Major AEW star can "reel your a** in" like Stone Cold Steve Austin, says Hall of Famer

A Hall of Famer and former WWE Champion drew comparisons between an AEW star and WWE Legend Stone Cold Steve Austin. The All Elite Wrestling Star in question is MJF.

AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman(MJF) has played a heel for most of his run in the Jacksonville-based company and turned babyface only recently after his partnership with Adam Cole. Despite being a babyface, The Salt of the Earth still deploys heelish maneuvers in his matches and promos.

On a recent episode of Busted Open, Hall of Famers Mark Henry and Bully Ray discussed MJF's personality and whether he is a heel or babyface. Henry compared the 27-year-old star to Stone Cold Steve Austin, who the veteran said was not a babyface but just a very entertaining wrestler who used to get the audience invested in his story:

"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." Mark Henry said. ( H/t WrestlingInc )

Bully Ray talked about MJF's pre-match video that played before his title defense against Samoa Joe at the most recent episode of AEW Dynamite Grand Slam. The veteran found it entertaining and praised MJF for the package:

"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," Bully Ray said. ( H/t WrestlingInc )

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MJF defended the AEW World Championship against Samoa Joe

Max Jacob Friedman recently faced the ROH World Champion Samoa Joe in an AEW title match on the recent episode of Dynamite Grand Slam.

MJF came out alone without his friend and tag team partner, Adam Cole, to take on the Samoan Submission Machine. In the closing moments of the match, with MJF locked in the Coquina Clutch, Adam Cole came to the ringside to push him to break the hold and eventually provided him with a steel chain to choke the challenger out for victory.

The outcome was in line with the character being portrayed by MJF, and his performance and that of Samoa Joe were applauded by fans and critics alike.