MJF Says CM Punk Feud Taught Him the Difference Between Good and Great – MJF has opened up about his past rivalry with CM Punk, admitting he still harbors personal animosity while acknowledging the impact Punk had on his growth as a performer. Speaking on Insight With Chris Van Vliet, the former AEW World Champion explained that their feud helped shape his understanding of what separates top-tier talent from the rest.
“I learned. I learned the difference between good and great. That’s what I learned. Now, do I like him? Again, I’ll reiterate, no, I wouldn’t piss on him if he was on fire to put that fire out, but I’m not going to sit here and pretend I didn’t learn from him,” MJF said. “The difference between good and great is this, good means you can get away with slipping up. Means fans won’t freak out if you do something that’s even lower than perfect. Great means if you mess up in any capacity, if you stumble, if you tremble, if you backpedal, you’re horrible. That’s what that’s the curse of being great. I learned that from him, I learned that from Cody.”
MJF made it clear that, despite his respect for what he learned, his personal feelings toward Punk have not softened. He emphasized that the lessons came from competition and tension rather than admiration, framing the rivalry as a defining chapter in his development.
During the conversation, MJF also addressed Punk’s current run in WWE and how his public stance has shifted since leaving AEW. While he stopped short of directly criticizing Punk, he acknowledged the contrast between past and present messaging.
“I have no idea, because the things that he said in my company do go against the things that he’s saying now. Some people might say that’s hypocritical. That’s not my place. All I know is, since I’ve jumped into pro wrestling, I’ve been saying the same thing since the jump, my tune has not changed. I’m Maxwell Jacob Friedman, and I’m better than you, and you know it, I also won’t sit here and lie to you and tell you that I didn’t learn so much through my hatred of that man. I learned the difference between good and great. That’s what I learned. Now, do I like him? Again, I’ll reiterate, no, I wouldn’t piss on him if he was on fire to put that fire out, but I’m not going to sit here and pretend I didn’t learn from him.”
The rivalry between the two remains one of AEW’s most talked-about storylines, and MJF’s comments highlight how deeply it influenced his approach to the business. Even with lingering resentment, he credits the experience for pushing him toward a higher standard and sharpening his understanding of what it takes to perform at the very top level.
MJF Says CM Punk Feud Taught Him the Difference Between Good and Great
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