Maxwell Jacob Friedman
He is the self-proclaimed 'devil' of professional wrestling, a master manipulator whose record-breaking title reign proved he could back up his endless trash talk.
Born 1996 (age 30)·American professional wrestler·Birthday: March 15·Millennials
Biography
Maxwell Jacob Friedman won the AEW World Championship in 2022 and held it for over a year, defending the title with technical skill and psychological warfare. Born in 1996 in Plainview, New York, he cultivated a persona of arrogant, old-school villainy, dripping in fur coats and delivering scathing promos. His ascent in All Elite Wrestling was a calculated campaign of betrayal and boastfulness, positioning him as the company's most despised figure. That hatred became his fuel, culminating in a historic championship run that established him as the industry's premier antagonist.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Maxwell was born in 1996, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Maxwell Was Born
The biggest hits of 1996
#1 Movie
Independence Day
Best Picture
The English Patient
#1 TV Show
ER
Maxwell's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1996Born
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2001Started school
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2009Became a teenager
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Could drive
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2014Could vote
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Turned 21
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Turned 30
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the longest-reigning AEW World Champion in the title's history during his first reign.
- Successfully defended the AEW World Championship against Bryan Danielson in a 60-minute Iron Man match at AEW Revolution 2023.
- Won the Dynamite Diamond Ring multiple times, an on-screen symbol of his vanity and in-ring advantage.
- Headlined AEW's first-ever pay-per-view held at Wembley Stadium in London, All In 2023, defending his title against Adam Cole.
Did You Know?
He is a trained actor and attended New York's famed Professional Performing Arts School.
He cites 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper as his primary inspiration for his wrestling character.
He began his wrestling career at the age of 16, training under WWE Hall of Famer Pat Buck.
He is known for wearing a custom 'Salt of the Earth' scarf to the ring, a phrase that became his trademark.
“I'm better than you, and you know it.”
