A detailed new report has shed light on alleged backstage issues surrounding the reigning AEW World Tag Team Champions, The Hurt Syndicate, and specifically their manager, MVP. The report details claims of backstage heat on MVP, a personal dislike for one of AEW’s top stars, and, most significantly, an alleged refusal by the championship faction to lose their titles to FTR at two major pay-per-view events.
Report Details Backstage Issues Surrounding The Hurt Syndicate and MVP
According to a new report from Fightful Select, which corroborates claims made on a recent Twitter Space by The Wrestling Binder, there have been ongoing backstage issues involving MVP. The report states that claims of MVP having “rubbed a lot of people the wrong way resulting in heat” have been “echoed by a number of talent for the last couple of months.” While the report makes it clear that these issues are centered around MVP and not specifically Bobby Lashley or Shelton Benjamin, it paints a picture of a tense situation at the top of AEW’s tag team division. However, the report also offers a counterpoint, noting that numerous talent have said that the AEW locker room has been the best it has been in years and that most of the roster simply dismisses these kinds of issues.
The FTR Feud and a Refusal to Lose?
The most explosive claim in the report revolves around creative plans for the AEW World Tag Team Championships. According to the report, a creative pitch was made for FTR to defeat The Hurt Syndicate for the titles at the All In pay-per-view in July to kickstart a “redemption story” for the popular duo. Another pitch reportedly involved FTR feuding with Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay, though Ospreay’s neck injury derailed those plans. However, the claim made internally, according to Fightful, was that The Hurt Syndicate “said no to losing to FTR at both All In and Forbidden Door.” Instead, MVP reportedly stated that the team preferred to lose the championships to a younger team, specifically naming The Gates of Agony, The Outrunners, or Private Party as his personal preferences. This alleged refusal to lose to one of the most decorated tag teams in the world represents a major creative clash.
Creative Frustrations and a Dislike for “Speedball”
The report also details another point of contention involving MVP’s well-known backstage dislike for “Speedball” Mike Bailey. A number of talent reportedly said that MVP made it clear he did not want The Hurt Syndicate to lose to Bailey’s team, JetSpeed, during the recent Tag Team Title Eliminator Tournament. The report is careful to note that they were never told a loss to JetSpeed was actually in the creative plans, but MVP’s feelings on the matter were made clear. The report adds to the sense of creative frustration from some in the locker room, noting that The Hurt Syndicate has already defeated all three of the younger teams MVP preferred to lose to. The frustration is that the faction is presented as “heels that do cool moves, beat up everyone, and give fans fives on the way out,” making it difficult to build credible challengers. The report does state that there is no talk of The Hurt Syndicate leaving the company, as all three members are on multi-year deals.
This detailed report provides a complex and sometimes-contradictory look into the backstage dynamics of AEW’s tag team division. While The Hurt Syndicate remain the dominant champions on-screen, these alleged creative disputes and personal issues paint a much more turbulent picture behind the scenes. As AEW heads towards Forbidden Door, where the champions are set to face the winner of the ongoing eliminator tournament, the wrestling world will be watching with a new level of scrutiny to see how the story of the AEW World Tag Team Championships unfolds both in front of and behind the curtain.
