MJF Says Kevin Knight’s Double or Nothing Turn Reminded Him of a Young MJF

High praise from one of professional wrestling’s most accomplished heels: MJF has singled out Kevin Knight as a performer who cemented his star status at AEW Double or Nothing earlier this year — and drew a direct comparison to his own rise.

At Double or Nothing, Knight appeared to be coming to Darby Allin’s defense after MJF stood over Darby following their AEW World Championship match. Instead, Knight turned on Allin, delivering a shocking attack that reframed his entire character in an instant. It was the kind of moment that can define a career, and MJF apparently recognized it immediately.

According to comments MJF made, he credited Knight with making himself a star through that betrayal, adding that the move reminded him of a young version of himself. Coming from someone who built his reputation almost entirely on calculated heel turns and opportunistic villainy, that is a significant endorsement — and a telling one. MJF knows better than most what it looks like when a performer seizes a moment and changes the trajectory of their career in real time.

For Knight, the Double or Nothing angle marked a dramatic shift from his previous babyface positioning. His willingness to go full villain — and to do so against a beloved figure like Darby Allin at a major pay-per-view — gave him an instant credibility boost in a division that is always hungry for compelling new antagonists.

With MJF now drawing those comparisons publicly, the spotlight on Knight is only going to grow heading further into AEW’s 2026 calendar.