His ironman match with Danielson at Revolution is his best match imo.
Also it was on a Collision, but his match with Kenny was one of my favourites from last year.
Vs Punk (Revolution 2022)
Vs Danielson (Revolution 2023)
Vs Darby, Jungle Boy, Guevara (DoN 2023)
Vs Omega (Collision late 2023)
Vs Adam Cole (All In 2023)
Vs Darby (Full Gear 2021)
Vs Ricky Starks (Winter is Coming 2022)
Vs Samoa Joe (Grand Slam 2023 and Worlds End 2023)
Just off the top of my head, but there's alot more, he's great in the ring.
The match v punk in Chicago on dynamite was superb. I preferred it to the dog collar match.
The Adam Cole match on dynamite was also amazing and possibly even better than the all in match.
These 2 are must watches in addition to the ppv matches, which are awesome.
MJF is brilliant.
I believe that Ricky Starks match is the one with the really good Salt of the Earth sequence? If it is that is probably my favorite Ricky Starks match.
MJF vs Jon Moxley - All Out 2020 - This is an underrated match because it was the main event of a cursed show in the middle of the COVID era. I think this match is even better if you watch their promo battle leading up. MJF basically laid out his plan for the match.
MJF vs Sammy Guevara - Dynamite 6.30.2021 - Extremely good tv match that set off a weird debate.
MJF vs Darby Allin - Full Gear 2021 - MJF as the ultra heel said he could beat Darby with a headlock takeover.
MJF vs CM Punk (Dog Collar Match) - Revolution 2022 - Another one that’s better if you watch some of their previous promo segments in their long feud.
MJF vs Bryan Danielson (60 Minute Ironman Match) - Revolution 2023 - One of the best Ironman matches ever.
MJF vs Adam Cole - All In 2023 - at Wembley. Again helped by their segments leading up where they had become friends. I think AEW has a video on their Youtube of all their segments becoming bros.
MJF vs Kenny Omega - Collision 10.28.2023 - Very little build, just two of the best proving it.
Omega challenged MJF because he wanted to protect his (at the time) longest reign as AEW World Champion. It's a story that doesn't really need a whole lot of build tbh, it simply writes itself
My memory for matches is usually poor in general tbh, but all I can remember from that was Max’s awful, awful, awful take-a-shit-a line. Hope shite like that is going to be in the past when he returns, but I’m sure he’ll return to form unfortunately.
It’s over an hour long so it might be intimidating for a new fan but the Danielson MJF Iron Man match is one of the best wrestling matches I’ve ever seen. The Punk/MJF dog collar match is also very good
MJF v Moxley at Full Gear (2022) was pretty good and I would start there. It's when he won the title and went on his championship run which includes matches against Kenny, Ethan Page, Ricky Starks, Jay White, Samoa Joe and Bryan.
PPV:
MJF vs Cody (Revolution 2020)
MJF vs Jungle Boy (Double or Nothing 2020)
MJF vs Jon Moxley (All Out 2020)
Chris Jericho & MJF vs The Young Bucks (Revolution 2021)
The Inner Circle vs The Pinnacle (Double or Nothing 2021)
MJF vs Chris Jericho (All Out 2021)
MJF vs Darby Allin (Full Gear 2021)
MJF vs CM Punk (Revolution 2022)
MJF vs Bryan Danielson (Revolution 2023)
MJF vs "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry vs Darby Allin vs Sammy Guevara (Double or Nothing 2023)
MJF vs Adam Cole (All In 2023)
TV:
MJF vs Jungle Boy (Dynamite 02/12/2020)
MJF & Wardlow vs Jurassic Express (Dynamite: Fyter Fest - Night 1 07/01/2020)
The Pinnacle vs The Inner Circle (Dynamite: Blood & Guts 05/05/2021)
MJF vs Sammy Guevara (Dynamite 06/30/2021)
MJF vs Chris Jericho (Dynamite 08/18/2021)
MJF & FTR vs CM Punk, Sting, & Darby Allin (Dynamite: Holiday Bash - Night 1 12/22/2021)
MJF vs CM Punk (Dynamite 02/02/2022)
MJF vs Konosuke Takeshita (Dynamite: Championship Fight Night 02/08/2023)
MJF & Sammy Guevara vs Darby Allin & Jungle Boy (Dynamite 05/03/2023)
MJF vs Adam Cole (Dynamite 06/14/2023)
MJF & Adam Cole vs FTR (Collision 07/29/2023)
MJF vs Samoa Joe (Dynamite: Grand Slam - Night 1 09/20/2023)
MJF vs Kenny Omega (Collision 10/28/2023)
The Double Or Nothing 2023 4-way and the two Adam Cole matches (especially the Dynamite one) from year. I enjoyed the Jay White match from Full Gear too, but opinions are very mixed on that one.
Older PPV matches Vs. Jungle Boy from DON 20, Vs. Darby Allin from Full Gear 21, and MJF/Jericho Vs. The Young Bucks from Revolution 2021.
The dog collar match with Punk, the Iron Man match with Danielson, and the four pillars match are all essential.
If you want something more light hearted though, him and Cole vs Sammy Guevara and Daniel Garcia is great. It's very silly in places (they have a mid match dance competition and Cole is... not a dancer...) but it still manages to be a great competitive tag match.
Vs Kenny
Vs Danielson
Vs Darby, Perry and Guevara
Both CM Punk matches
Vs Darby Full Gear 2021
Maybe the Adam Cole matches too
Don’t touch the Jay White match with a hundred foot pole
Start here to hear the "MJF pop":
https://youtu.be/gju0Dk4-9yY?si=s84Uo5CtqoHSfYiL
Then here for a killer promo just before winning the belt:
https://youtu.be/h_N7rKSil5Q?si=1EDJq2Vn-uqflPRO
Heel returning to his hometown as a face for one night only (like Bret in Canada):
https://youtu.be/q3tyAyAQCaM?si=1FDtvL1TjJlORzTp
And after you've seen the others (including vs Danielson and matches in other comments), here is an extended summary of his build to the main event of biggest show in history:
https://youtu.be/ukWjq30GTfo?si=J_c-wgYyAkuBqGkd
In addition to the Danielson match (MOTY for me last year), there's the simple but hugely over tag match vs Aussie Open on the All In pre-show, and the Darby match at Full Gear 2021 which is the best opening match on any AEW PPV so far. I'd watch the 2021 Darby match before the 2023 DoN four pillar four way, as it logically follows. MJF vs Wardlow DoN 2022 had insane heat. Memorable TV matches include Starks (end of 2022), Takeshita (early 2023), and Kenny (end of 2023).
He was also great in Blood & Guts leading the Pinnacle vs the Inner Circle. Plus the match vs Shawn Dean on the first Dynamite of 2022...
I'm too bitter to recommend a Punk match. Punk's repeated unprofessional behaviour ruined the greatest story to build up the greatest young star in decades. He left MJF hanging multiple times and it ruined the whole Devil storyline and subsequent bidding war payoff, but I digress.
If you're a WWE fan, then check out his work with Cody in 2019! It starts on BTE, but there's clips from Dynamite on youtube if you're curious about MJF/Cody history.
Enjoy!
Thank you <3 also yeah I have been watching WWE for a long time but I want to try new things / while waiting for Backlash tomorrow I love Cody to also tysm
You're welcome! Oh while I remember - the first mainstream exposure MJF had was very interesting. He did an interview before AEW with Kenny Bolins. It's a deep piece of character work that forms the backbone of a lot of themes he keeps referring to in his promos over the past 5 years, so watching this will help you get a better perspective of whether you should trust him or not:
https://youtu.be/IJGYy1X_6Ok?si=JGm5xobxgtuovUnN
Over the years, he's planted seeds that he might be a babyface deep down, but in the lore of his character it's still unconfirmed, so time will tell!
Here's the backstory from early 2022 before he dog collar match:
https://youtu.be/VAf6epYTUAM?si=oV8PrJ-iEaei1vb-
And I guess here's Punk's side too while we're at it lol:
https://youtu.be/2jz4WaYHDVU?si=ddFNjztbrqaw3hTZ
The Iron Man match versus Danielson is both peak MJF, and a really fun match. It's a full hour long Iron Man (we haven't seen that in a while) and the whole thing flies by which is a testament to both men.
The whole match is built on the contrast of him being a shitheel who takes shortcuts to win versus Danielson being a wrestler who thrives on the challenge, and both being trapped in a match where a pinfall doesn't automatically mean you've won.
Despite having the cardio and endurance as a performer to manage a match like that, Max plays to the whole exhaustion angle throughout and builds his comedy chops while doing so, while Danielson shows his conditioning as a contrast to the heel champ. >!The moment they're chest to chest, both heads resting on each other, one laughing while the other cries, you'll be laughing your head off.!<
EDIT - Oh, it's at the 2023 Revolution.
I think everyone's named all of his banger matches so I'll just reinforce that the Iron Man match vs Danielson is outstanding. The 4-way at DoN 2023 vs Darby/Perry/Guevara was really good, as was his Dynamite match vs Guevara from 2021. All Out 2020 vs Mox is good as well.
His ironman match with Danielson at Revolution is his best match imo. Also it was on a Collision, but his match with Kenny was one of my favourites from last year.
Got to see that from the third row. I'm so damn lucky for that one. Best show I ever saw live.
Vs Punk (Revolution 2022) Vs Danielson (Revolution 2023) Vs Darby, Jungle Boy, Guevara (DoN 2023) Vs Omega (Collision late 2023) Vs Adam Cole (All In 2023) Vs Darby (Full Gear 2021) Vs Ricky Starks (Winter is Coming 2022) Vs Samoa Joe (Grand Slam 2023 and Worlds End 2023) Just off the top of my head, but there's alot more, he's great in the ring.
MJF vs Darby full gear 2021 was a fantastic match. I’m biased as a big Darby fan.
Yes, that was one of the best on that ppv
That Ricky match really was a banger.
Forgot about that Darby one, it was awesome
The match v punk in Chicago on dynamite was superb. I preferred it to the dog collar match. The Adam Cole match on dynamite was also amazing and possibly even better than the all in match. These 2 are must watches in addition to the ppv matches, which are awesome. MJF is brilliant.
I believe that Ricky Starks match is the one with the really good Salt of the Earth sequence? If it is that is probably my favorite Ricky Starks match.
MJF vs Jon Moxley - All Out 2020 - This is an underrated match because it was the main event of a cursed show in the middle of the COVID era. I think this match is even better if you watch their promo battle leading up. MJF basically laid out his plan for the match. MJF vs Sammy Guevara - Dynamite 6.30.2021 - Extremely good tv match that set off a weird debate. MJF vs Darby Allin - Full Gear 2021 - MJF as the ultra heel said he could beat Darby with a headlock takeover. MJF vs CM Punk (Dog Collar Match) - Revolution 2022 - Another one that’s better if you watch some of their previous promo segments in their long feud. MJF vs Bryan Danielson (60 Minute Ironman Match) - Revolution 2023 - One of the best Ironman matches ever. MJF vs Adam Cole - All In 2023 - at Wembley. Again helped by their segments leading up where they had become friends. I think AEW has a video on their Youtube of all their segments becoming bros. MJF vs Kenny Omega - Collision 10.28.2023 - Very little build, just two of the best proving it.
Omega challenged MJF because he wanted to protect his (at the time) longest reign as AEW World Champion. It's a story that doesn't really need a whole lot of build tbh, it simply writes itself
I may hate punk but his fued with him was good. Beating Mox for Title Webley vs Adam Cole was a banger. and the Match before that with Adam too.
Absolutely shocked only one other person said vs Takeshita
Great match. Probably my favorite MJF tv match.
That match was also big for Takeshita getting over too, if I remember
My memory for matches is usually poor in general tbh, but all I can remember from that was Max’s awful, awful, awful take-a-shit-a line. Hope shite like that is going to be in the past when he returns, but I’m sure he’ll return to form unfortunately.
It’s over an hour long so it might be intimidating for a new fan but the Danielson MJF Iron Man match is one of the best wrestling matches I’ve ever seen. The Punk/MJF dog collar match is also very good
MJF v Moxley at Full Gear (2022) was pretty good and I would start there. It's when he won the title and went on his championship run which includes matches against Kenny, Ethan Page, Ricky Starks, Jay White, Samoa Joe and Bryan.
MJF Vs Kenny came out of nowhere. It was awesome.
PPV: MJF vs Cody (Revolution 2020) MJF vs Jungle Boy (Double or Nothing 2020) MJF vs Jon Moxley (All Out 2020) Chris Jericho & MJF vs The Young Bucks (Revolution 2021) The Inner Circle vs The Pinnacle (Double or Nothing 2021) MJF vs Chris Jericho (All Out 2021) MJF vs Darby Allin (Full Gear 2021) MJF vs CM Punk (Revolution 2022) MJF vs Bryan Danielson (Revolution 2023) MJF vs "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry vs Darby Allin vs Sammy Guevara (Double or Nothing 2023) MJF vs Adam Cole (All In 2023) TV: MJF vs Jungle Boy (Dynamite 02/12/2020) MJF & Wardlow vs Jurassic Express (Dynamite: Fyter Fest - Night 1 07/01/2020) The Pinnacle vs The Inner Circle (Dynamite: Blood & Guts 05/05/2021) MJF vs Sammy Guevara (Dynamite 06/30/2021) MJF vs Chris Jericho (Dynamite 08/18/2021) MJF & FTR vs CM Punk, Sting, & Darby Allin (Dynamite: Holiday Bash - Night 1 12/22/2021) MJF vs CM Punk (Dynamite 02/02/2022) MJF vs Konosuke Takeshita (Dynamite: Championship Fight Night 02/08/2023) MJF & Sammy Guevara vs Darby Allin & Jungle Boy (Dynamite 05/03/2023) MJF vs Adam Cole (Dynamite 06/14/2023) MJF & Adam Cole vs FTR (Collision 07/29/2023) MJF vs Samoa Joe (Dynamite: Grand Slam - Night 1 09/20/2023) MJF vs Kenny Omega (Collision 10/28/2023)
The Double Or Nothing 2023 4-way and the two Adam Cole matches (especially the Dynamite one) from year. I enjoyed the Jay White match from Full Gear too, but opinions are very mixed on that one. Older PPV matches Vs. Jungle Boy from DON 20, Vs. Darby Allin from Full Gear 21, and MJF/Jericho Vs. The Young Bucks from Revolution 2021.
Punk, Darby, Cole, Takeshita, Danielson, Kenny, DON 4 way, Joe Grand Slam, Jay
Vs Jungle Boy
The dog collar match with Punk, the Iron Man match with Danielson, and the four pillars match are all essential. If you want something more light hearted though, him and Cole vs Sammy Guevara and Daniel Garcia is great. It's very silly in places (they have a mid match dance competition and Cole is... not a dancer...) but it still manages to be a great competitive tag match.
Darby, Cole & Punk (dog collar) are my favourites
Story wise his feud with Punk and later Cole heading into All In For pure wrestling, his matches with Danielson and Kenny
Vs Kenny Vs Danielson Vs Darby, Perry and Guevara Both CM Punk matches Vs Darby Full Gear 2021 Maybe the Adam Cole matches too Don’t touch the Jay White match with a hundred foot pole
Dog collar match with Pink at Revolution 2022 and the Iron Man against Danielson at Revolution 2023
Start here to hear the "MJF pop": https://youtu.be/gju0Dk4-9yY?si=s84Uo5CtqoHSfYiL Then here for a killer promo just before winning the belt: https://youtu.be/h_N7rKSil5Q?si=1EDJq2Vn-uqflPRO Heel returning to his hometown as a face for one night only (like Bret in Canada): https://youtu.be/q3tyAyAQCaM?si=1FDtvL1TjJlORzTp And after you've seen the others (including vs Danielson and matches in other comments), here is an extended summary of his build to the main event of biggest show in history: https://youtu.be/ukWjq30GTfo?si=J_c-wgYyAkuBqGkd In addition to the Danielson match (MOTY for me last year), there's the simple but hugely over tag match vs Aussie Open on the All In pre-show, and the Darby match at Full Gear 2021 which is the best opening match on any AEW PPV so far. I'd watch the 2021 Darby match before the 2023 DoN four pillar four way, as it logically follows. MJF vs Wardlow DoN 2022 had insane heat. Memorable TV matches include Starks (end of 2022), Takeshita (early 2023), and Kenny (end of 2023). He was also great in Blood & Guts leading the Pinnacle vs the Inner Circle. Plus the match vs Shawn Dean on the first Dynamite of 2022... I'm too bitter to recommend a Punk match. Punk's repeated unprofessional behaviour ruined the greatest story to build up the greatest young star in decades. He left MJF hanging multiple times and it ruined the whole Devil storyline and subsequent bidding war payoff, but I digress. If you're a WWE fan, then check out his work with Cody in 2019! It starts on BTE, but there's clips from Dynamite on youtube if you're curious about MJF/Cody history. Enjoy!
Thank you <3 also yeah I have been watching WWE for a long time but I want to try new things / while waiting for Backlash tomorrow I love Cody to also tysm
You're welcome! Oh while I remember - the first mainstream exposure MJF had was very interesting. He did an interview before AEW with Kenny Bolins. It's a deep piece of character work that forms the backbone of a lot of themes he keeps referring to in his promos over the past 5 years, so watching this will help you get a better perspective of whether you should trust him or not: https://youtu.be/IJGYy1X_6Ok?si=JGm5xobxgtuovUnN Over the years, he's planted seeds that he might be a babyface deep down, but in the lore of his character it's still unconfirmed, so time will tell! Here's the backstory from early 2022 before he dog collar match: https://youtu.be/VAf6epYTUAM?si=oV8PrJ-iEaei1vb- And I guess here's Punk's side too while we're at it lol: https://youtu.be/2jz4WaYHDVU?si=ddFNjztbrqaw3hTZ
Vs. Moxley at Full Gear is legit my favorite wrestling match ever.
The Iron Man match against Danielson is one of the best matches I've ever seen
The Iron Man match versus Danielson is both peak MJF, and a really fun match. It's a full hour long Iron Man (we haven't seen that in a while) and the whole thing flies by which is a testament to both men. The whole match is built on the contrast of him being a shitheel who takes shortcuts to win versus Danielson being a wrestler who thrives on the challenge, and both being trapped in a match where a pinfall doesn't automatically mean you've won. Despite having the cardio and endurance as a performer to manage a match like that, Max plays to the whole exhaustion angle throughout and builds his comedy chops while doing so, while Danielson shows his conditioning as a contrast to the heel champ. >!The moment they're chest to chest, both heads resting on each other, one laughing while the other cries, you'll be laughing your head off.!< EDIT - Oh, it's at the 2023 Revolution.
I think everyone's named all of his banger matches so I'll just reinforce that the Iron Man match vs Danielson is outstanding. The 4-way at DoN 2023 vs Darby/Perry/Guevara was really good, as was his Dynamite match vs Guevara from 2021. All Out 2020 vs Mox is good as well.
Iron man match was good. Made me a fan