MVP states that they know it’s the ‘last ride.’
Four months into The Hurt Syndicate’s run as a trio in All Elite Wrestling and they’ve obtained championship gold in that time. Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin are the reigning World Tag Team Champions in the promotion and most recently defended their titles on the 2/12 Dynamite.
Their arrival to AEW was delved into by fellow member MVP during his appearance on Donnie DaSilva and Jimmy Korderas’ HUGE POP! podcast.
MVP stated that there would not have been a conversation between him and AEW if Lashley and Benjamin were not coming in. He added that it left a sour taste in his mouth seeing how Benjamin was let go from WWE.
There wouldn’t have been a conversation (between myself & AEW if Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin weren’t coming in) … Bobby and I came to the conclusion that it was time to move on and you know, I made it very clear that I was ready to go and I was able to convince Bobby to come with it and Shelton at that point had already been released, unceremoniously… It left a bad taste in my mouth how Shelton was just… after all these years. Not even an offer to be a trainer or a producer. Just, see ya. So, I was like, ‘Bobby, let’s get the team back together and let’s go to AEW. We got one last ride’ and fortunately, everything worked out and we were able to do this because Bobby and I, as you talked about, we teamed up the first time together at IMPACT…
The 51-year-old MVP is looking to end his in-ring career at AEW. His in-ring debut for the company took place in January in a six-man tag where The Hurt Syndicate scored the win.
He is open to taking on other roles at AEW once his wrestling days are behind him. MVP went on to share that Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin have spoken about retirement as well.
I haven’t retired yet. I haven’t officially retired yet. I wanna retire in-ring at AEW. I want to have my last official match, I wanna do an angle, I wanna do a story and I wanna be done and I know Shelton (Benjamin) and Bobby (Lashley) have talked about their in-ring retirements in the very near future, and then after that, I’m done with in-ring performing. If at some point, Tony (Khan) would like to keep me on as a manager, working with the next wave of talent once we’re done with The (Hurt) Syndicate, that’s something I’d be open to. People have mentioned me doing commentary. I enjoy doing commentary. It’s fun. I get lots of compliments about when I do commentary. That’s something I’d be open to so, there’s a passion that exists for professional wrestling. I’ve been very fortunate that I’ve made a living as a professional wrestler in the professional wrestling industry for over 20 years. Not a lot of guys get to do that and here, all these years later, I’m still on television and I’m still relevant, and I built up a lot of equity. So, as long as someone wants to write me a check to talk on TV and I don’t have to take bumps, I’ll take it (he laughed).
I can’t speak for them, even though I normally speak for them. But from our conversations, we often acknowledge that this is our last ride. However, let’s be real, Bobby at 48 and Shelton at 49 are in better shape than most of the people in the industry today. They’re still credible, they can still go. So when this contract’s done in a couple years, two, three years, whatever it is, they’re still gonna be in better shape than most of the people in the business. So, who knows at that point if things aren’t still going well where somebody says, hey, how about one more year? How about two more years? And I can’t speak for them and what they’ll be willing to do at that point. I know Bobby has definitely talked about retiring and moving on to his business ventures and other things. For the most part, this is the last ride. But, as we say in our business, card subject to change.
Elsewhere during the chat, MVP spoke highly of company President Tony Khan for being a great boss and allowing The Hurt Syndicate to have a lot of input into their presentation.
It’s been fun working with the young talent and Tony’s been a great boss, allowing us a lot of input into how we’d like to do things…
The Gunns (Austin Gunn & Colten Gunn) were the latest names to step up to The Hurt Syndicate for an AEW World Tag Team Title bout.
After Benjamin and Lashley defeated The Gunns on 2/12, out came Lance Archer and Brian Cage.
If the quotes in this article are used, please credit HUGE POP! with Donnie DaSilva and Jimmy Korderas with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions.
