AEW star MJF has been the talk of the town after his interview with esteemed MMA journalist Ariel Helwani. After discussing many topics, including movie roles, WWE and his AEW contract, Tony Khan and Maxwell Jacob Friedman have been at odds with each other.
Backstage reports have revealed that the Salt of the Earth wants more money than he currently earns. He has made it clear that he is happy to let his current contract expire if he doesn't get what he wants. But when does MJF's AEW contract expire?
The short answer is simple: 2024. Friedman has made this a matter of public record by making light of it on AEW TV, even going as far as to say that he will create the "Bidding War of 2024."
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Friedman was one of the earliest talents to be declared "All Elite" back in 2019, having proved himself in companies like CZW, GCW and MLW. It's unclear whether he signed a 5-year deal, or if an extension option has been exercised. However, one thing is certain, MJF is with AEW until at least 2024.
AEW has signed a vast amount of talent in recent months, and these new stars are presumably signed to big money contracts. New talent coming in can cause a break in the pay structure for the talents that came before.
Will Tony Khan make an exception for Maxwell Jacob Friedman? Only time will tell.
MJF isn't the only one who has been at odds when it comes to their contract
MJF may have had heated discussions with Tony Khan, but there are still almost 2 years to sort things out when it comes to Friedman's demands for a larger wage.
One person who didn't wait around was the former AEW TNT Champion Cody Rhodes, who departed from AEW in February 2022. Rhodes is heavily rumored to be making a shocking return to WWE at WrestleMania 38 against Seth Rollins.
While nothing has been confirmed since Rhodes has been largely silent since his AEW departure, the topic of money was discussed a lot in reports made as to why Rhodes left AEW.
With the likes of CM Punk and Bryan Danielson being signed to big contracts in recent months, the idea of Rhodes wanting to match their salaries given the fact he helped start the company is not out of the realm of possibility.
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