AEW star and wrestling veteran MVP recently sat down for a wide-ranging interview with Yahoo Sports, where he discussed his remarkable longevity in the professional wrestling industry, which has spanned over two decades. The leader of The Hurt Syndicate reflected on his influence on the younger generation of wrestlers and the pride he takes in having maintained a successful career in the business for so long without needing an income source outside of wrestling. His comments provide a fascinating look into the mindset of a seasoned professional who has successfully navigated the highs and lows of the demanding industry.
MVP shared his thoughts on being a “childhood hero” to current fans and his own view of his career.
“It’s humbling and it’s flattering to know that I’ve had that influence on these young men. I joke around about it being a backhanded compliment, but I have grown-ass men with full beards coming up to me saying, ‘Oh man, you were my childhood, man. I watched you when I was a kid.’ I’ve never been the WWE world champion. I’ve never been the guy. But brother, I’ve been here making money in this space for over 20 years. From the time I got to WWE [in 2005] until now, I have not had an income source or I haven’t had a job outside of wrestling. So I have longevity. I know how to do this, and I know how to do it well. And I’ll put you up on game if you ask me for it.”
When asked about his favorite legend to work with, he found it difficult to choose just one, but shared a detailed story about his matches with “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair.
“[It’s like asking] what was your favorite breath that you ever took? I worked with The Undertaker. I worked with Ric Flair. I worked with Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy. … It was just exhilarating to show up and, ‘Hey, you’re going to be in an Inferno Match with Kane.’ I had the honor of wrestling with Ric Flair at the Royal Rumble at Madison Square Garden. Even before that, in Houston, the Night of Champions, I defended the United States Championship against Ric Flair. I hit him with a thumb to the eye and was able to beat him. He was cool enough to do the honors and put me over, and allow me to out-dirty the dirtiest player in the game.”
MVP also revealed how he would like to end his in-ring career, stating that he has already spoken with AEW President Tony Khan about his desire for a traditional retirement match.
“I’ve talked to Tony Khan about this, and he’s a great guy to work for, and I enjoy the relationship that I’ve developed with him. I told him that I’m not retired yet, but at some point I would like to have a feud with someone that I can have the good old-fashioned ‘if I lose, I’ll retire’ angle, so I can go out on my back and give some young, deserving and willing talent the opportunity to say, ‘I retired MVP.’ Right now, there are so many talented guys that I respect that I think are awesome, but I don’t have anybody [picked out], because, like I said, I’m not ready to retire yet.”
MVP is scheduled to be in action tonight at the AEW All Out pay-per-view.
