MJF sends an unexpected message for Ricky Starks in now-deleted tweet

Modified Apr 19, 2025 16:32 GMT

Former AEW World Champion MJF (left) / NXT North American Champion Ricky Saints (right) [Image Credits: MJF's X profile, WWE's website]

MJF has sent an in-character message to his former AEW rival, NXT's Ricky Saints (fka Ricky Starks), ahead of the latter's title match at NXT: Stand and Deliver 2025 in a since-deleted post. The Absolute One will face another ex-All Elite name, Ethan Page, in the upcoming championship bout.

Ricky Saints made headlines earlier this year when he departed from AEW and signed with WWE, joining the company's developmental brand, NXT. The Louisiana-native won his first title in the sports entertainment juggernaut at the start of this month when he dethroned Shawn Spears for the NXT North American Championship. His victory celebration was unfortunately cut short by a blindside attack from Ethan Page.

All-Ego later won a Fatal-Four-Way match to earn a shot at Saint's title at NXT: Stand and Deliver, scheduled for this Saturday. Ahead of the April 19 event, MJF took to X/Twitter to share a screengrab from his appearance on Page's old interview show Ego's Amigos alongside Ricky Starks from many years ago. In characteristic fashion, The Salt of the Earth claimed that he was rooting for both ex-AEW stars to lose in their upcoming championship bout.

"Can I cheer for them both to lose?" wrote Friedman.

Did you know a top WWE Superstar just wrestled outside the company? More details HERE

Check out MJF's post below:

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Interestingly, Friedman has since deleted the aforementioned post. The self-proclaimed generational talent has history with both Starks and Page, having wrestled them in AEW and in the indies before that.

MJF continued to make gestures to join The Hurt Syndicate this week

Maxwell Jacob Friedman once again tried to convince Shelton Benjamin and Bobby Lashley to allow him into The Hurt Syndicate this week on Dynamite: Spring BreakThru. Having already bagged MVP's endorsement, The Salt of the Earth took controversial initiatives to make his case to The Standard of Excellence and The All Mighty.

However, the reigning AEW World Tag Team Champions seemingly turned Friedman down once again, although the former World Champion seemed confident that he would eventually change their minds. Later backstage, Lashley reiterated his distrust of The Devil, but MVP reminded his teammate that they could use Friedman for their own agendas.

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It remains to be seen whether MJF will be accepted into The Hurt Syndicate anytime soon.

About the author

Anurag is an AEW writer for Sportskeeda Wrestling. He holds a BA and MA degree in English along with a TEFL certification to teach English. Before Sportskeeda, he worked as a Content and Correspondence writer at Nayabad Titas, a theater group. He has also worked as a English language tutor.

To ensure complete accuracy, he uses internet resources, social media platforms, and especially pieces composed by his peers to find solid, verified information that he presents as objectively as possible. Thanks to his academic background, he can research different subjects thoroughly.

Anurag's interest in wrestling began as a child. He watched RAW and Smackdown frequently from age 10 or 11 and was officially hooked by the YES Movement story in WWE heading into WrestleMania 30.

As a lifelong wrestling fan and lover of stories, Anurag would read news, articles, and other content about the talent and events he enjoyed watching. His understanding of the business continued to grow with time, and his interest in the art and sport of wrestling led him to pursue a career as a writer.

Apart from writing, he loves to read books, watch movies and television programs, play and listen to music, and write poetry and fiction.

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Edited by Anurag Mukherjee