly asked a show producer named Connor if he was on the list, MJF initially responded with humor regarding the producer’s likelihood of being involved. However, the professional wrestler immediately shifted his tone to address the broader implications of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and the public reaction to it.
MJF stated, “The situation’s disgusting, and it’s really weird that people are just trying to sweep it under the rug. I don’t understand it. I don’t care what side of the aisle you sit politically. Pedophilia is not okay. I don’t know how you guys feel about it, but I think it’s pretty f**ked up.”
Brandon Walker responded to the statement by saying, “I think pedophilia is bad. I lean towards your side on that.”
Beyond his comments on current events, MJF provided context regarding his current career trajectory, balancing professional wrestling with a burgeoning acting career.
Regarding his workload and the difficulty of balancing both industries, MJF remarked, “It’s not hard at all when you’re me, baby….I take great pride. I have a great amount of passion in both. I think both allow me, both from an athletic standpoint and from a creative and artistic standpoint, to really express myself. And that makes me happy.”
He further elaborated on his specific goals within the acting world, comparing his ambitions to wrestlers who successfully transitioned to Hollywood. MJF stated, “The goal is to be in major motion pictures and movie theaters at least once a year, minimum. I’ve accomplished that the last three years, and we’re going to keep that ball rolling… When I look at the Mount Rushmore of like, professional wrestling actors, you’re talking about Dwayne The Rock Johnson, you’re talking about Dave Batista, you’re talking about John Cena, I want to be number four. That spot’s wide open, and I’m going to take it.”
The conversation also touched on the mechanics of professional wrestling, with host Mark Titus asking if there are any moves left to invent in a sport that has existed for over a century. MJF confirmed that he is constantly looking for ways to innovate his move set.
MJF explained his philosophy on creating new maneuvers, stating, “I have invented a couple different moves, and I think it’s no different than the same way a Michael Jordan approached the game, the same way Tom Brady approached the game. You can’t reinvent the wheel necessarily, but you can. There’s little things you can do to just make your game different, to keep people like off and on their toes, and that’s how I look at pro wrestling.”
MJF also addressed the current state of AEW. When asked about the company’s performance, he claimed that business metrics are trending upward.
MJF said, “Ticket sales are up in every single market, year over year. The ratings are up slowly but steadily. And look, professional wrestling is a roller coaster. You have your highs, you have your lows, but right now we’re on a steady incline.”
He listed several of his current potential rivals in the promotion, saying, “I’ve got all these top guys. I got Samoa Joe, Kenny Omega, Swerve Strickland, Hangman Adam Page, Brody King, Bandito, Andrade El Idolo. The list goes on and on.”
The conversation later shifted to the topic of the GOAT in professional wrestling. MJF noted the difficulty of the question, citing how the answer changes based on criteria such as mic skills or in-ring ability.
He explained his perspective on his own legacy, stating, “One day my answer would be Roddy Piper. The next day, my answer would be Ric Flair. The next day, my answer would be Stone Cold Steve Austin… I think there’s an argument to be made on the greatest talker in the history of professional wrestling. And I think I’m steadily going to make an argument for the fact that I’m one of the best bell to bell professional wrestlers of all time.”
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