MJF has built much of his professional wrestling identity around self-belief, sharp criticism, and an unwavering insistence that he stands above everyone else in the business. That reputation makes his public praise noteworthy whenever he chooses to give it. In discussing the 2026 PWI 500, the AEW star offered emphatic compliments to WWE talents Trick Williams and Oba Femi, identifying both men as performers with immense potential.
The comments came as MJF reflected on the annual list, which placed him at No. 1 for the first time. The former AEW World Champion was ranked ahead of major names from across the industry, including Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Konosuke Takeshita, and “Hangman” Adam Page. Rather than making the conversation solely about his own top position, MJF spent time discussing the wrestlers immediately around the upper reaches of the list.
Williams, who landed at No. 8, received especially warm remarks from MJF. The AEW standout recalled meeting Williams at LaGuardia Airport and later seeing him again at a party hosted by their mutual friend, Bryan Diperstein, also known as Dipps. MJF’s assessment focused as much on Williams’ character away from the ring as his developing standing as a national television performer.
“Trick Williams on number eight spot. Talk about a guy, he’s only been on national television for a very short period of time. I got to meet Trick actually at LaGuardia Airport, in my opinion, the best airport in New York State, and we chopped it up a little bit, got to hang out with him again recently at my friend Dipps’ party. It was good. He’s just a good guy, you know, I like him. I know this is more than five words, but great guy, boatload of potential. Nothing bad to say there.”
For more background on this topic, read MJF Claims His First PWI 500 No. 1 Ranking Was Overdue.
MJF Sees Major Upside in Trick Williams
For an athlete as outspoken as MJF, “nothing bad to say” is a particularly direct endorsement. His remarks acknowledged that Williams’ time on national television has been comparatively brief while emphasizing the scale of the opportunity in front of him. MJF did not attach a prediction to Williams’ future, but his description of the WWE star as possessing a “boatload of potential” made his view clear.
Williams’ No. 8 placement put him firmly among the elite names considered in the 2026 PWI 500. The ranking also gave MJF an opening to recognize a wrestler from another promotion without turning the conversation into a familiar company-versus-company debate. Instead, MJF’s comments centered on Williams as a person and a performer, with the personal encounters he described adding context to an unusually positive appraisal.
The exchange is also another example of how wrestlers from different companies can cross paths outside the ring. Airports, industry gatherings, and private events routinely create those opportunities, even when promotions remain competitors on television. MJF’s recollection of speaking with Williams at LaGuardia and reconnecting at Dipps’ party illustrated that reality while keeping the focus on the respect he developed for Williams.
MJF has not been entirely reluctant to acknowledge excellence elsewhere in wrestling. Despite the abrasive, braggadocious persona that has defined much of his AEW career, he has previously offered praise for Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, and John Cena. Williams now joins that wider group of WWE names who have received favorable public comments from one of AEW’s most prominent stars.
Oba Femi Receives a Similar Endorsement
After discussing Williams, MJF turned his attention to Oba Femi. Like Williams, Femi was described as a wrestler with substantial room to grow, and MJF again referenced Diperstein while explaining a personal connection around the conversation. The former NXT Champion’s imposing physical presence was impossible for MJF to overlook.
“Another guy [Oba Femi] that’s represented by my pal Bryan Diperstein. Great dude and very large. A very large man. And another guy with a boatload of potential.”
It was a concise assessment, but it covered the traits that have helped make Femi stand out: his size, his presentation, and the sense that his ceiling remains high. MJF’s repeated use of “boatload of potential” for both Femi and Williams linked the two WWE talents in his estimation. He sees each as an athlete with major tools already visible and considerable possibilities still ahead.
Femi’s former NXT Championship reign is part of the résumé that has elevated his profile. MJF did not attempt to compare Femi directly to Williams, nor did he rank their respective prospects against one another. His comments were instead an individual endorsement of Femi, delivered with the same uncomplicated positivity he had just shown Williams.
The wording also fit MJF’s established delivery. Even while issuing praise, he found room for a humorous observation about Femi being “very large.” The line did not undercut the broader compliment. It reinforced MJF’s recognition of Femi’s physical presence before returning to the central point: he believes Femi has abundant potential.
A No. 1 Ranking and a Broader Wrestling Conversation
MJF’s own place atop the 2026 PWI 500 naturally remains the headline achievement behind the discussion. The ranking marked the first time he has been listed at No. 1. Being placed above Rhodes and Punk, two of the most recognizable names in the modern wrestling landscape, as well as active AEW standouts Takeshita and Adam Page, made the honor a significant milestone.
The PWI 500 has long been a discussion point because it places wrestlers from different promotions into one shared annual conversation. Its list format encourages comparisons that television storylines and company boundaries do not always allow. In MJF’s case, the ranking discussion became an opportunity to acknowledge competitors and peers from outside AEW while also celebrating his own position at the top.
That context matters because MJF’s public persona is so closely tied to declaring himself the best wrestler in the world. His No. 1 placement gives that claim an additional talking point, but his responses about Williams and Femi showed that self-promotion did not prevent him from recognizing rising talent elsewhere. He could frame himself as the leader of the list while still granting meaningful credit to performers who may help shape wrestling’s next generation.
Neither MJF’s comments on Williams nor his comments on Femi suggested any business development, crossover plan, or change in promotional affiliation. They were simply remarks of respect during a discussion of the rankings. Still, coming from a wrestler who has made confidence and confrontation central parts of his presentation, the praise carries added attention.
Respect Across Promotional Lines
The wrestling industry has always contained professional rivalries, brand loyalties, and intense fan debates. Yet performers frequently recognize ability when they see it, especially when conversations move away from weekly competition and toward broader assessments of talent. MJF’s remarks on Williams and Femi offered that kind of recognition.
For Williams, MJF highlighted a positive personal impression as well as an accelerated rise on national television. For Femi, he spotlighted an extraordinary physical profile and similarly high upside. Both assessments were brief in the larger scope of the PWI 500 conversation, but both were clear.
MJF remains No. 1 on the 2026 list, a distinction that adds another accomplishment to his already notable AEW career. At the same time, his comments made sure that the discussion did not end with his own placement. He used the moment to put over Trick Williams and Oba Femi, two WWE talents he believes have the tools to accomplish a great deal in the years ahead.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.