Former WWE star Maven recently shared high praise for AEW’s MJF, calling him a revolutionary figure in professional wrestling. Known for his boundary-pushing style, MJF is one of the most buzzed-about names in AEW, holding the AEW World Championship in the past and consistently drawing attention with his unique blend of reality and scripted storytelling.

Maven, who first entered the wrestling scene by winning WWE’s Tough Enough reality show, had a memorable—though short-lived—WWE career. Despite a relatively brief tenure, he made his mark by competing against legends like The Undertaker, Batista, and Taz, now an AEW announcer. After his WWE release in 2005, Maven continued wrestling on the independent circuit and has recently taken to YouTube, where he shares insights and stories from his wrestling days.

In a recent interview with David Clair-Bennett on Reel Appreciation, Maven spoke about his dream opponents, both from WWE and AEW. While icons like The Rock and Steve Austin were among his picks, he also named MJF, appreciating his groundbreaking approach to playing the villain, or “heel,” in the industry. Maven praised MJF for blurring the lines between fiction and reality, helping to redefine what it means to be a wrestling heel in the modern era.