5 parallels between the rise of MJF and The Rock

#5 MJF and The Rock: Prominent positioning

MJF's slow-burn rivalry with Chris Jericho is one of the most compelling angles in AEW.

The Rock’s WWE debut at the 1996 Survivor Series was supposed to propel the "Blue Chipper" forward as the company’s next big star. His portrayal of a squeaky clean babyface generated a surprising amount of fan resentment, but he had been treated very seriously by management from the get-go.

While his initial 12 months on the WWE roster didn’t go as planned, the company would not be deterred in its efforts to make a star out of The Rock and endeavored to facilitate a rapid transition to the top, aided by his alignment with The Nation after returning from injury in 1997.

Even before AEW was formally founded, MJF was already being earmarked for Elite success, appearing in the pre-AEW "All In" PPV against M-Dogg Matt Cross.

Since AEW’s official inception, MJF has never been far from the top of the card, routinely featuring prominently on weekly television and PPVs. While he has yet to hold AEW gold, he has managed to retain his Dynamite Diamond Ring and has already served up his first PPV main event.

Following in the footsteps of The Rock's insubordination, MJF looks set to challenge Chris Jericho’s leadership within The Inner Circle, a move that will add another layer of legitimacy to his self-proclaimed status as the fastest rising star in the game today.