Ric Flair Praises MJF, Compares His Potential to Randy Orton

– During a recent interview with The Wrestling Classic, WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair discussed AEW World Champion MJF and how he thinks he could become “the next Randy Orton.” Below are some highlights (via Fightful):

Ric Flair on MJF: “We exchanged pleasantries in the lobby of the hotel. I shook his hand and said, not that it mattered to him, but I think he’s pretty confident in himself. He doesn’t need a pat on the back and that’s what makes him a little bit different. He’s good. I don’t mind telling you, he’s damn good. he’s confident. He’s young. I tried to mainly reinforce to him that I hope he stays at AEW.”

On what sets MJF apart from others: “I like the fact that I think he’s confident and comes across as confident in real life as he comes across with his confidence in the ring. He’s got a great interview, he’s got a great look, he’s worked hard. I think he has the confidence in real life that he portrays on TV and I think the future is unlimited for him. He’s really good. He could be the next Randy Orton. That’s about as high of praise as I can give him.”

MJF is set to defend his AEW World Title later this Saturday, December 30 against Samoa Joe at AEW Worlds End. It will be broadcast live on pay-per-view. The event is being held at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.