AEW star and pro wrestling veteran MVP discussed several topics with the Chicago Sun-Times, including his transition to becoming a manager.
MVP said, “I slipped into just a vocal role because I wasn’t wrestling anymore. But I cherish it because this has given me a new chapter in my career. My ability to talk, to cut a promo, to be an effective communicator, has given me this longevity. I tell young talent that it’s not just about wrestling. You have to have character, charisma and speaking ability if you want to have longevity because your body’s going to break down eventually. You have a limited window for your physical performance as a wrestler. I took time to study other aspects of the business and to polish my ability to speak, and that’s given me a career that’s over 20 years now.”
On telling Bobby Lashley not to re-sign with WWE:
“I was sitting next to Bobby in catering and said, ‘We got to get out of here.’ ‘Don’t re-sign. Let’s get Shelton and go across the street [to AEW]. Our story is not finished.’”
On working in AEW with Tony Khan:
“Tony has given us that gift of allowing us to finish telling The Hurt Syndicate Story our way. We made clear to Tony that we are OGs and we understand it’s time to make new stars, and that’s our goal. We’re not here for a long time and we know how to do business, make money and how to make stars.”
On tribalism among fans:
“It’s stupid. The wrestlers, we’re rooting for each other. We want each other to be successful.”
