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Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
What you're asking me to do right now is the equivalent to, okay, you're out at a bar and you tell this girl you're a comedian. And what is the first thing that the dumb annoying girl asks you to do?
Adam Friedland
Have sex with her.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
No, tell me a joke, dog.
Adam Friedland
No, she says, tell me a joke.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
She says, tell me a joke. All right, well, when it comes to Adam Friedland, this dumb, disgusting, sniveling hebe with a mustache and warts all over his face, four eyed piece of is going to go down mustache.
Adam Friedland
Okay, Adam Friedland, what do you have to say? Okay, so then I'm like, dude, I hate you like so much. Hell yeah, dude, you just suck.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
All right.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Like, no, dude, you're killing it.
Adam Friedland
I'm gonna punch you so hard right in the face your mom had with every single guy at the company. Even the guys that clean the bathrooms. Okay. And not only them, just guys that live like near the building. Second of all, Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Adam Friedland Show. I'm host, Adam Friedland. It's a new, It's a new thing. I'm host Adam Friedland. End of next week, the 17th, 18th, Tampa, Florida side Splitters Comedy Club. Please come. It's a really fun club. I forgot to mention pretty much for two months that I'm gonna be in Tampa, Florida. And end of next week, the 17th and 18th Friday, it's going to be a blast. Los Angeles, California. San Francisco, California. Portland, Oregon. More dates to be added go to AdamFriedland Show. My guest this week is reigning AEW heavyweight champion of the world, Maxwell Jacob Friedman, or MJF for short. He's a wrestler, folks. But before prepping for this interview, I didn't know anything about the world of wrestling. Violence and gore has never been my thing. If you've asked me to name a professional wrestler, I suppose I would have said Jesse the Body Ventura, who I of course know as the former governor of the 32nd state, Minnesota. Remember he used to say it. The people of Minnesota, always eager to learn. I dove headfirst into the world of professional wrestling. And what I found shocked me. Now, I'm not sure if AEW is aware of this, but MJF is a potty mouth. He says foul things. And I was under the impression that wrestlers are like superheroes or firefighters, figures who exist for little boys to look up to, to aspire to. In that regard, MJF is a massive failure. He insults people, he's rude, and he seems to have little to no respect. For his opponents in the ring. And this is why in preparation, my employees have prepared a list of insults. Is that correct, boys? Crafted especially to hurt me in an effort to harden my heart before I sit down to face off with one of the meanest guys that's ever been on tv. Alright, go ahead. Your mama's so ugly, your dad takes her to work with him every day so he doesn't have to kiss her goodbye. Funny. Used to be called a jump oleen before your mama got on it. Yo mama is so poor she eats cereal with a fork to save milk. Yo mama's so old. Save milk to save milk. So she lives. She reuses the milk. She just has soggy. Yeah, she has.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
She has soggy.
Adam Friedland
Did you hear about the gay Polish guy? He slept with women. Why? Because he's the opposite. He likes opposites. Okay, I think I'm ready for this episode. Please enjoy. Maxwell Jacob Friedman. Let's do the ads. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct honor to welcome the champion of all elite wrestling. He's also an actor, he's also Jewish. Mjf.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Here we go, baby. Two Jews about to chop it up. Can you believe this? This is fantastic. Right here, buddy.
Adam Friedland
Right here.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
This is gonna be great, dude. This You. You. Well, yeah. Let's rock out a little bit. Yeah.
Adam Friedland
Wow.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Best theme song in wrestling.
Adam Friedland
That's the best theme song in wrestling. Oh.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Hands down. It's not even close.
Adam Friedland
Of all time, you think?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Probably of all time. Yeah. You know that and it's not the glass breaking. I mean, great. What, you want me to sit here and pretend that's not great turn to turn?
Adam Friedland
Yeah, I mean that's iconic, but like,
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
but that has become iconic of this generation.
Adam Friedland
You're, you're still, you know, you know, you're a young man.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Still I'm a young man. But hall of fame career already.
Adam Friedland
Your career, like you will have an iconic. Like when you hear whose music is that?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
That when that bass drops.
Adam Friedland
Yeah, yeah. And they will know that like the fart sounding kind of guy. It's Mr. Fart.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
It's Mr. Fart Sounding Man.
Adam Friedland
It's the Howard Stern character. Fartman. Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
There you go.
Adam Friedland
No. Yeah. Well, thank you so much for coming. Happy Passover. Congratulations. Now two time champion.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Absolutely.
Adam Friedland
All leaders, this is in the way.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I'm gonna move it. You guys wanna see this belt? Beautiful. Look at this thing.
Adam Friedland
Oh, yeah. Actually. That was great. So who makes these things?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I have. No, some, you know, poor schlucky looking guy.
Adam Friedland
And are these real diamonds?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Real Diamonds. Real gold? Platinum gold.
Adam Friedland
Have you had someone with a, like, you know, that test?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I have not done the tester, but my. My company, like the company itself, All E Wrestling, has done the tester because they paid a wide margin of money for this world Championship.
Adam Friedland
Did they go to the Diamond District? They.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
That. I don't know.
Adam Friedland
I can't speak on Some uncut gems, kind of like. You have your belt ready?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah. Well, I can tell you this, the person who made this belt, not a Jew. You know, this is. This is probably a guy from, like, Arkansas or Alabama that does, like, leather work. But then as far as the jewels go.
Adam Friedland
Okay, thank you.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
That is where we came in. Yeah. No, no, this is not a gentile.
Adam Friedland
You got diamonds from a guy? No. What? Diamonds from Arkansas?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
No, no, These aren't fakacted diamonds.
Adam Friedland
They're not a fugazi.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
No fugazi. No fukata.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. I've had a great time researching for this because, like, I obviously was. I was super into wrestling growing up, and then kind of like it ended maybe the Attitude era. You're younger than me. You're 30, correct?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
30 on the nose.
Adam Friedland
Yes, sir. So I'm 38. So you missed kind of everything Great.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I missed a lot of the cool shit. And then when I came into the play, it was called the Ruthless Aggression Era. So you're talking about your John Cena's, your Kurt Angles, you know, Randy Orton, These were the guys. Brock Lesnar.
Adam Friedland
Was that also known as the PG era?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
It was also a part of the PG era, which is why I woked it. What's that?
Adam Friedland
They woke it.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
They tried to work, they woke it up. It got wokey.
Adam Friedland
Yeah, yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And it's still a little PG now, but, like, for me, that's why when I was a kid, I gravitated towards a lot of the old school traditional stuff. Like, you're Ric Flairs of the world, you're Roddy Pipers of the world. And I fell into just a rabbit hole of old school, 80s territory wrestling because I was like, oh, this is cool. Why can't it be cool? And then AEW came along and I was like, I can make. I can make the thing. Like what I. What my vision is for pro wrestling. I'm given the leash to try to, you know, throw that out there. And that's. That's what I'm doing now.
Adam Friedland
So that was your thought process in choosing aew?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Absolutely.
Adam Friedland
I mean, wwe, you had the freedom and the agency.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yes, absolutely. And, you know, WWE was very interested in me. When I was, Gosh, I think 21 or 22 at the time, and AEW was just starting out, it was. It wasn't even a thing yet. But after talking to Tony Khan, my boss, I was like, I think this place is going to understand me and understand, like, what my. What I think professional wrestling can and should be.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. You know, they call it, what, the 203 call, right? Or, like, getting the 203 call.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
What's the 203 call?
Adam Friedland
From Connecticut.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
From Connecticut. Ah, that's cute.
Adam Friedland
That's cute.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah. Some people say Connecticut. Some people say the New York call.
Adam Friedland
Call the New York.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. That's not New York.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, yeah. It's not a New York at all.
Adam Friedland
Oh, sorry.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Rut row.
Adam Friedland
Okay. All right, give me a second. Sorry. Okay. Fuck. Fuck. Okay. What's. What. What's going on? My mic.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Can we keep this on the blooper reel?
Adam Friedland
Just give me a second, guys.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Don't cut. The thing about poor people from Vegas is, you know, it's going to take time for them to adapt when they make it big. This is a big deal for him. He's interviewing the world champion. The lights don't work anymore.
Adam Friedland
Very nice. Very nice. Wow.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
The problem is you look more like a ranch hand with a hat on than a rabbi.
Adam Friedland
A rabbi.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah. That's another one. You're just missing the Pesach.
Adam Friedland
Okay.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I gotta believe.
Adam Friedland
I gotta tell you something. I got, like, literally, I'm not lying. That was a. That was a for effort. I would say a C minus, but
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
you gave your all.
Adam Friedland
In my stomach.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
The butterflies. Yeah.
Adam Friedland
Oh, I felt it.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
You ascended the lights, cut the bell. How do you feel right now?
Adam Friedland
I want to choke slam you so bad. I want to doomstone pile drive you. I just want combat.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Okay.
Adam Friedland
So cool. You get to do that.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
It's fun. It's a really good time.
Adam Friedland
And they scream.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
They. For me, they boo quite, quite loudly for some reason. Because I think I'm a great guy.
Adam Friedland
No, you've crossed that threshold a little bit. You've got that thing that Rock had where he was like, you said it, not me. Where it's like, you're so good at it that they love being a dick. I gotta say, like, the first time I became aware of you is I have a group of friends who all live in. Outside the city. And they were all like those guys that. They all went to rehab together. So they've been like.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So clearly they're wrestling fans.
Adam Friedland
So that. Yes. They've been sober, they've been Sober since they were, like, you know, like 20.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
So they have to, like, get into baby stuff. So they kick so they can't do drugs to stop them from doing drugs. And so it was like, Thursday. They're like, oh, Smackdown's on it. I was like, I haven't watched this so long. And I watched, and I guess I just didn't. I'm gonna be a boomer for a second, but I feel like in my generation, we just had the prefabs, Stone cold. We had the Rock, and we had just like. It was exhilarating. I was like, who are the new guys? Like that. And I just didn't connect right. I saw that there was, like, Roman Reigns and a bunch of Samoan guys were like, they're. They had a frat and then some guy, Sammy. They were, like, being mean to him.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Sami Zayn.
Adam Friedland
And I was like, I'm just not connecting with this. And then we switched to AEW afterwards, and I saw that this is the only. This guy is a fucking star.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
And you're looking at the schmucks in the audience, and you're like, you're poor.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah. And they are. That's the sad truth.
Adam Friedland
You're like, look at me. I'm a fancy man. You're poor, and I'm stronger than you. The catchphrase. Let's go through that. What is your catchphrase?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
My name is Maxwell Jacob Friedman. I'm better than you and you know.
Adam Friedland
It's better than you and you know.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And it's effective.
Adam Friedland
Can I give you a couple notes, please? Okay. You need something that enters the cultural zeitgeist.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Sure.
Adam Friedland
When DX did two words, suck caused an epidemic in middle school of children
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
just pointing out your crotches.
Adam Friedland
We were just teachers. I mean, there were parent meetings about it. Suck. It is still in the cultural vernacular. People don't even realize that.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah. They don't even know what it's from.
Adam Friedland
That. It's from dx.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
What I'll say is, we have a guy in our company. His name's Bryan Danielson, and he would do this. Yes. Chant. And now you see it all the time at the Islanders games, and people don't even realize it's a wrestling thing.
Adam Friedland
Can of whoop ass. That's everywhere.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Jabroni.
Adam Friedland
I don't know. Did you come up with Jabroni or.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Jabroni is originally. The Iron Sheik said Jabroni. The Rock heard him say it. He loved it. And then he started doing it on television.
Adam Friedland
Is he still. Still with Us. The Iron Sheik.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
The Iron Sheik, I believe, passed away, unfortunately. Yeah, great guy.
Adam Friedland
Yeah, great guy. I also, the, the other guy I see a lot of, obviously with the promos, like, you have to connect it to the, like, probably the best I've ever seen at promos. I, I see you up there, but like, it's, it's, it's the Rock, I mean, like, of all time that I ever watch.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
In your opinion.
Adam Friedland
Sure.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I would put Steve Austin up there as well.
Adam Friedland
And that's the bottom line. Yeah, but bottom line is just that's. No one said, you know, I just think I'm better than you is a thing that rich girls in high school say.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So what I will say is it's. And it does mean a lot to me just because as a kid, you would throw around those catch phrases that you hear on tv. I do a lot when I'm in the airport, people are screaming it. I hear stories, especially on the island, where parents feel the need to run up to me to let me know that their child got in trouble because they just pointed at the teacher and said it. Yeah, yeah. So it's cool. It's catching on.
Adam Friedland
How bad has a kid. A kid may have died trying to do one of your moves, do you
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
think, oh, there's probably plenty of kids that are paralyzed. And I think that's funny you.
Adam Friedland
Because you probably have like a body count on.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, for sure. But the thing is, you know, before all the AEW shows, we tell people, hey, don't try this at home. So if you do, you know, don't.
Adam Friedland
If you say that, then we literally tell, hey, don't do this if you're 11 years old. Yeah, what, are you gonna not do it at home?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Oh, I mean, I know I did. That's why I do it now for a living, professionally. It's just I did it better than everybody at the pool.
Adam Friedland
Do you remember just doing like a rock Bottom with your friend?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
You mentioned, you mentioned a tombstone. Yeah, that was my go to move is I would sling someone over my shoulder and I'd do a running tombstone off the diving board into the pool.
Adam Friedland
We would paralyze children, for sure.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
The fact that the fact that all wrestling fans are still breathing is a testament, you know, to the human race and our toughness. Because I don't know anyone who grew up watching pro wrestling that didn't just beat the. Out of somebody trying to perform what they were watching, you know, on tv. I think everyone attempted a figure four leg lock. I feel like at Least once in their life.
Adam Friedland
And then our moms would be just.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Just very. Especially Jewish mothers. When you're real crying.
Adam Friedland
And he's just being such a. Fuck.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
My fault. He's a pussy.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. You know, and it's like, what? He shouldn't have fucking erased my memory card. It's a PlayStation.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
It's a mess.
Adam Friedland
I wouldn't have. I wouldn't have fucking. I wouldn't have.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So PlayStation before my time. So Xbox. What was the. The console. Although I will say, When I was five, I remember GameCube. I have a memory of game.
Adam Friedland
Remember Crazy Taxi?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I do remember Crazy.
Adam Friedland
It was about a drunk guy, people.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, there was. Because there was different timeout. It was. There was different crazy Taxi. Like characters that you could be when you drove the car, I believe.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
At least the version that I played.
Adam Friedland
I did. I did the. Oh, I don't want to do what Asian woman.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I see. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Adam Friedland
Come on. I would never. I would never. We'll cut that.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, I did the Asian one. We'll fix it in post. Okay.
Adam Friedland
We'll fix that.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
We'll fix your racism in post.
Adam Friedland
Okay, fine. Well, actually, can I get my iPad? I left.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Adam Friedland
I have my question. Okay, so, no, it's right behind.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Fantastic.
Adam Friedland
This will be cut, too. At any point. Okay.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
What I will say. And I'm gonna cut you off for two seconds because I'm a lot bigger than you, and I can.
Adam Friedland
You're not a lot bigger than you. Go ahead.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Okay, so you had mentioned something about the difference between WWE and aew, and I think that's why right now my company has so much momentum, is it feels like the shit that people grew up on, and it's exciting. No, please take the phone call.
Adam Friedland
My dad's calling, and I feel.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Is it okay if I take it?
Adam Friedland
Yeah. Cause you have to say, wait, look at his name. Look at his name.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Let me talk to Max. Wait, wait, wait.
Adam Friedland
Yeah, but I got him. Okay. Yeah, dad. Max, I'm in the middle of an interview right now. Yeah, but guess what the guy's name is.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
My name is also Max. You're talking to the AEW Max Friedman,
Adam Friedland
and your name is Max.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So, Max, I got a question for you. On a scale of 1 to 10, how Jewish are you?
Adam Friedland
I'm in 11.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
11. I love that answer. Am I detecting an accent, my friend?
Adam Friedland
Yeah, he's from Cape Town. Yes, I am. I'm Kurdish.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Oh, exciting. You know, so we just.
Adam Friedland
We. The Kurdish.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yes, yes. We actually just had a show in Australia, around your neck of the woods?
Adam Friedland
That's not. No, that's nowhere near.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
What are you talking about?
Adam Friedland
You should have. Gotta call it.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I thought you said Australia.
Adam Friedland
No, he's from South Africa.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
South Africa. That's very far away.
Adam Friedland
Kurdistan.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Kurdistan.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I'm a pro wrestler, not a fucking geographer.
Adam Friedland
All right.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Okay. Okay. How many Jews are there in Cape Town?
Adam Friedland
I feel like a lot. That we all left about 50,000. Really? Don't count, dad. Don't count Jews.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
It's okay.
Adam Friedland
No, if you count. It's dicey. Yeah. That's what they did. They like to count us. Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Well, at least he's not writing the numbers down on them.
Adam Friedland
Right? All right, Pop.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I have. Max, it's been lovely talking to you.
Adam Friedland
It's been absolutely gorgeous talking to you. Too soon.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Kike. To kike. This has been so much fun, Max, and I thank you.
Adam Friedland
And I'm better than you, and you know it. Okay, that's.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
He's a great guy.
Adam Friedland
Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah. I just hurt his feelings.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
But as.
Adam Friedland
Call him back and tell him that. That's a thing from you.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. But as I was saying, I think that's what makes my company stand out, is we. We feel like the wrestling that you grew up on.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And it's not all squeaky clean and PG and bullshit and cinema. It's real.
Adam Friedland
It's good. Yeah. And that.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
That.
Adam Friedland
That was. Again, that was a WCW moment.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Oh, yeah.
Adam Friedland
Right. Which was. That was the new Kid on the Block as well, for sure.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And we're on the same. We're Warner. We're in that Warner umbrella.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. Yeah. So when. What.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
What do you.
Adam Friedland
I like apropos of that, like, Goldberg moment. Which is so funny.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
I mean, it's. So. You kind of are carrying the torch. Max Friedman.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, but, like, Max Goldberg.
Adam Friedland
Bill Goldberg, like, everyone was like.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
The way you're saying it somehow makes it sound more Jewish.
Adam Friedland
Bill Goldberg just won the championship.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Oh, God. Bill Goldberg with his spear.
Adam Friedland
There's nothing they can do to stop it.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I mean, this guy's out of his mind.
Adam Friedland
I said, they never let us. They never let us. Okay, but, like, what was the moment that you had like that. Like, what was the moment when you fell in love? Because you were. You at five, you were on Rosie o'. Donnell. Correct. You said you wanted to be a
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
wrestler at five years old. I told the world. So.
Adam Friedland
So what was the moment you decided you fell in love with that. With it, and you knew this is what I wanted to fucking do?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
This is such a lame answer, but the first time I saw it, I knew. And what had happened was I was at my uncle house. Uncle Allen Weissman, if you're curious. Not a Christian.
Adam Friedland
Oh, yeah, yeah. He was the super lightweight. They made a new division. The lightest, one of the lightest. He only fought women.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
They couldn't find the man in his weight class.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Well, Andy Kaufman, another Jew, used to fight women.
Adam Friedland
Yeah, I know. That was so good.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
It was tremendous.
Adam Friedland
Yeah, but.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So I was at my uncle's house, he was showing me the wrestling. I immediately was engrossed with it and I made my father take me to, at the time, what was called Hollywood Video.
Adam Friedland
I used to. We used to go to Hollywood Video too.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, there you go. I wasn't a Blockbuster guy, I was a Hollywood Video.
Adam Friedland
It was closer to the house. Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And I went with my dad. And I didn't get to see the matches in full when I was at my uncle's house because it was like a family party going on. It was a Friday night. It might have been.
Adam Friedland
Pass job. Cut that. Okay. In this day and age. Yeah, yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
We can't be too Jewish. No, we'll offend somebody.
Adam Friedland
We're going to start. President Fuentes is going to start Auschwitz too, after this. Okay, stop, we'll cut that. No, it's just a straight face of the PR division. Okay, continue.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So. So, yeah, I made my dad take me and I just saw one disc and this is why it's so funny to me that you came out to his music. I saw it was a VHS and on the COVID was this zombie looking guy. And I put it in and I fast forwarded to what was called a Hell in a Cell match because it sounded the most interesting. The first match I ever watched in full was Mick Foley, Mankind vs. The Undertaker in the Hell in a Cell match, which is probably one of the greatest matches of all time.
Adam Friedland
It was.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And I was. I was like heroin addict level hooked. After that it was over.
Adam Friedland
He was cool because he. He had different Personas. Like simultaneously he would do Dude Love and Mankind. And there was a third one, if I remember. I don't.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Dude Love Mankind, Cactus Jack.
Adam Friedland
Cactus Jack.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
There you go. And a cool factoid. Mick Foley wants. Wanted me to retire him. He had. He had reached out to my boss and asked if he could do a program with me. And I was like, he's a little fat and old, but I, you know, I consider it.
Adam Friedland
So you beat his ass.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I was ready to. He got hurt in training. Really and so we never got to do it. And he recently, after one of my matches, he posted that, you know, I. I wanted to wrestle mjf. I still want to wrestle.
Adam Friedland
Showed his. He gave you your flowers.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, he gave me my flowers. God bless him. God bless him. Another Long islander.
Adam Friedland
What does it feel like when. When a guy like that, like, shows love, like, or like gives you your. I mean, the undertaker did as well. I saw a clip of him talking
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
about the undertaker, John Cena, the rock hat. It's, you know, it's. I don't want to say I see it coming because that seems egotistical and anyone who knows me knows I'm a really humble guy. But what I will say, you know, you're good, though. That's the thing. Yeah, I know. I know how great I am and I know I'm gonna go down as an all time great. But when you hear other all time greats say it, and I think you'll understand this because I know you're a comedian. If a good comedian tells. Exactly.
Adam Friedland
Yeah, it feels good.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
It feels good.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Even if you know deep down goddamn fucking right it was a good set on me. But still. Oh, shit. The guy that I grew up watching do this thing that I love is telling me that I'm good at this thing. Yeah, it's. It's special for sure. It's absolutely special.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. Alonzo Hamburger Jones one time told me.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Did he really?
Adam Friedland
Yeah, yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
What was that moment like?
Adam Friedland
Well, then he asked me to put on this dress and I had to go to a party in the.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Was it not an island?
Adam Friedland
No, no island.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
You didn't go to the island?
Adam Friedland
No island. Yeah, no island.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
No island.
Adam Friedland
YouTube was around when you were in high school. So that's how you like did your research fully.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Was YouTube? Yeah, YouTube was around essentially my entire childhood. I know that for you. What were you, like a Vimeo guy?
Adam Friedland
YouTube came out in kind of in college.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Don't laugh at him being old. What? YouTube.
Adam Friedland
YouTube was. And like. Yeah, YouTube more so was like a real thing in college. Yeah, but like, so that's how you could access like all the.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Everything I was able to watch, like the full cannon of old school wrestlers and all the territories that were like cut off. So, like most of the world didn't get to watch what was going on in a Portland territory or in a Texas territory in Amarillo, Texas. And like, you just get to. In my opinion, if you're not incredible this day and age, you're just lazy. Cause like, there's so much to study. And I study rigorously, you know, so.
Adam Friedland
Going back to, like, when I first saw you on aew, like, one thing that I think that you kind of grasp that I think is, to me, what's more important is not the actual technical aspects of a fight, it's that it means something. It's the fact that I, Bill Goldberg,
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I prayed creating an emotional investment.
Adam Friedland
There's this guy that doesn't even talk, and he's just strong and he's on this. He comes out of nowhere and he's on a streak. I mean, you're like, narratively, you're attached to it. So when you. The fact that you do, you feel like other wrestlers in this day and age take promos, like, as seriously as you do.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
No, these guys are stupid, idiotic, scrawny, little fucking dorks. And the only thing they're concerned with is hitting cool moves. So they get a round of applause.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
It's not something I can relate to at all. I'm here to be a star. I'm here to make the most money. I'm here to be world champion. I'm here to be a draw. I'm here to start doing big movies, which I'm already starting to do. I'm here to make a name for myself and build my brand up to such a point that I become synonymous with not just all elite wrestling, but with professional wrestling as a whole. So in 20 years from now, you know, someone's sitting down and going, holy fucking shit. So you're a wrestler like mjf? Because right now, when people say, oh, you're a wrestler like the Rock, or you're a wrestler like Stone Cold, that's my goal. There's an argument to be made that all elite wrestling, for the most part, is where only most real wrestling is happening.
Adam Friedland
Tell me about the company. Like you guys are experts Exploding.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, we're fucking killing it.
Adam Friedland
How fast are you growing?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So the company's only six years old. Yeah, we had a show already with 81,000 people there at Wembley Stadium. I main evented it and won. Yeah, Shocker. Now we're up met. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, we're killing it. Metrically, we're up year over year in literally every single important key demo, like ticket sales, ratings, pay per view buys. I wonder if it's because I'm world champion. Who's to say?
Adam Friedland
Who's to say anti Semitism?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Well, they have to tune in. Hopefully the Jew gets his come on stake this guy.
Adam Friedland
This is great for us.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yes. This Anti Semitism.
Adam Friedland
We don't get business.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
More, please.
Adam Friedland
Yeah, yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And no. We're absolutely killing it. And the thing is, as much as I'd like to take complete credit, which realistically I could if I wanted to.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
But I'm not going to because I'm a mensch. Mensch of the sench, some say. Salt of the earth, you know, we've got guys like me. We've got Hangman, Adam Page, we've got Swerve Strickland, we got Samoa Joe, Chris Jericho's back. We got Jon Moxley, we got Darby Allin, we've got Kenny Omega. The list goes on and on of people like you said that make people feel like kids again.
Adam Friedland
Yeah, yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
They're all in my company. You tune into the other company. They've got great stuff going on, but all their top acts are in their 40s. They just are. And a lot of our top acts are young, hungry men.
Adam Friedland
You know, Pause.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
No, no pause. We're starving, but starving for success.
Adam Friedland
But like, in the. From what I understand, over my belly's full in Connecticut, I. From what I understand, in order to like, drive engagement, they're bringing back like 75 year olds.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yes. They're bringing back, like, okay, yeah, you hit the music of the Undertaker. Which is. Which is understandable because the Undertaker was when everybody was, you know, growing up in your age demographic and also, honestly, in mine, star stud, like, top draw. Right, right. So what do you do if you need to get general people who don't really watch your product anymore or kind of bored by your product? Bring John Cena back. Bring the Undertaker back. And that's not me shitting on wwe. I get it. It's a smart business practice. But what we're doing and the way we're bringing thousands of people into these pay per views and these television shows, you know, Wednesdays, TBS, 8:00pm Saturdays, TNT, 8:00pm you can also watch us streaming on HBO. Max, no big deal. What we're doing is we're giving you fresh, we're giving you new. We are not resting on, you know, the. The past.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. And you don't need to like, kind of like, what.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
What is this? What is this?
Adam Friedland
This is.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I like the Tony.
Adam Friedland
I mean, I mean, this is kind of just like a pleasure. I think this is a recreation of the Dick. Dick Cavett show set.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Dick Cavett.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. Yeah. Have you ever watched.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Can I ask you a question?
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
What was it like growing up with a dad that sounded like that?
Adam Friedland
That sounded like that. Yeah, it was.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Did it throw people off. Like when you'd have plate, like, plate. Like kids would come over to play at your house where they'd be like, what the.
Adam Friedland
It was hard. Yeah, it was hard. Growing up with a dad that sounded like that.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, I bet.
Adam Friedland
Fact.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And let's edit this part out. I didn't know he was gonna get emotional.
Adam Friedland
All my friends just wanted to hang out with him.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, I had a cool mom growing up. It was a problem.
Adam Friedland
My dad.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I had the same issue.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. Really?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Oh, yeah. Yeah. It's not cuz she was hot. It was because she had, like, a really great personality.
Adam Friedland
You got pics.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
You got pics of your mom?
Adam Friedland
Yeah, well, she passed away, but, yeah, she was. She was really hot.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Was she hot before she died?
Adam Friedland
I don't know. The day she died. I don't think she was. She was probably pretty.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
How old are you when she passed?
Adam Friedland
Six years ago.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So I have a question.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah. You prayed that Bill Goldberg would win?
Adam Friedland
I prayed to God.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Did you pray to God that your. Your mom would be okay, or did you only pray when.
Adam Friedland
No Goldberg.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So you would say that you were more invested in Bill Goldberg winning?
Adam Friedland
I was a belt. I was a little kid. That I felt bad that I. That I didn't believe in God. And I was like, this one time. God. I also prayed. I prayed before
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
this interview.
Adam Friedland
No, before Stone Cold versus Shawn Michaels.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Okay. That Steve would win.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Hell yeah.
Adam Friedland
I'm just like, please. Like, he has to.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So every prayer you've ever done was for pro wrestling?
Adam Friedland
It just. No. And maybe. Maybe like sports. Like. Yeah, but yeah, it's just like. Well, that's the thing about the promo, right? The promo creates context and narrative and story. And that's, like, why sports matters to us is because we create meaning behind it, even though we're just watching, like, strong, good body guys that are good at a game, you know? And I mean, it's the same thing to me. Right? And so, yeah, I remember I was like, Mike Tyson and D Generation X are up to no good. God. And Stone Cold Steve Austin is just one of the most badass, coolest guys of all time that met me. If he met me, he would like me. Wait, you say that like every time you're on an interview, an interviewer tries to kind of.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
They make the mistake of trying to, like, outwit me, and then it gets really uncomfortable.
Adam Friedland
Well, can I.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And sometimes physical.
Adam Friedland
Can we just do.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I'm gonna let you do your thing.
Adam Friedland
No, no, no. Okay. Mean, Gene's here, right? Now he's got the mic and he's like, you know, okay, Wrestlemania is next week and, you know, I have a
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
feeling this is gonna go great.
Adam Friedland
And we're fighting each other for the championship. Yeah, Just show me the magic. Show me your magic and then I'll come back to you and I'll see you.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
What you're asking me to do right now is the equivalent to, okay, you're out on a bar and you tell this girl you're a comedian and what is the first thing that the dumb annoying girl asks you to do?
Adam Friedland
Have sex with her.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
No, tell me a joke, Raw Dog.
Adam Friedland
No, she just tell me a joke.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
She says, tell me a joke and then you get frustrated because it's like, well, it doesn't work like that because it's a whole bit.
Adam Friedland
So just do an abridged version because I have to do this bit that I prepared. Okay. It's gonna bomb probably.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
All right, so.
Adam Friedland
So next week in Winston Salem, North Carolina, Adam Friedland. Yeah. So mjf, like, you hate this, man.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
The first all Jewish Heavyweight Championship. Yeah. Like, what can we be expecting in Winston Salem, North? I don't know why I'm saying that. North Carolina? Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Why are we in North Carolina?
Adam Friedland
I don't know why. It just sounds like a place.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
It sounds something like we're wrestling people.
Adam Friedland
Yeah, they do wrestle.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
All right, that's good. That's.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. Okay.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
All right, well, when it comes to Adam Friedland, this dumb, disgusting, sniveling he with a rape mustache and warts all over his face, four eyed piece of shit is going to go down.
Adam Friedland
Rape must. Okay, yeah. Okay. So all right. All right. And then Adam Friedland, what do you have to say? Okay, so then I'm like, dude, I hate you like so much. Hell yeah. You just fucking suck.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
All right.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Like, no, dude, you're fucking killing it.
Adam Friedland
I'm gonna punch you so hard right in the face when I punch you. It's gonna be two hits. All right? It's gonna be the hit of me punching you and then the recording, audio recording of everyone laughing in the stadium, which is gonna become a number one hit single and sell more copies than Candle in the Wind. Okay. I do feel bad a little bit and I wanna just. No one's telling you something and this is what makes me feel bad about how bad I'm gonna be, you know, in Winston Salem, North Carolina. So, like, I don't know if you know this, but the only reason you work secret, the work that you work here at this company is because your parents. Okay, okay. Your mom had sex with every single guy at the company. Even the guys that clean the bathrooms. Okay. And not only them, just guys that live like near the building.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
Right? Yeah. All of the fights you've had so far. Oh, God, this is embarrassing.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Can I just cut you off really quick?
Adam Friedland
You need to know this.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I have, but I have all the
Adam Friedland
fights you've had so far.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I have a question.
Adam Friedland
No, no, no.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Okay, go ahead, go ahead.
Adam Friedland
All the fights you've had so far have been fake. Cuz your mom, they feel bad for you, so they let you win.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
They let me win because they're sexy.
Adam Friedland
And then your mom, your mom also has sex with them. And your dad writes them a check for a million dollars.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
And all the fights, including even when you were a kid, because your mom had sex with those kids.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
With those kids, too.
Adam Friedland
And your dad wrote them a check for a million dollars.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
Also, I gotta say, the only reason they hired you is cause it's free. Cause your dad writes AEW a check.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Check. And then they give it to you.
Adam Friedland
And they give it to you to make you feel like you have a job. And then also, this is unrelated, but could you, like. I have a favor. Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Could you.
Adam Friedland
This is weird. Could you ask your wife to stop trying to have sex with me so much?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Okay.
Adam Friedland
Okay. Because the text messages she's been sending have been, I mean, quite frankly, disturbing.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
And she knows that my girlfriend is 10 times hotter than her. Yeah. And finally, here comes my catchphrase. Okay, I just. Listen, you fucking crap. Okay. Listen. Crap.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Okay.
Adam Friedland
I have one question for you and it's a simple yes or no answer.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
Do you recognize Israel's right to exist?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Okay, I'm going to respond to everything you just said. Firstly, I didn't know we were gonna go here.
Adam Friedland
Okay?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And I. And because I feel bad. Ooh, brother, no, no, no, no.
Adam Friedland
Ooh, I'm mad at you.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
No, no, no, no, no. I really do feel bad. I need you to know something. I had someone tell you that my mom sleeps with everybody. No, no, it's my turn. That my mom sleeps with everybody and that's why they let me win the matches. I had somebody tell you that my father pays the boss to pay me. Okay? And I had some. I had my wife contact you to tell you that she wanted to have sex with you. She said, now let me explain why.
Adam Friedland
Sushi.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Let me say. Let me explain why. I'm gonna explain why. I wanted you to feel very confident Going into this.
Adam Friedland
Okay.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Oh, okay.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I want you to feel confident going this. I want you to go into this match thinking this is going to be easy pickings for you. And there's another part of the story I need you to know.
Adam Friedland
This going to be easy.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Listen, your mom's dead.
Adam Friedland
She is.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
But you don't know why.
Adam Friedland
Brain cancer.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Nope. That's what they told you.
Adam Friedland
Killed my mom.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I killed your mom, dude.
Adam Friedland
Okay. Well, okay. Let me respond in kind, okay. To these allegations.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
First of all, in cold blood, why
Adam Friedland
did your mom have sex with me last night? She. Second of all, why did your dad give me a million dollars last night? Third of all, you're gay. But the saddest part is that gay guys don't want to have sex with you. And that's.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Is it.
Adam Friedland
Cause I'm closeted and they love having sex with guys. So that's just depressing to me. Third of all, probably.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
How many things did you write down?
Adam Friedland
Five, six, you're probably five six, but max, you're wearing lips. You're five six. Your mom gave me pussy last night.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
You're doing great.
Adam Friedland
Okay.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Lifts pussy.
Adam Friedland
Oh, and I have one.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I'm gay.
Adam Friedland
And I have one last catchphrase that I want to say to you.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
In response to everything you've just said, all the lies, all the gaslighting of the AEW audience, the craziest audience, the most loyal fan base in the fucking world, said no one ever.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Okay.
Adam Friedland
That's my catchphrase. That was sick.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Here's. Can I tell you the funniest part of this whole thing?
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So what you just did, when I do like signings, people do this like, like earnestly.
Adam Friedland
They do it like, like they think.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yes. So like. But they come way more prepared than what you just did.
Adam Friedland
So is with his kids.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yes. Yes. They have a six year old child with them. And they're like, they've been. Brother, they've been in front of the mirror all week. They're like, I'm gonna fucking get mjf, dude. He has no idea. And they fucking wait in line for six hours and they pay me a lot of money. And then they stand there and they do exactly what you just did. But somehow it's better than what I just did. That was fucking hard.
Adam Friedland
You heard the craziest fans in the world, AEW fans, they were loving it. By round of applause, PR guy from aew, you shut the hell up. By round of applause, who won?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
People that he pays.
Adam Friedland
Get loud, you're out of pay. Any of these guys. Non union intern. And by round of silence, everyone. Okay, thank you.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Got me, dude. You got me.
Adam Friedland
You won because it was absolutely silent. All right, I.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
But people do what you just did, and it's. It makes me.
Adam Friedland
They do it because they're mad at you for, I think from tv.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I honestly. So it's. I'm, like, one of the last people, I think, that invokes that.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Like, in humans.
Adam Friedland
But that means you're good.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. That means you got the sauce.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
What I will say is, I don't know if I've ever told this story on a podcast, so someone hated me so much. And Hop might have been in the company for this. Adam Hopkins is our PR guy. For anybody that doesn't know, he's incredible.
Adam Friedland
Give it up for him. Give it up for him. Doing a hell of a job writing down all the things he wants to cut. Okay.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, this might have been pre Adam, but. So I'm at a show in Chicago. My father had just had a heart attack. Don't fucking worry.
Adam Friedland
I gave him that.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
He survived. I gave him that heart attack after I fucked his wife.
Adam Friedland
I had sex with his wife. He said it was so great that he had a heart attack.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah. And I killed your mom.
Adam Friedland
Okay.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So I'm in Chicago. My mother told me, like, don't worry, because this was one of the first pay per views in the history of our company. She was like, you don't want to miss this thing. So I'm there. I'm pretty distraught. I'm worried about my dad. He ended up being okay. And a pilot walks up to me and he goes, Mr. Friedman, I'm gonna be flying you out back home after the show's proceedings, which, to be fair, I've flown on the jet a couple times with my boss up to that point.
Adam Friedland
Anyway, to the island.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Not to the island.
Adam Friedland
Okay, sorry.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Well, to the island. As in Long island, the only island that matters.
Adam Friedland
Okay. Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So Little Long Island. There's no pedophilia going on Little.
Adam Friedland
Say Long Island Long is.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
There you go. Perfect. So I'm. I find my boss after this pilot says this to me, and I knock on his door. He opens the door, he goes, max. I go, that's me. I want you to know how much this means to me, the fact that you're trying to fly me back home to my dad as soon as possible after he had the heart attack. Because he. He did know. My boss, Tony did.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And he goes, what the fuck are you talking about? And I go, the pilot just told. He goes, I didn't fucking book you a jet to go back home tonight. So now I go back over with one of my bosses, like one of the EVPs in the company, QT Marshall. And QT goes, so who you say hired you again? He goes, tony Khan. Tony Khan's my boss. We go, okay, are you sure about that? And then security comes and they grab this guy and. And QT goes. Before the guy leaves, he goes, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Well, let you say if you show us your pilot's license, and the guy, I shit you not, does this. I left it at home. Get the fuck out of here.
Adam Friedland
So.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So then they fucking throw, like. I guess they, like, throw the guy in, whatever you call it, the brig or whatever. They take him fucking downtown.
Adam Friedland
How did he get access to you?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
We still don't know how he got backstage. We still don't know how he got backstage. So. To be fair, though, our security change team has changed since then. But. And it probably was the building security, not even AEW security fault, but they asked this guy, what were you planning on doing? And he was honest. He said he was gonna fucking abduct me.
Adam Friedland
An adult man.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
An adult man was gonna abduct.
Adam Friedland
Just be like, what are you.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
You think he has a wife, you fucking lunatic?
Adam Friedland
No way.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
No way. I mean, fuck if he does. Jesus, that's crazy. Crazy, but, yeah. So that's. That's the craziest, like, a fan wanting me dead scenario I've ever been in, for sure.
Adam Friedland
Jesus Christ.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, it was in Chicago.
Adam Friedland
Was he prosecuted?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
To this day, I don't know what happened after that, you know, before Adam's time.
Adam Friedland
Oh, your hands are clean.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
His hands are clean.
Adam Friedland
Classic. Classic. Classic. The suits over there in the sea in the corner offices, looking down on. On the blue collar. Guys like us.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I. I don't know if I'm blue collar.
Adam Friedland
Yeah, well, you take your clothes off
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
and for millions of dollars.
Adam Friedland
Yeah, but you have to be strong.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, I'm pretty jacked.
Adam Friedland
It's a blue.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
It's a blue collar thing, how jacked I am.
Adam Friedland
How much do you have to work out every day?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I work out six times a week. I don't work out more than once a day, though. And I do a different body part every time. I'm in the gym every morning. When I wake up, I do fasted cardio for an hour on the Stairmaster, hopping the cold plunge, put my, you know, clothes on, and then I go to the gym. I go to bed. Francis Powerhouse Gym on Long Island. It's the best gym.
Adam Friedland
Of course. Give it up for that, please.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Bev Francis. Powerhouse Gym.
Adam Friedland
Do you ever worry that wrestling will ever have an issue of performance enhancing drugs?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
No.
Adam Friedland
No.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
You know, it's probably the most natural sport in the world.
Adam Friedland
Is it?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I'd say so, yeah.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
Because I've been juicing, too.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. Recently.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I can tell.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. I use Blue Chew.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Blue Chew.
Adam Friedland
Do you remember that one of my favorite little moments was on Monday Night Raw, the announcement of the death of.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
It was one of your favorite moments.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. It's one of the funniest things ever. The announcement of the death of Osama bin Laden by John Cena.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah. Osama bin Laden has been compromised or compromised and terminated to a permanent end. Yeah.
Adam Friedland
I feel goddamn proud to be an American. Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, yeah.
Adam Friedland
Could you, like. Do you ever see yourself announcing something like a historic. Like that to I. Proud?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I. I would say no. I'm not really a political guy. You know what I mean?
Adam Friedland
No, but I'm saying it's a historic moment. It's not political to not like Osama bin Laden.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
No.
Adam Friedland
You're like, oh, I don't have. I don't have a take on Osama bin Laden.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Osama bin Laden's bad. I think that's an easy take to have.
Adam Friedland
Yeah, you could have it. You could have. But there's a. There's of a lot.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Lot of stuff going on that's, like, not great right now.
Adam Friedland
I'm just saying, like, if there's a historic moment, something historic like that happens, like, you're the face of the. Of the company.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Sure.
Adam Friedland
So they'd have you go out there, announce it.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I don't know if I'm the right guy.
Adam Friedland
You're the best at promos.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I'm definitely the best at talking. You would be if I'm my boss. And there's, like, a serious announcement to make about the state of the world. Don't know if mjf. I'm not the happy delivery guy.
Adam Friedland
All right. Do you want to try to announce the death of President Donald Trump? We're here in Winston Salem, North Carolina. There's a big announcement.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
You know what I can say that's really interesting about my. I can actually segue this into my company because I'm so good at my job. We had a Fuck Ice chant.
Adam Friedland
I know.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So you saw this?
Adam Friedland
It's a. Kind of. Went viral.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Oh, yeah. And I think what's so cool about that is in our company, like, our fans have A voice. And in the other company, a lot of the times when fans curse or they say something that they don't want them to say, they just bleep it. They just bleep the crowd out entirely and they edit it out of the show, you know, or they'll create fake crowd noise over it so you can't hear the chants that they're making. And I'll also say, you know, they've made a choice to be a little bit more right leaning. You know, Triple H is, has. Has done a couple speeches in the White house and Linda McMahon, I believe is in the cabinet.
Adam Friedland
She's the Secretary of education.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So. And I think what's cool, like representation
Adam Friedland
for you, is that like. Is that like Wakanda for you?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, for sure, for sure.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. You're like, no, but one day I could be the secretary.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
Of education.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Can't wait.
Adam Friedland
If I learn what the difference is between South Africa, South Africa and Australia.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I gotta be so honest with you. I still don't know, dude.
Adam Friedland
You're such a fucking Long island piece of shit.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Oh, yeah, that's me.
Adam Friedland
His entire education is Snapple facts.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Pretty much. Well, I was more of a Nantucket apple, apple juice kind of guy.
Adam Friedland
You're a Long island guy that doesn't drink Snapple?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I'm not a Snapple guy.
Adam Friedland
That is your fucking. That's the one.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Do you want to hear something crazy for you? Do you know Arizona iced tea?
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Do you know where Arizona iced tea is actually produced and made and like where their offices are?
Adam Friedland
Israel.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Long Island. Which is close.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
About as many Jews in Long island
Adam Friedland
as there are in Israel. It's the same thing. Yeah. Wait, you were saying something before that. You were saying that something before that. You were talking about a. I was just saying we're.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
We are not affiliated to any party, so anybody can feel comfortable going to our shows.
Adam Friedland
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I feel like it should be like, you know, it should. It shouldn't be like that. It should be. I mean, listen, I'm, I, I don't
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
want politics involved in my.
Adam Friedland
I'm a progressive. But the entire city stadium needs to be just like. If you don't like it, you can get the hell out. Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
That's the magic. That's what wrestling should be. I agree. No, no, no. I agree.
Adam Friedland
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Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I'm a great.
Adam Friedland
When you were an independent, like when did you go into like independent?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I was 18 years old. The story's kind of wild. Basically. I had a full ride football scholarship as a middle linebacker.
Adam Friedland
What's a clown college?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
No, the place was called Hartwick University.
Adam Friedland
Okay.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And I was, I was there. I had a full ride and the head coach told me he wanted to start me as a freshman and I felt nothing, bro. I felt absolute. I couldn't have given less of a fuck because I just wanted to be Roddy Piper. I just wanted to be a wrestler.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. You know, wear A dress.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And yeah, I wanted to put the dress on, join the Illuminati so I could become the AEW world champion. You think Roddy.
Adam Friedland
Roddy Piper flipped the Dr.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Probably. He was in. He was in the.
Adam Friedland
A kilt.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, Yeah, a kilt.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. Yeah. So technically that's what I meant.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So, yeah. I remember telling my roommate, who was also vying for a linebacker position, so this was not smart of me. Hey, I don't know if I really want to be here anymore. And he just went, oh. And left the room, which was a wild, weird response. The next day I got called to the coach's office. This narc on me and the coach. Oh, yeah, big time snitch. The coach was like, I heard you want to leave. And I was like, yeah. You know, I didn't want to tell him why, because how fucking ludicrous and stupid would I look if I. Not the rapper? If I looked at him and I said, I want to be a professional wrestler, like, he'd laugh in my face at that point. So I didn't tell him why. I just said, you know, I kind of want to go home. And he was like, I get it, you're homesick. And I'm like, no, you know, that's not it. And he's like, no, we've seen this here before, so I'm gonna assign you an accountability buddy. And in walked this guy named Sal Levante. Not a Jew, and he was a 6 foot 6 offensive lineman. And he followed me everywhere for like two or three days. And I had to like, literally, like, it was like a covert operation. At 3am in the morning, I, like, waited to see if this fucking guy
Adam Friedland
was like, washing you, dude.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Literally would follow me wherever I went. It was fucking wild. And when I told my boss this, who's with the NFL, and also obviously they're a little bit affiliated with the NCAA just to, you know, because that's the farming system, basically. He was like, these. This is incredibly illegal what happened here. But, like, yeah, the guy was following me around everywhere. And I waited till like 3 or 4am and I packed the essentials. Not even everything. And I hopped in my Dodge Ram pickup truck and I drove all the way home. My parents were not.
Adam Friedland
Yeah, they must fucking been so annoying. Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And I was not better when I looked at them and I told them
Adam Friedland
why you were not better than you. And they. They didn't know it.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And I. I found a wrestling school, which there's only like a handful that are reputable. It's called Create a pro wrestling academy in Hicksville, Long Island.
Adam Friedland
Okay.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Train there. And then I would get in my car and I would drive to Indiana, Kentucky, all the way to Florida. Sometimes I drove from New York to Iowa. I drove from New York to Toronto, New York to Winnipeg, like Mex. I did some shots in Mexico in my car. And it was all just to, you know, make a name for myself. I didn't make any money doing that. But, you know, you're just trying to get your name out there. It's like baseball. There's single A, double A, triple A, and then the majors.
Adam Friedland
Did you have like a moment of virality? Like, did you have like a clip that like put like. How did that. How did you get on the radar of the big company?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
My answer is genuine, genuinely. Little by little it was momentum, which I think you can relate to actually, because you like when specifically with cometown.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Like you guys were doing funny bit after funny bit and little by little it started getting traction. Right. And then you started doing this and it started getting fucking serious traction. And that was my wrestling career. Every single shot I was doing, you have more people going, fuck this MJF kid. He's. He's something special. And that's eventually why I got contacted by WWE and aew.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
And. And so when was the moment, like, would you see like a moment like a come up, like when you were early in the company at aew, like, when was your moment that you kind of. I stamped your mark.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I got really, like. I shouldn't say lucky, it's because of skill, but I was put in a situation where it was sink or swim and anybody else would have sank, but I swam and it immediately made. Made me a star.
Adam Friedland
What was that moment?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
It was the very first pay per view in the history of our company was double or nothing. Which by the way, double or nothing, May 24, if you're interested, is going to be right here in New York. New York.
Adam Friedland
I'll be there. I'll be there, right?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Why not?
Adam Friedland
Hell yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Why the not? Baby, let's get you a ticket.
Adam Friedland
I'm not gonna pay though, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
You put the dress on. You were at the island.
Adam Friedland
I put the goddamn dress for longer than you had.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah. Honestly, I like put it over myself and then took it right off.
Adam Friedland
And your fingers were crossed. I saw that. No one noticed. Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And. And I like muttered under my breath, like. Like, you know what I mean?
Adam Friedland
I was like, guys, how long of this dress?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah. Did they take photos of you? They didn't take photos of me. They took photos of you.
Adam Friedland
They said I had that. They. Awkward. Okay.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I forgot what the question was, honestly.
Adam Friedland
No, no. There's a sink or swim moment. Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So it was a sink or swim moment. A very first pay per view. Brett the Hitman Hart. Ever heard of him?
Adam Friedland
Of course. There you go.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
He was out there in the ring and he was introducing this very championship, the All Elite Wrestling Championship. And he was introing it with another gentleman named Hangman Adam Page, because Hangman was up for a shot at the world title. And I came out there and I cut a serious scathing promo on Hangman Adam Page and Bret Hart, who's a legend. And it was the first time that many people heard me speak. And it was. It was pretty much game, set, match after that. It was like, oh, fuck, yeah, that's the guy.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And I've been the guy ever since.
Adam Friedland
It was like a risk for sure.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I mean, if. If that microphone, I think was in anybody else's hand, I think it would have been like sacrilege. And it would have been an awkward shitty dog dog.
Adam Friedland
Even if you did okay. If it was like a B minus,
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
you can't put an okay promo out on your ass. Because we are introducing the most important championship in all of professional wrestling. What'd you say I were to walk out there and shit the bed? It would. The company would look fucking.
Adam Friedland
Would you say, I'm glad your brother's dead?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I didn't bring up Owen.
Adam Friedland
I don't know, bringing up dead relatives.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I didn't bring up Owen. I brought up the fact that he got jumped during his hall of Fame speech.
Adam Friedland
Yeah, that, that was. I remember because the first time I went to a pay per view, I was my friend Max in Vegas and there was an event called Tour de America.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
How many Maxes are in your life, pal?
Adam Friedland
A lot. Yeah. Maxes are either like Jewish boys or dogs.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, it's the number one dog name in America.
Adam Friedland
Yeah, it's a dog and it's the
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
number one Jewish name.
Adam Friedland
And you got that dog in you?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I got that dog.
Adam Friedland
Okay. Yeah. And I remember Yokozuna was fighting very fat, was fighting Owen Hart, dead. Dead.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yokozuna, dead.
Adam Friedland
And I think that there was another time that they fought where the crowd was chanting, usa, usa.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Even though Owen's from Canada and Yokozuna is from Hawaii.
Adam Friedland
That was a pretty good one. Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
But I guess geography and pro wrestling, as you've learned today, does not mix.
Adam Friedland
What is the toll that you've seen like, there is, like, a darker side. Like, you know, we all know about, like, the Chris Benoit thing. Like, sure. There are times where. Where, like, this thing that you've dedicated your life to, which is. Which is you're at high risk. There are people that are, like, doing anything they can to like, maintain their, like, their bodies, their positions.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, of course.
Adam Friedland
And, you know, obviously there's risk of, like, CTE and stuff like that. Like, what. How did. Like, how. Just, just. Can you speak to that or, like, see? Like, have you had firsthand, like, you've obviously had firsthand, like, kind of. You've witnessed this amongst men. Like, how, like, how can you be sure to, like, protect yourself from, like, a similar kind of thing?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I'm the wrong guy to ask this too. I have a very old school mindset.
Adam Friedland
You're, like, healthy.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Well, yes, but also the times I have been hurt, I didn't. I, like, lied and I just continued to wrestle.
Adam Friedland
But everyone does that.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Exactly. And I think if you don't do it, you're a pussy.
Adam Friedland
You do that in the end.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Do you want to be the best or not? Like, I'll give you an example. I was wrestling. Well, this is a good example. Cause I'm wrestling him. Coming up on April 12th, Dynasty Vancouver, Canada. We have a pay per view and it's me versus Kenny Omega. This was a couple years ago, the first time I held this title and my shoulder was. It was fried, bro. My AC joint was completely torn.
Adam Friedland
Five minutes in, right, too.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
It was like it was before the match. I had tore it before the match in a different match. I can't remember who it was against, and I wasn't gonna fucking tell anybody. So I wrestled Kenny Omega with a entirely, like, torn rotator cuff and AC joint. And oddly enough, Kenny Omega was wrestling me. He was like, a week away from being on death's door because of diverticulitis. And we had, like, one of the greatest matches of all time, like, in the history of my company. And now we're about to wrestle again. We're both actually 100%, which is great, and I'm gonna beat the fucking shit out of them. But. And then there was another time. This was the worst one. I was wrestling this dude named Jay White at the Forum in la and my shoulders already completely fried. And I put him on a table because I had intended on hitting him with an elbow drop from the top rope all the way to the outside, through the floor, through the table, right? I put them on the table. The table breaks instantly. So I have two options. I can either let the world be like, well, that was fucking lame and this sucks.
Adam Friedland
You're not going to climb down, right?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And I fucking, literally, I climbed up and I hit the elbow drop. Not even Mick Foley ever did this. From the tippy top rope all the way to the fucking floor. No padding. My hip came out and we had my Grandma. We had 15 more minutes to go and I continued to wrestle the match and proceeded to continue to wrestle, I think, for like three more months. So I'm the wrong guy to ask that question, too.
Adam Friedland
Why would you do that?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Because you're a Jewish boy.
Adam Friedland
This is. That must feel amazing.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
It's. There's no better feeling in the world. It's the grand prize.
Adam Friedland
Can I touch it?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Honestly, I'll allow it. Just be very careful.
Adam Friedland
Careful. I'll be careful. Whoa, it's heavy.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Two hands, two hands. Two. It's very, very heavy. You're doing great. It looks natural.
Adam Friedland
Hey, hey. Fuck you, everyone.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
Why don't you come down in this ring? And.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
You were born for this.
Adam Friedland
You met your wife in the company, so.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I met my wife.
Adam Friedland
You said something really funny to her, too.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I. I did? Oh, I called her tits McGee from Whore Island.
Adam Friedland
From Horror Island.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
The very first interview we ever did. And I think that turned around.
Adam Friedland
That's. That's how I met my fiance.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, you called her tits McKee from whore.
Adam Friedland
No, she called me that.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
She called you that? Yeah.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. No. So. Wow. It's amazing.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
So you met your wife. You met your wife interviewing.
Adam Friedland
No, I met my girlfriend randomly.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Got it.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. Yeah, in life.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Oh, you. So you were just making a joke that didn't land?
Adam Friedland
No, no. I mean, but I've, you know, we both hate women, so I was just trying to connect over that pause. Okay, write that down, Sir. Write it down on your list of. Your list of whatever. I thought we were men.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, Thought we were men here.
Adam Friedland
I thought we were free and men.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
But no, in all sincerity, I met her when I was 20 in Canada, and she interviewed me and we just always stayed in touch. And I always thought she was hot. And then one day we both found ourselves single and I, like, just slid into her DMs, little student, and it worked.
Adam Friedland
Would you like, let's say, just like, you're married, you're a loyal married man. I'm sure that women are throwing themselves
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
at you because there's a goalie. Doesn't mean you, you know.
Adam Friedland
Okay, so let's say, like, what I
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
would say to women around the world, let's say prime. Give it a shot.
Adam Friedland
Prime Stephanie McMahon.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
She. She. She's given it to you?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Sure. I mean, why wouldn't you? I'm a handsome man.
Adam Friedland
What would you. What did you do? I mean, that's probably, perhaps 2002. Prime Stephanie McMahon. Do you think the streets will ever forget 2002 Prime Stephanie McMahon?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I don't think the streets are gonna forget about 2026 Stephanie McMahon. She just came out on TV this week and she looked very good.
Adam Friedland
Yeah. But, like, look at this. I saw this. I sent this to my boy.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Are you just gooning in the corner
Adam Friedland
right now with your legs crossed, boys? Dude, do you have a fucking boner right now? My balls are stuffed into my bum right now. Yeah. Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I hope Triple H is watching this and he's just, like, watching you goon over his wife.
Adam Friedland
The streets will never forget 2002. Stephanie McMahon. Do you think the streets will ever forget.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I don't know. Well, let me ask Adam Hopkins. So you were working there. Oh, no. Adam's going.
Adam Friedland
Adam's going.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Don't ask me about Stephanie McMahon.
Adam Friedland
Fine. Fine, fine, fine. With your money and your corner office in your glass window, sitting in his ivory tower, brother. All right.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Adam Hopkins.
Adam Friedland
Okay.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Won't talk about Stephanie McMahon. Horrible.
Adam Friedland
Okay. Anyway, so, yeah, I just know Triple
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
H is a lucky man. Dude.
Adam Friedland
Just explain to me a little bit of just, like, what the rush is and, like, just. Just what?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Like, do you feel like doing this?
Adam Friedland
Doing this?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Okay. I can't describe it, so. I have very bad attention deficit disorder, and one of the only times where I'm able to fully hyper vigilantly, like, focus on something is when my fucking music hits. And so it's like. It is like a drug for me, in a sense, because I'm fully locked in and fully present. Whereas a lot of professional wrestlers are dorks and losers, and they can't be fully present. And that's why when they're out there, they're doing all this cool shit, but they're like this.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
You know, and it's just. I think a real weapon I have is being able to be fully present, which I. I think that's something Michael Jordan, like, talked about once. Like, when he's on the court, that's the only thing he's thinking about. There's nothing else going on in his life except what's happening in that moment.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah. So that would be my answer. Just fully locked in when you're locked in.
Adam Friedland
But what I'm saying is when you're engaging with a crowd, like, how does it, how does that feel? Like if you've just fucking, like when the bell goes.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
You know, like.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
And you. Where did you get the three?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah.
Adam Friedland
Like, what is.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
It's like heroin.
Adam Friedland
It is.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Winning is like heroin.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
You know?
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And that's why I do it. By any means necessary.
Adam Friedland
Uh huh. I guess so, like, the last thing I kind of want to ask is, like, what's interesting, going back to that point about like, how funny it is that, that John. It wasn't funny. I mean, it was like electric. When you watch John Cena say that they killed Bin Laden on Raw, it is just like the way it still
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
gets you fired you up.
Adam Friedland
Fired up.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Right.
Adam Friedland
There's something about it where it's just like, where it's a man in jean shorts with big muscles. Sure. But it's still like it's making you like vibrate, like, like and just like
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
you could run through a fucking wall. Yeah.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
That's what I do to people.
Adam Friedland
There is something cool about how like, wrestling kind of intersects with culture and kind of a time in America.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
For sure. It's a part of the zeitgeist.
Adam Friedland
Where do you see it right now?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Right now, professional wrestling is hot. And I think it has a lot to do with what my company is doing right now. I don't think that's an unfair thing to say. The Fuck Ice thing went everywhere. And like, I've had a couple of promos that I've done go super mega viral. And you know, I have people walk up to me in the streets and be like, oh my God, when you said this and that date, and they like, hyper, hyper remember the specific time and the place and the when and the, the why. And like, I think that's what makes all sports, not just pro wrestling, but all sports so special.
Adam Friedland
Yeah.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Because there are just like you, you remember that moment when you were knees down next to your bed with your hands together.
Adam Friedland
I know.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Like, bill, Bill, please. Oh, were you, were you doing the
Adam Friedland
Please, God, please, can Bill Goldberg win tomorrow?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, yeah, but you know, you remember that and it's a, it's a, it's a part of like, your core memory. And I think that that's something that sports offers you and that's something that AEW offers you, but mainly that's something that Maxwell Jacob Friedman offers you.
Adam Friedland
Let's fucking go. Oh, and also, just real quick, I'd be reticent not to, to mention this. I like when you're the star of Happy Gilmore 2.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Happy Gilmore 2. Let's give it up for him.
Adam Friedland
Thank you, thank you, thank you. And from what I understand, you've grown quite close with the Sandman.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I have.
Adam Friedland
You're in the Sandler for.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
He's my dad. I'm in the Sandler verse. He's a fucking great guy. We were talking about Passover yesterday. I love him.
Adam Friedland
You have your phone on you?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
I do have my phone on me. Would you. Do you want me to reach out to him, or do you want me to reach out to him on your. You want me to talk to him about you?
Adam Friedland
Just call him right now.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Yeah, I.
Adam Friedland
Why don't you just call Adam Sandler right now?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
This is the only time during the interview I felt uncomfortable.
Adam Friedland
He's my hero. Just call him.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
And I get that he means more to me than he means to you, but I talk to your dad over the phone.
Adam Friedland
You talk to my dad. Let me talk to your dad.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
That's. That's fair.
Adam Friedland
It's only fair after.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
After we turn the cameras off, maybe
Adam Friedland
because I need it on the record, because Adam Sandler is notoriously litigious. And if you notice, it's on the record.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Is he notoriously litigious? You're just making sure.
Adam Friedland
Do you ever hoop with him?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
No. I'm very bad at basketball. It's the only sport I'm not good at.
Adam Friedland
All right. You want to play basketball after this?
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
No. Like, genuinely? No.
Adam Friedland
My best friend, Everyone, the champ.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF)
Give her Upper Violent Night two, coming out of theaters as well.
Adam Friedland
Sam.
Date: April 8, 2026
Guest: Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF), AEW World Champion
Host: Adam Friedland
This episode of The Adam Friedland Show dives deep into the world of professional wrestling with one of its biggest modern stars, MJF. The conversation ranges from the psychology and art of wrestling promos, the roots of wrestling culture, and AEW's impact on the industry, to personal anecdotes, Jewish identity, and the nature of fan interactions. Through sharp banter and biting humor, Adam and MJF explore what makes a wrestling persona work and how MJF’s career has become emblematic of a new generation in pro wrestling.
Insult Artistry: MJF and Adam riff comedically, with MJF immediately launching into his infamous aggressive insult style—setting the tone for a mix of sincerity and wrestling-level banter.
Adam’s Preperation for the Interview: Adam frames himself as an outsider to wrestling, poking fun at MJF’s image and the expectation that wrestlers should be role models.
Shared Jewish Heritage: Both joke about Jewish holidays and cultural markers, humanizing the larger-than-life personas with relatable details.
About the AEW Title Belt: Lighthearted discussion on whether the championship belt has real diamonds, joking about tropes of Jewish involvement in diamond dealing.
Attitude Era vs. Ruthless Aggression: MJF notes he "missed a lot of the cool shit," referencing differences between his wrestling upbringing and Adam’s, highlighting a generational gap and changing styles.
Choice to Join AEW: MJF shares how AEW gave him creative freedom and agency not found elsewhere—deciding factor for his career trajectory.
The Power of a Catchphrase: Discusses how legendary wrestling catchphrases become part of broader culture, and MJF’s goal to create that kind of impact.
Promos as Art: MJF identifies promos as central, contrasting himself with “scrawny, little fucking dorks” who focus only on ring moves.
Emotional Investment: Both note that stories and promos are what make wrestling matter, citing the emotional ride of Goldberg’s WCW streak as an example.
Old School Mindset: MJF openly admits to wrestling through serious injury, seeing it as the only way to achieve greatness and seeing those who don’t as “pussies.”
Tales of Pain: Recounts matches where he wrestled through torn joints and injuries to deliver memorable performances.
Quitting Football for Wrestling: MJF tells how he walked away from a football scholarship—sneaking out of his dorm to follow his true dream, and the grind of the independent wrestling circuit.
AEW Debut, “Sink or Swim” Moment: His breakout came at AEW’s first PPV, ‘Double or Nothing’, where he delivered a scathing promo on Hangman Adam Page and legend Bret Hart.
Describing the High: MJF says wrestling live is the only thing that fully focuses him, likening the energy of winning to a heroin rush.
Being Present: Compares his focus to Michael Jordan’s single-minded presence on the basketball court.
Wrestling’s Pop Cultural Moment: Both discuss how wrestling embeds itself in the national psyche, referencing iconic TV moments (like John Cena announcing Bin Laden’s death on Raw) as evidence of its peculiar but powerful cultural reach.
Tone: Irreverent, sharp, deeply referential to wrestling and Jewish culture, and occasionally dark in its humor—a blend of roast-style ribbing and genuine respect.
Chemistry: The pair bounce between mutual jabs and sincere insight. MJF stays mostly “in character”—cocky, clever, and abrasive—while also showcasing candor about his influences, work ethic, and responsibility as a new face of wrestling.
This episode serves as both an introduction and a masterclass in the psychology of modern wrestling from one of its top practitioners. MJF’s blend of heel charisma and self-awareness, coupled with Adam's outsider wit, leads to a rich discussion of everything from cultural legacy to literal bodily risk. AEW’s youthful energy and authentic approach underscore a changing era, and MJF is portrayed as both auteur and avatar of this movement.
For wrestling fans and newcomers alike, this is a raw, revealing, and hilarious window into the life and mind of one of wrestling’s sharpest talents.