MJF has never been subtle about defending professional wrestling, and his latest comments leave no room for interpretation.
The AEW World Champion addressed the long-running criticism that wrestling is “fake” during an interview with WDW News, making it clear that he takes the insult personally and isn’t interested in playing along with anyone who disrespects the craft.
For years, wrestlers and fans have dealt with outsiders dismissing the industry as fake or lesser than other forms of entertainment. MJF’s response was to reject the premise entirely while also calling out the double standard applied to wrestling compared to movies, television, and comic books.
“I think the same reason why people love movies, TV or comic books. And when I hear people say wrestling’s fake, first of all, tell that to my body.”
He pushed back harder on the idea that wrestling should even be treated differently than other forms of storytelling.
“Let’s live in a world where wrestling’s fake. It’s not. Just like Disney magic isn’t fake either. It’s not fake at all.”
MJF then acknowledged the hypothetical for the sake of argument, but still made it clear that disrespecting wrestling to his face crosses a line. He closed the point by comparing wrestling to the entertainment people already consume without question.
“Let’s pretend it is for five seconds. Even though if you say it to me in the street, I will punch you in the face.”
“It’s fake? So are movies. So is TV. So is comic books. All the things that I know you love.”
The comments fit directly in line with who MJF has always presented himself to be — someone who blurs the line between character and reality while demanding respect for the profession and the physical toll that comes with it.
MJF’s stance isn’t about trying to convince skeptics anymore. It’s about drawing a hard line and making it clear that wrestling deserves the same respect as any other form of entertainment, especially from those who benefit from the spectacle while mocking the performers behind it.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
