On Tuesday night, AEW star Maxwell Jacob Friedman — better known by his initials, MJF — was a part of an angle that has received backlash for being antisemitic, especially following the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel.
Taking to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, the AEW World Champion responded to criticism of the angle on TBS’ AEW Dynamite, which saw the wrestler Juice Robinson taunt MJF — who is Jewish — with a roll of quarters with his last name written on it.
“I’m actually Jewish. I’ve actually gone through this. This is my real life!!!!! MY STORY!” MJF wrote. “And I Look forward to giving Catharsis to every single person who’s ever been oppressed or bullied. If you think I’d play with that or take it lying down or WORST OF ALL Hide from the hard conversations like a coward… You’re on crazy pills.
“I look forward to the hard conversations this starts and creates. I look forward to people being further educated. My life’s work is to stand up to any and all injustices done to people due to something as Stupid as being different. To anyone that thinks that can’t be done through the avenue of professional wrestling. Then that’s an indictment on things that have happened in this sports past. I look forward to bringing this sport into the present. I look forward to knocking Juice Robinson’s teeth down his throat.”
Muhammad Hassan was portraying an evil Muslim terrorist.
I’m actually Jewish. I’ve actually gone through this. This is my real life!!!!! MY STORY!
And I Look forward to giving Catharsis to every single person who’s ever been oppressed or bullied.
If you think I’d play with…
— Maxwell Jacob Friedman™️ (@The_MJF) October 11, 2023
It’s worth noting that MJF has referenced being pelted with quarters by antisemitic bullies in high school in previous angles that were unrelated to this one. Robinson has also used a roll of quarters — an old school wrestling trope — to hit opponents as a part of his heel (bad guy) character.
But while there may have been a storyline reason for Robinson to reference the quarters and MJF’s point about not hiding from difficult conversations is a solid one, it doesn’t address the poor timing of the angle. Ultimately, people watch pro wrestling for an escape. And although, as MJF noted, wrestling feuds have been based on real world problems, including wars, before, seeing a Jewish wrestler taunted with a roll of quarters was especially jarring for many viewers this week.
You can watch the full segment in the social media post below.
Jay White challenged #AEW World Champion MJF to an 8-man tag match!
But will anyone team up with Max?
Watch #AEWDynamite Title Tuesday LIVE on TBS!@The_MJF | @JayWhiteNZ pic.twitter.com/WITImXJE1B
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) October 11, 2023
From an AEW perspective, perhaps the part most worth questioning is who ultimately approved the angle. Even if MJF was OK with it (or even advocated for it), the decision for it to make it to air on TBS shouldn’t have been his alone to make. One would imagine that the responsibility ultimately falls on the shoulders of AEW owner Tony Khan.
Now that MJF has addressed the matter, it will be interesting to see whether Khan — who’s never been shy to speak on social media — or Warner Bros. Discovery also respond to the widespread criticism the angle has received.
[MJF on X]
