MJF Reacts To AEW Calling CM Punk “Real World Champion”

The AEW World Champion MJF has explained why he didn’t mind it when CM Punk called himself the “Real World Champion” on Collision.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) has been the AEW World Champion for over ten months now going back to the Full Gear PPV in November 2022.

Since becoming the AEW World Champion, MJF has defeated some of the biggest names in the company such as Jon Moxley (the man he won the title from), Bryan Danielson, Adam Cole and Samoa Joe among others.

When AEW launched the new Saturday night show Collision this past June, former two-time AEW World Champion CM Punk became the face of the brand.

CM Punk also had a bag with him where he revealed the “Real World Title” that was the AEW World Title that Punk never lost after winning it in September 2022. Punk was no longer the recognized AEW World Champion due to a triceps surgery that put him out of action for the next nine months. Punk showed off this “Real World Title” that he spray painted with an “X” on it to represent his “straight edge” lifestyle.

After displaying the championship, Punk defended it a few times, including at the AEW All In London event when he defeated Samoa Joe. That ended up being Punk’s last match in AEW since he was fired less than a week later due to a backstage fight with Jack Perry.

MJF says he had no problem with CM Punk calling himself the “Real World Champion”

During an interview with WrestlePurists, AEW World Champion MJF explained why he didn’t have a problem with CM Punk’s claims while also refusing to comment on it.

“I never commented on it. I’ll tell you why. I won’t sit here and tell you I’m a company man, but I’m definitely pro-professional wrestlers.”

“And the fact of the matter is: Collision is really important. And Collision’s success is super important. So at the time, having a guy of that stature having something that everybody on that show could be fighting for — because realistically, as much as Tony Khan wishes he can clone MJF, I can’t be everywhere at once. So I didn’t have an issue with it. I thought it made all the sense in the world. I wasn’t sweating it, frankly.”

MJF will be in action at AEW WrestleDream this Sunday in Seattle, but he won’t put his AEW World Title on the line. Instead, MJF will defend the ROH Tag Team Titles in a handicap match against The Righteous since MJF’s tag team partner Adam is out with a broken ankle.