MVP Hints at a Return to US Wrestling, Wrestling in Japan, and More

Rob McNichol of the UK Sun recently published a new article about former WWE superstar MVP. In the artcile, the former WWE United States Champion talks about returning to the United States to compete for one of the “big” promotions again, what he loves about wrestling in Japan, what kind of shape he’s in, and more. McNichol credits MVP’s statements to Hooked on Wrestling Magazine.

On coming back to the US to wrestle before he retires and the shape that he is in: “If I did return to wrestling in the States — which I most likely will — the clock is running down. I’m 40 in October. I started training when I was 27 and signed with WWE when I was 31. But I don’t have the wear and tear that most guys my age have, I got some time left.”

On wrestling in Japan: “My status with New Japan is also golden. They said whenever I want to come back that the door is open for my return. They expressed a sadness when I let them know I was done, but said that whenever I was ready just let them know and they would be glad to have me back.

When I was in wrestling school, sitting on a couch and watching VHS tapes and studying my craft, my dream was to wrestle in the Tokyo Dome. My wrestling heroes were Chono and Muta and Liger and Tenzan and Kojima. They were the guys I wanted to work with. Working for WWE was always my goal; Working for New Japan was my dream. The whole experience was everything I ever dreamed of — and more.

When I talk about Japanese wrestling I get so emotional and so excited. I love it. Going to Japan reenergised my passion, because in Japan wrestling is still what it was 20 years ago. They still have separate buses – a heel bus and a babyface bus. Guys can’t ride together. Call me a romantic sucker, but I kinda dig the nostalgia of that. In Japan, pro wrestling is still presented very much as sport, as a contest. There is still a sizable portion of the Japanese audience that still believes it’s real, those that don’t are smart enough to appreciate quality workrate.

A lot of foreigners, nowadays, go to Japan after they’ve been fired from US companies but still want to wrestle for a living. I was a guy, it was known throughout the locker room, who quit WWE, the biggest wrestling company in the world, where these guys would love to go, to go there to their small company, by comparison. The fact that I knew who these guys were, knew their moves and their history really endeared me to them than the average guy.

My dream was to be a foreign IWGP heavyweight champion. Above all, I wanted to stand in the Tokyo Dome holding up the IWGP title. That didn’t happen. But I am the first ever IWGP Intercontinental champion. I’m in the record books. I’m cool with that.”

You can read the entire article here.

 

Follow Doug McDonald on Twitter