Pro Wrestler MJF Slams Clavicular’s Looksmaxxing, Claims Genetics Can Never Be Overpowered Despite Being In A Profession Riddled With PED Use

February 17, 2026 by Oswin Vex

AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman, better known as MJF, has made his position clear on the viral looksmaxxing trend championed by social media influencer Clavicular: he wants no part of it.

During a recent interview in Sydney, Australia, the 29-year-old wrestling star launched an unprompted verbal attack on the controversial figure, dismissing his methods and philosophy entirely.

“I’ve not taken a hammer to my face like Clavicular,” MJF stated bluntly when asked about his physique. “Didn’t that kid also take m*th to get a little skinnier? I’ve not been doing that because I’m not a m**on. And if you follow Clavicular, you’re dumb.”

The champion didn’t stop there, issuing a direct challenge to the influencer.

“You’re a weakling. You’re a fraud. You are probably the most insecure human being who’s ever lived. And if you have a problem with anything that I’m saying right now, I’ll gladly fig ht you in any vantage point. Whether it be a professional wrestling ring, an MMA cage, I would love to beat the ever loving s**t out of you.”

When the interviewer suggested that looksmaxxing could enhance his wrestling career by improving his appearance, MJF rejected the premise entirely.

“I’m already hot. I’m already hot out of my mind. I got a big old hog on me. I’m the world champion. I make millions of dollars. I make way more money than Clavicular will ever make. And I’ve never had to hit myself in the head with a hammer to get here.”

His final word on the matter emphasized what he believes separates him from those seeking artificial enhancement. “MJF’s take on looksmaxxing. Don’t need it. Especially when you’re born better, you’re born better.”

Professional wrestling has a well-documented history with PEDs. The industry has long been associated with roid use and other methods of physical enhancement, making MJF’s emphasis on natural genetics somewhat ironic.

MJF is currently in Australia defending his AEW World Championship, having also transitioned into a successful acting career with roles in Happy Gilmore 2, The Iron Claw, and Violent Night 2.

Pro Wrestler MJF Slams Clavicular’s Looksmaxxing, Claims Genetics Can Never Be Overpowered Despite Being In A Profession Riddled With PED Use

February 17, 2026

AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman, better known as MJF, has made his position clear on the viral looksmaxxing trend championed by social media influencer Clavicular: he wants no part of it.

During a recent interview in Sydney, Australia, the 29-year-old wrestling star launched an unprompted verbal attack on the controversial figure, dismissing his methods and philosophy entirely.

“I’ve not taken a hammer to my face like Clavicular,” MJF stated bluntly when asked about his physique. “Didn’t that kid also take m*th to get a little skinnier? I’ve not been doing that because I’m not a m**on. And if you follow Clavicular, you’re dumb.”

The champion didn’t stop there, issuing a direct challenge to the influencer.

“You’re a weakling. You’re a fraud. You are probably the most insecure human being who’s ever lived. And if you have a problem with anything that I’m saying right now, I’ll gladly fig ht you in any vantage point. Whether it be a professional wrestling ring, an MMA cage, I would love to beat the ever loving s**t out of you.”

When the interviewer suggested that looksmaxxing could enhance his wrestling career by improving his appearance, MJF rejected the premise entirely.

“I’m already hot. I’m already hot out of my mind. I got a big old hog on me. I’m the world champion. I make millions of dollars. I make way more money than Clavicular will ever make. And I’ve never had to hit myself in the head with a hammer to get here.”

His final word on the matter emphasized what he believes separates him from those seeking artificial enhancement. “MJF’s take on looksmaxxing. Don’t need it. Especially when you’re born better, you’re born better.”

Professional wrestling has a well-documented history with PEDs. The industry has long been associated with roid use and other methods of physical enhancement, making MJF’s emphasis on natural genetics somewhat ironic.

MJF is currently in Australia defending his AEW World Championship, having also transitioned into a successful acting career with roles in Happy Gilmore 2, The Iron Claw, and Violent Night 2.

White House Is Waging War On Anthropic Because They Refuse To Let It Be Used For Surveillance On US Soil

February 17, 2026

The Pentagon and one of Silicon Valley’s most influential artificial intelligence companies are currently in a confrontation. According to sources, the Defense Department is considering ending its relationship with Anthropic after months of tense negotiations over how the technology can be deployed.

The reason is due to Anthropic’s refusal to allow its AI to be used for domestic mass surveillance or for weapons systems that operate autonomously without human oversight.

Claude is already embedded within classified military environments, and the AI has reportedly been utilized in defense operations, including one involving Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January. Untangling the technology from existing workflows would be complex and costly.

Pentagon officials have been pushing for broader access to the AI tools, seeking authorization for what they describe as all legally permissible military applications. But Anthropic leadership has held firm, arguing that current surveillance laws are outdated and insufficient to address the capabilities of modern artificial intelligence.

“They have not in any way caught up to what AI can do,” one source familiar with the company’s position explained, highlighting the gap between legal frameworks written before the AI boom and the technology’s current power.

The Defense Department’s response has been forceful. Officials are weighing not only contract termination, potentially costing Anthropic up to $200 million, but also a more sweeping designation that could brand the company a “supply chain risk.”

Such a classification would require any contractor seeking Pentagon business to certify they are not relying on Anthropic’s technology in their own systems, effectively creating a blacklist that could ripple across the defense industry.

“It will be an enormous pain the a** to disentangle, and we are going to make sure they pay a price for forcing our hand like this,” a senior Pentagon official said, reflecting the frustration building within the department.

Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell framed the issue in stark terms. “Our nation requires that our partners be willing to help our warfig hters win,” he stated. “Ultimately, this is about our troops and the safety of the American people.”

Yet the clash extends beyond a single contract dispute. Defense officials view the confrontation as an opportunity to send a message to the AI industry.

The hard stance taken with Anthropic is intended to influence how other major developers, including OpenAI, Google, and xAI, approach their own military partnerships and usage agreements.

Anthropic has maintained a measured public posture throughout the escalating tensions. In a statement, the company described itself as “having productive conversations, in good faith” with the Defense Department, suggesting negotiations remain ongoing despite the Pentagon’s public warnings.

If Jackie Chan Endorses Your Product, It’s Doomed To Fail

February 17, 2026

Martial arts legend Jackie Chan has become known in Chinese business circles as the “brand terminator.” This reputation was reinforced on February 13th when Guangdong Chigo Air Conditioning Co. Limited filed for bankruptcy liquidation.

Founded in 1994, Chigo once competed alongside giants like Gree, Midea, and Haier, earning recognition as one of China’s “four little dragons” in the air conditioning industry. In 2014, at the peak of its success, Chigo made what may have been its most consequential decision: hiring Jackie Chan as brand ambassador. The company aimed to challenge Gree, which had previously worked with Chan.

The results were catastrophic. Financial reports show that while Chigo had risen to third place in market share by 2010, its fortunes reversed after Chan came aboard. By 2018, the company reported losses of 480 million yuan. In 2019, losses expanded to 1.4 billion yuan, ultimately leading to delisting and now bankruptcy.

Meanwhile, Gree, which had been struggling during its association with Chan, managed to survive and continue operations after Chigo took over the endorsement contract.

This pattern repeats across Chan’s endorsement portfolio with remarkable consistency. BaWang anti-hair loss shampoo, featured in Chan’s memorable advertisement, saw sales briefly lead the market.

However, in 2010, Hong Kong’s Next Magazine revealed the product contained diethanolamine, a component listed as carcinogenic by the United States. Though the company filed lawsuits, the brand never recovered, and sales plummeted.

Aido VCD is another example. When its founder secured Chan’s endorsement in 1996 for 4.5 million yuan, the advertising slogan “Aido VCD, good kung fu” went viral across China. Within just three to four years, however, the company faced financial crisis. Eventually, the brand vanished from the market.

The Xiao Bawang learning machine, a nostalgic memory for many Chinese born in the 1980s and 1990s, followed a similar trajectory. Chan’s endorsement drove a surge in sales, but the company failed to innovate and went out of business in 2020. Even Dragonair, one of the busiest airlines flying between mainland China and Hong Kong, ceased operations shortly after partnering with the action star.

The list continues: a Volkswagen Caddy Combi model sold fewer than 1,000 units, Evergrande Spring product faced company collapse and founder arrest in 2014, and more.

Beyond business failures, Chan’s personal conduct has increasingly drawn criticism. In October of last year, video footage showing the 71-year-old actor appearing to inappropriately touch Hong Kong singer Joey Yung sparked massive online backlash.

However, his alignment with the Chinese Communist Party has generated the most significant public disdain. In 2009, Chan stated: “It’s better not to have freedom. I’m really confused now. Too much freedom makes things like Hong Kong today very chaotic. Taiwan is the same. I’ve slowly realized that we Chinese need to be governed.”

In May 2020, after the controversial Hong Kong National Security Law passed, Chan rallied over 2,000 entertainers to support it, declaring himself a “flag bearer for the CCP.”

The consequences have become undeniable. Chan’s 2024 film “A Legend,” with a total investment of approximately 350 million yuan, earned less than 80 million yuan in mainland China after 24 days of screening – a loss of over 300 million yuan.

In June 2025, “The Karate Kid: The Legend Continues,” with a budget of $45 million, earned only 69,000 Hong Kong dollars in its first two days in Hong Kong, with Chinese pre-sale tickets reaching merely 820,000 yuan.

How A CEO Built His NASCAR Empire on Lies

February 17, 2026

Jeff Carpoff had a dream: to see his company name emblazoned on a NASCAR vehicle. In 2016, that fantasy became reality when DC Solar, his mobile solar technology business, entered the racing world as a sponsor.

What followed was a carefully orchestrated performance that fooled investors, business partners, and even the drivers who represented his brand.

DC Solar positioned itself as a leader in mobile solar technology, manufacturing generator trailers that could provide clean power at construction sites and events. The company’s entry into NASCAR seemed like a natural extension of bringing sustainable energy to mainstream America.

Jeff Carpoff claimed to care about the environment, but those who worked closely with him saw a different reality. Steve Beal, DC Solar’s filmmaker for five years, and John Miranda, the company’s communications director, witnessed firsthand how the NASCAR sponsorship became Carpoff’s true obsession.

The relationship began through an unexpected connection. Chris Janini, father of driver Brennan Poole’s girlfriend, introduced Carpoff to the young racer. Suddenly, DC Solar was sponsoring a full-time Xfinity Series team.

The 24-year-old Poole became the perfect spokesman, genuinely passionate about environmental causes and eager to connect clean energy with motorsports. He spoke authentically about global warming and his personal commitment to protecting the planet through outdoor activities like surfing and camping.

But Carpoff struggled to deliver the same message. During filming sessions, he needed constant coaching on basic talking points about renewable energy and noise reduction. When asked where he envisioned DC Solar in five to ten years, a fundamental question any CEO should answer easily, Carpoff deflected.

“I don’t know,” he admitted on camera. “If it keeps going like this, who knows, right?”

The NASCAR expansion accelerated rapidly. DC Solar became the primary sponsor for races, deployed hundreds of generators at speedways, and eventually moved from Saturday’s Xfinity Series to Sunday’s premier Cup Series.

Carpoff modeled DC Solar’s new Benicia, California facility directly after Chip Ganassi Racing’s immaculate North Carolina headquarters, complete with piano-finished floors installed by the same contractor. He drove a Zamboni around his shop floor, living out his motorsports fantasy while claiming to build a clean energy empire.

However, federal investigators revealed that DC Solar manufactured approximately 6,000 mobile generator trailers but claimed to have sold over 17,000. The company operated a classic Ponzi scheme, selling the same equipment repeatedly on paper to different investors.

The NASCAR sponsorships, facility upgrades, and lifestyle were funded not by legitimate business success but by defrauding investors and exploiting tax credits meant to encourage renewable energy adoption.

As one insider reflected, the American taxpayer ultimately financed Carpoff’s racing dreams. The FBI seized unprecedented footage documenting the operation, and federal prosecutors pursued what they called the largest criminal fraud case in their district’s history.

Brennan Poole, the young driver who genuinely believed in connecting sustainability with racing, was cast aside when Carpoff no longer needed an environmental spokesman.

The CEO wanted bigger names, bigger races, and a bigger fantasy. He never cared about solar power or saving the planet. NASCAR was his calling, and he constructed an elaborate fraud to fund his passion

Journalist Explains How Moon Landing Skepticism Has Become A Major Talking Point On Manosphere Podcasts

February 17, 2026

Investigative journalist Scott Carney recently pulled back the curtain on how certain manosphere podcast networks operate. In a recent video, Carney described how producer Steve Sanchez repeatedly contacted him for months, urging him to appear on the Danny Jones podcast.

Eventually, Carney agreed to an in-person interview in Tampa, Florida. But just 30 minutes before recording, Jones abruptly cancelled the appearance.

According to Carney, the reason wasn’t scheduling or technical issues, it was his reporting on Andrew Huberman.

Carney stated: “Well, apparently one of the subjects which is off limits is accurately reporting Huberman’s changing opinions on science relating to the sponsorship money that he gets. Also, the various s*xual abuse claims by multiple women that have been documented by multiple magazines as a thing. True issues with Andrew Huberman.”

For a show that branded itself with the subject line “No subject off limits,” Carney noted the irony, saying, “the only thing that’s off limits for Danny Jones is truth.”

But Carney argues the issue goes far beyond one cancelled interview. He says it reflects a much larger “influencer network” built around clout, where podcast hosts gain attention by uncritically echoing whatever another influencer claims, no matter how dubious.

This is where topics like moon landing skepticism thrive.

Carney explained that within these manosphere spaces, conspiratorial thinking is often treated as entertainment or even enlightenment, rather than something to be challenged.

Ideas ranging from moon landing hoaxes to pseudoscientific longevity claims to supposed communication with the de ad circulate freely, amplified by hosts who rarely apply skepticism to their own guests.

Carney said: “There’s an influencer network of people who want to gain clout. Like these people who want to be on… there’s this sort of discussion between people of playing this game of just accepting whatever is said by another influencer.”

He pointed to examples from Jones’s content, including episodes promoting a supposed “12,000-year solar cycle” that resets human civilization. Carney noted this claim is historically incoherent, since organized human civilization has only existed for roughly 5,000 years, based on the origin of writing.

Carney described two separate ecosystems forming online. One is filled with audiences who are “basically gullible and will believe anything.” The other includes people who believe reality still matters, that science exists, and that influential figures profiting off misinformation should be held accountable.

The problem, Carney says, is that these two ecosystems rarely overlap. In manosphere podcast culture, questioning a popular influencer can become a disqualifying act in itself, while fringe theories like moon landing denial are treated as harmless curiosity rather than misinformation.

Carney also suspects the cancellation may have been strategic. He believes Jones was trying to “court Andrew Huberman” as a future guest, and allowing a critical journalist on the show could have risked alienating someone with far more influence and reach.

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