MJF Heaps Praise On ‘Really Special’ AEW Star

AEW

AEW star MJF has named a fellow roster member as “really special” when asked if there was anyone in particular he enjoys watching.

With his finger on the pulse of the professional wrestling world, MJF would be asked if there’s anyone in particular he enjoys watching during a recent interview.

Responding to the question put forward by Bleacher Report, MJF would name Nick Wayne as that person, saying:

“I was just in a three-way with him, and I think he’s got a lot to offer. Nick Wayne. I think Nick Wayne’s really special, and he also understands this is an aesthetic business, and he’s gotten himself in really good shape in a short period of time. That’s something I really respect.”

MJF would then turn his attention to two other names, despite disliking them, naming a third for good measure, stating:

“I don’t like them, but I think both Kevin Knight and Kyle Fletcher are the guys I’m going to be wrestling in the main events of pay-per-views, probably for the next 10-15 years.

“Outside of that, I don’t think he’s a sleeper pick because he’s a former singles champion in our company, but I think Mark Davis, to me, is my favorite big man right now in wrestling, for my taste. He is so good, and what I love about him most is that everything he does feels different to me, and it feels like something that harkens back to old, like a Stan Hansen or a (Bruiser) Brody. So yeah, I enjoy his work quite a lot.”

Mark Davis and MJF could cross paths in the AEW World Championship Number One Contender Casino Gauntlet taking place at All In: London on August 30.

In the recent interview, MJF looked at the current state of professional wrestling across the industry, sharing his honest thoughts.

The Rise Of Nick Wayne

Offered an AEW contract back in February 2022, the stipulation for Nick Wayne was that he would graduate school, with the deal commencing after he turned eighteen.

The young star would have his first AEW match in July 2023, losing to Swerve Strickland on Dynamite, going on to find his feet as a member of Christian Cage’s The Patriarchy, where he was aptly named “The Prodigy”.

Being in a faction led by Cage helped elevate Wayne in ways he perhaps wouldn’t have otherwise had as a singles star, arguably emulating the success that AEW had had with the likes of Sammy Guevara and his association with Chris Jericho, Darby Allin teaming with Sting and Jack Perry also teaming with Cage. That’s not to say that they wouldn’t have been successful without this association, just that it offered the benefit of veteran experience being in their respective orbits.

Wayne would see that experience take him to NJPW in 2023, returning to compete in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament last year, and making his return for the 2026 tournament. Addressing his 2026 run in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Wayne commented that he hopes to be back one day.

AEW’s partnership with NJPW and CMLL, along with its ownership of ROH, is another element of the success that Wayne has experienced. A former AEW World Trios Champion, it’s not beyond reason that he will see another title run in a partner company, if not one closer to home.

Recently having turned 21 years of age, there’s a bright future ahead of Nick Wayne, and to be recognized by MJF is a hallmark for the star in its own right.

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• AEW
• mjf
• Nick Wayne

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