Konnan claims top AEW star used WWE as leverage to get a better deal from Tony Khan

Konnan recently claimed on his podcast that a top star in AEW used WWE as leverage to strike a better deal with AEW. The star he is talking about is MJF.

Maxwell's contract expired following his match with Samoa Joe at Worlds End in December 2023. He then went on a hiatus and was also removed from the official roster page.

This fueled rumors of his interest in potentially joining WWE. At Double or Nothing, he returned to Tony Khan's company and stated he would stay in the promotion.

Speaking on Keepin' It 100, Konnan stated that The Salt of the Earth devised a perfect plan to get more money from his new deal with AEW by hinting at an interest in joining WWE.

The wrestling legend said, "Let me tell you what MJF brilliantly did, no matter how much he got paid. He used AEW and Tony Khan week after week, going 'I might go to the other side - Hey, Vince.' You know what I'm saying right? They took him and it worked in his [favor]. Almost like what [Brian] Pillman did. [Do you] remember Pillman was working WCW?" [From 6:30 to 6:52]

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Konnan says Rush shouldn't be MJF's rival

On his Keepin' IT 100 podcast, Konnan discussed MJF's budding rivalry with Rush. He stated that the Mexican wrestler was not the perfect fit to be Friedman's rival as he lacked good speaking skills.

However, he did say the luchador was an excellent heel in the company, irrespective of his mic skills.

MJF returned to AEW at Double or Nothing 2024. On his first Dynamite appearance after almost five months, Rush interrupted him. They then engaged in a brawl and security had to intervene.