Maxwell Jacob Friedman has taken a significant step toward New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and he has done it in the confrontational fashion that has defined his career. The former AEW World Champion appeared in a video during NJPW Road to King of Pro-Wrestling Night Two and directly challenged Ryohei Oiwa.

The timing of the challenge is especially notable. Oiwa is coming off a major career achievement as the winner of this year’s G1 Climax, and he is now preparing for one of the biggest matches available in NJPW: an IWGP Heavyweight Championship bout against Yota Tsuji at King of Pro-Wrestling 2026 next week.

MJF’s move does not yet guarantee that a match with Oiwa will happen. Oiwa made clear that his attention remains firmly on Tsuji and the IWGP title. Still, the exchange has put MJF’s name into the conversation around one of New Japan’s most prominent rising stars and potentially its top championship.

MJF Explains His NJPW Decision

For years, MJF has been outspoken in his criticism of NJPW. His sudden willingness to do business with the promotion therefore drew immediate attention, particularly because he did not present the appearance as a respectful arrival or a traditional cross-promotional opportunity.

For more background on this topic, read MJF Calls Out Ryohei Oiwa, Offers His ‘Actual’ AEW World Title for NJPW Match.

Instead, MJF offered a characteristically provocative explanation for his decision.

“I have a statement for why I’m doing business with New Japan. It’s a simple one I’d like public. I want to prove New Japan isn’t a real company. I want to prove I’m the master of the headlock. But MOST of all. I want to upset puro twitter.”

The statement combined several familiar elements of MJF’s public persona: contempt toward the company he is entering, a boast about his own wrestling ability, and a deliberate effort to provoke passionate fans. The reference to being the “master of the headlock” gives the situation an additional wrestling-specific angle, while his comments about upsetting “puro twitter” underline that he knows exactly how closely the international wrestling community will watch any potential NJPW involvement.

MJF has not offered a conciliatory message to New Japan’s roster or audience. If anything, his comments suggest that he is approaching the promotion as an adversary from the outset. That approach could make a future match with Oiwa particularly volatile, especially if the G1 winner reaches the top of the company before MJF arrives for an in-ring confrontation.

Oiwa Keeps His Focus on Yota Tsuji

Oiwa did not ignore MJF’s challenge, but he also did not allow it to distract him from the match directly in front of him. The G1 Climax winner is scheduled to challenge Yota Tsuji for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at King of Pro-Wrestling 2026, a contest that could reshape the immediate direction of NJPW’s heavyweight scene.

Responding to MJF, Oiwa stressed that the championship bout remains his priority. He also took issue with MJF’s history of criticizing New Japan before now seeking a place in its landscape.

“Read the room! You spent forever ****ting on New Japan, but that ain’t the case now, right? All I’m watching now is Yota Tsuji! I’ll think about it after he wins the IWGP.”

Oiwa’s message is important for two reasons. First, he did not commit to accepting the challenge. Second, he positioned a possible MJF match as something to consider only after his business with Tsuji has concluded—and only if he wins the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

That response makes the title match at King of Pro-Wrestling even more consequential. Oiwa already has the momentum of a G1 Climax victory behind him, but defeating Tsuji would elevate him into an entirely different position. As champion, Oiwa would not simply be responding to an outsider’s provocation. He would be defending the standard of NJPW against a former AEW World Champion who has openly questioned the promotion’s legitimacy.

The Verbal Battle Escalates

MJF quickly replied to Oiwa with another insult, making it clear that he has no intention of waiting quietly for a decision.

“Be grateful, I’m letting you live until then. I’m coming to you because you and everyone in your country are too ***** to come to me.”

The response continued the hostile tone of MJF’s NJPW introduction. Rather than acknowledging Oiwa’s immediate title focus, MJF portrayed himself as someone granting Oiwa time before their presumed collision. He also intensified his attacks beyond Oiwa himself, aiming his comments at the country and its wrestling scene more broadly.

That rhetoric ensures that any eventual appearance by MJF in front of an NJPW crowd would carry a built-in reaction. His challenge has already established the core issue: MJF is not arriving to seek acceptance from New Japan. He is arriving to antagonize it.

Oiwa, meanwhile, has treated MJF as a secondary concern. That contrast is central to the story. MJF is attempting to force his way into Oiwa’s orbit through insults and spectacle, while Oiwa remains concentrated on winning the most prestigious prize in NJPW.

What an IWGP Title Win Could Mean

At present, MJF vs. Oiwa remains unconfirmed. No match date has been announced, and Oiwa has made no promise that he will accept the challenge. The clearest path toward the bout is Oiwa defeating Tsuji for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at King of Pro-Wrestling 2026.

If that happens, MJF could be positioning himself for a title opportunity. Winning the IWGP Heavyweight Championship would add another major accolade to the résumé of a wrestler who has already held the AEW World Championship. It would also give MJF a powerful claim in his ongoing campaign to present himself as one of professional wrestling’s elite names.

For NJPW, a potential MJF challenge to an Oiwa-led championship reign would create a clash between two very different kinds of momentum. Oiwa would enter as the G1 Climax winner attempting to convert tournament success into a defining world title reign. MJF would arrive as an accomplished outsider who is openly dismissive of the company, its supporters, and its traditions.

The possibility is compelling precisely because Oiwa has not yet allowed MJF to dictate the terms. His position is simple: Yota Tsuji comes first. The IWGP Heavyweight Championship comes first. Only then will he consider whether MJF has earned the attention he is demanding.

All Eyes Turn to King of Pro-Wrestling

The immediate focus now shifts to Oiwa versus Tsuji at King of Pro-Wrestling 2026. Oiwa’s G1 Climax win secured him this opportunity, and the match will determine whether his path leads into a championship reign—or whether MJF’s challenge must wait for a different answer.

MJF has already succeeded in putting himself on the NJPW radar. His video appearance and subsequent remarks have created a potential international headline match without any formal bout being finalized. He has also given Oiwa a reason to see a future encounter as more than just a high-profile contest; it could become a defense of NJPW’s standing against a vocal and decorated critic.

For now, there are two unresolved questions. Can Ryohei Oiwa defeat Yota Tsuji and capture the IWGP Heavyweight Championship? And if he does, will he decide that MJF’s challenge is worth accepting?

MJF has made his intentions known. Oiwa has made his priorities known. The next chapter depends on the result of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship match next week.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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.