MJF References His Failed WWE Tryout During AEW Dynamite Promo

Last night's "AEW Dynamite" was, as usual, eventful, especially for those who crave segments containing Maxwell Jacob Friedman. Midway through the show, the self-proclaimed "generational talent" burst onto the scene during a Tony Schiavone interview with William Regal.

MJF confronted Regal, reminding him that years ago, he got the chance to work as an extra for a WWE taping. He received a tryout match, and afterward Regal took him aside. According to Friedman, Regal told MJF that he was too young, but also told him to keep sending him matches for Regal to monitor his progress. MJF claimed that he did just that, but after a couple of months, Regal replied back with a long, discouraging email that essentially told him to get better and make a name for himself before contacting him again.

Friedman told Regal that the email not only made him want to quit wrestling but also brought about suicidal thoughts. However, he kept going, driven by the goal of proving his doubters wrong. While it's unclear just how much of his story was rooted in reality, MJF certainly pulled a large portion of the crowd to his side, sympathetic to his experience. 

Regal responded to MJF's emotional outpouring by saying that he sent the email to light a fire underneath Friedman, hoping it would fuel his push to improve. However, he told MJF that he was still disappointed in him though as a result of all the shortcuts he'd taken over the course of his career. Regal would then give MJF the opportunity to attack him from behind -– to show the world how much of a "devil" he really was. But Friedman would not accept the chance and instead reappeared later to challenge Jon Moxley for Full Gear, cashing in his poker chip for a shot at the AEW World Championship, and stating that he would earn what was coming to him. 

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.