A new, intensely personal rivalry has ignited in AEW between MJF and Mark Briscoe, and it is reportedly a program the former world champion personally advocated for. The feud officially kicked off on the June 25 episode of AEW Dynamite, beginning with an attack and escalating into a fiery verbal confrontation.
According to a report from Fightful Select, the storyline was considered “very important” to MJF, who pushed for the pairing behind the scenes. This adds a layer of reality to the on-screen animosity that exploded following an attack by MJF and his faction, The Hurt Syndicate, on JetSpeed.
Briscoe emerged to interrupt the post-match assault, leading to a heated exchange on the microphones. MJF launched a series of personal insults, targeting Briscoe’s background.
“They all grew up dirt ugly and dirt poor,” MJF said of the fans who support Briscoe, before calling him a “blue collar b**h.”
Briscoe responded with a pointed and personal jab of his own, questioning MJF’s need for backup from his large faction.
“If I was MJF going 30 years with a teeny, tiny, kosher pickle in his pants, I’d hang out with those guys too,” Briscoe retorted.
The line immediately sparked loud “kosher pickle” chants from the live audience as MVP led the rest of The Hurt Syndicate away from the ring. The comment also drew a response on social media from MJF’s girlfriend, Alicia Atout, who confirmed the existence of the pickle but added that it is “definitely not tiny.”
The budding rivalry now has a direct impact on the AEW World Championship picture. During the same broadcast, Briscoe won a hard-fought four-way match against Konosuke Takeshita, Bandido, and Roderick Strong. The victory earned him the coveted number one entry spot in the upcoming Casino Gauntlet match at All In Texas.
Coincidentally, MJF also announced his own entry into that same match, declaring his intention to win it and regain the AEW World Title. The collision course sets the stage for the two rivals to potentially clash again with a world championship opportunity on the line.