Ex-WWE star Maven believes iconic AEW talent is a revolutionary in wrestling

Former WWE Superstar and YouTuber Maven has showered heavy praise on a top AEW talent and his skill as a performer. The talent in question, MJF, is a former AEW World Champion and is one of the company's most talked-about athletes.

Maven found his way into WWE as a winner of the inaugural season of Tough Enough. Although his career with the sports entertainment juggernaut was brief, it was undoubtedly quite eventful, as the Tennessee native competed against and even picked up wins over the likes of The Undertaker, Batista, and AEW announcer Taz.

Maven was released by the Stamford-based promotion in 2005, and he has continued to wrestle sporadically in various independent promotions over the years. Currently, he also contributes to his YouTube channel where he posts videos sharing his insights on his time as a WWE Superstar.

During an interview on Reel Appreciation with David Clair-Bennett, Maven was inquired as to who his dream opponents could be, from either the World Wrestling Entertainment or AEW. Besides naming obvious industry draws like The Rock and Steve Austin, the 47-year-old also selected MJF, complimenting The Wolf of Wrestling for his revolutionary work as a heel who often straddled the boundaries between reality and scripted storytelling.

"Obviously, I could put guys like Rock or Austin. I mean, they're, obviously at the top of the list. But, if we're talking about today's business, I love MJF. I think MJF is gonna revolutionize what it means to be a heel in wrestling. I think he's just fantastic because he blurs the lines," said Maven. "I know him, and I know how nice of a guy he is, but most wrestling fans think that's who he is because he does such a good job of portraying that. Going today, he's probably one of my favorites." [H/T - Fightful]

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Former WWE star Maven was in action this year

Maven returned to in-ring action for the first time since July last year in March 2024, when he competed in a 30-man Last Stand Rumble Match at ROW Last Stand Rumble. The bout was ultimately won by Gaspar Hernandez.

Incidentally, Reality of Wrestling recently forged a significant link with WWE, as the wrestling school operated by the independent promotion has now been included under the purview of the company's new developmental program.