Mark Henry believes there are parallels between MJF and Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman is at the pinnacle of AEW as both the company’s World Champion and ROH Tag Team Champion alongside his brochacho Adam Cole.
Friedman was initially paired with Cole during the Blind Tag Team Eliminator Tournament back in July and the mismatched tag team quickly became a huge hit with fans. In fact, the team has been so successful that MJF has turned into a good guy for the first time in his AEW career.
Over the past few months, Cole has been helping him become less of a scumbag, although Friedman admits himself that he’s still willing to use dirty tricks when necessary.
Speaking on the latest edition of Busted Open, Mark Henry explained that the Salt of the Earth’s current character can be compared to Steve Austin in his heydey in that he isn’t a complete babyface, but he can still “reel you in.”
“Steve Austin wasn’t a babyface. He was just a hell of an entertaining wrestler that whatever story he was trying to tell, he can reel your a** in.
“Max is, in a way, kind of the same right now.”
Henry’s co-host, Bully Ray agreed, saying that just when you think MJF is being a bit too nice, he pulls the rug out from under you.
“Even when you think Max is being such a nice guy, and you’re kind of like, ‘Well, is he being a little too nice?’
“Like [Wednesday] night with the kid, I popped so hard. Max turns around, he sees the little kid, they’re doing the Bret Hart thing.
“Max probably sees a little bit of himself in that little kid. He gives him the scarf and then he whispers in the kid’s ear. That is typical Max. You think he’s going to be so sugary sweet and nice, and then he whispers in the kid’s ear and the kid’s like, ‘I’m adopted?’ What a huge pop from me.”
MJF and Adam Cole’s AEW WrestleDream match in doubt
Friedman and Cole are currently scheduled to defend the ROH Tag Team Championships against The Righteous at WrestleDream. However, during the Grand Slam edition of Dynamite, Cole appeared to injure his ankle after assisting MJF in his defence of the AEW World Title against Samoa Joe.
After the show, Cole was seen backstage on crutches and sent to the hospital. According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there has been no word on a diagnosis for Cole’s potential injury and whether he will still be able to compete on the October 1st pay-per-view.
H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the above transcription.