MJF Accuses TKO of Planting TV-Rumors to Undermine AEW Amid Paramount-Skydance Talks

AEW star Maxwell Jacob Friedman told CBS Sports’ SHAK Wrestling he believes negative stories about AEW’s television future are being leaked intentionally by someone at TKO to make the company look bad amid speculation over a potential Paramount/Skydance acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. MJF argued the roster and Tony Khan are blindsided by the reports, pointed to AEW’s strong cable numbers, and likened the situation to a Coke-versus-Pepsi smear campaign designed to sow doubt.

Wrestling Observer columnist Dave Meltzer has also weighed in, noting that while some worry Paramount/Skydance might not want AEW, the promotion remains highly rated and cost-effective compared to other sports programming, and any decisions about AEW’s future are far from settled. Meltzer added that sources inside WWE and elsewhere acknowledge uncertainty around the merger timeline and who would ultimately make programming decisions.

Originally reported by Wrestling Observer: https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aew/mjf-believes-tko-is-behind-negative-rumors-about-aews-tv-future/.