YMMV / MJF

• Alternative Character Interpretation: Underneath his callow, self-centered façade, does he genuinely want (on some level) to form real partnerships and find a real mentor—or is every single one of his relationships based on pure self-interest and a desire to manipulate others? His emotionally charged rivalry with CM Punk has particularly opened up new dimensions in his character. How many of his stories about being a bullied teen who sought solace in professional wrestling are actually true, and how many of them are just mind games to get his opponents' sympathy? And does MJF really resent Punk for disappointing him by turning his back on the business, or does he just resent him because he fears that he'll never beat him?
• Author's Saving Throw: Ever since beginning to interact with Chris Jericho and The Inner Circle, MJF, Jericho, and AEW creative began to get criticized for allowing his detestable villainous aura to take a noticeable hit. That this happened at the tail end of 2020, the same time period which saw Roman Reigns and Kenny Omega's world championship heel turns, Jay White's highway robbery of the Wrestle Kingdom Briefcase, and Randy Orton burning a man alive on pay-per-view, caused many to lower their personal ranking of MJF as far as being the top heel in the business. Then when his supposed plan to take over The Inner Circle was busted and utterly failed, he was reduced to cowering in the corner and begging to be spared a beating... only for him to turn serious and reveal he'd been building a faction of his own. Cue Jericho and his cohorts being beaten bloody by Tully Blanchard and his clients, finally united and now including Wardlow and MJF. Safe to say, The Pinnacle completely reversed MJF's supposed Villain Decay, turning the whole angle into a showcase of his magnificent range as a performer and the depths he would stoop to as a character to get the results he wants.
  MJF: I PRETENDED TO LIKE YOU AND YOUR HA-HA COMEDY BULLSHIT!
• Awesome Ego: Perhaps one of the biggest examples in modern pro wrestling. It's not everyday that you see a heel proclaim themselves to be a "generational talent" and at the same time see pro wrestling reviewers actually use the exact same phrase, completely free of irony, because they believe MJF is really that good.
• Awesome Music: His entrance theme "Dig Deep" by RW Smith feels like it was made for him. Also, he can use it anywhere he goes because it has no copyright.
• Crosses the Line Twice: Almost every single one of his promos, but particularly the ones he cut during his feud with Brian Pillman Jr. The one where he screamed at the ground while telling the dead Brian Pillman Sr. that they needed to talk takes the cake.
• Draco in Leather Pants: After coming back from hiatus there are at least as many people cheering for him as booing him.
• Foe Yay Shipping: With CM Punk, especially after it was revealed he was a massive Yandere for Punk that hated his "childhood hero" for abandoning wrestling, and thus, MJF himself. Combined with the Dog Collar match, something that just screams BDSM, and you have the increasingly popular CMJF pairing.
• Memetic Mutation: His "It's called the Midwest because every single thing in it is MID!" promo spread like wildfire, mainly through TikTok. To this end, he put out a tweet acknowledging that the word "mid" was "super over" thanks to him, and demanding that his fans tag all of their friends who had begun using the word.
• Retroactive Recognition: He had a very brief appearance at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II as the security guard Samoa Joe pushes aside. This ended up playing into their eventual feud that started at All Out 2023 and ended at Worlds End 2023.
• Rooting for the Empire: He might be the biggest dick in the history of wrestling but MJF's character well as mic skills have been praised due to his ability to blur the line of kayfabe. Fans love him so much that he is one of the few people that can make them boo Jon Moxley.

---