TNA just revealed tonight on Impact Wrestling that their mystery investor that brought in Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards turned out to be Alvin Burke Jr., better known to fans as MVP.
First, for those confused, Burke Jr. created the Montel Vontavious Porter gimmick himself and trademarked it, allowing him creative rights outside of World Wrestling Entertainment.
It’s interesting for TNA Wrestling to give him the role of an investor instead of debuting as just a professional wrestler. Having the clout to set matches gives him a lot more power than one might expect for such a role. MVP has always been charismatic and at 40 years old, he might only be coming in to work as a part time wrestler, if that.
I’m sure many scoffed and rolled eyes at the idea of another former WWE wrestler coming into TNA but to be fair, MVP should be considered instead a former New Japan Pro Wrestling worker instead of merely a former WWE talent. He also hasn’t been in the WWE since 2010 and requested his release instead of being future endeavoured. Being a Florida native, TNA is a sensible move for the former United States champion and NJPW Intercontinental champion. MVP can still work so going into the ring isn’t going to be a complete disappointment like it would be for say Heidenreich coming into TNA or something. But there’s something else MVP brings.
I’m sure one will say I’m claiming this just due to colour but MVP brings an image and charisma that isn’t common in TNA and hasn’t been for a while. There isn’t much cool when it comes to the company and MVP oozes cool. When he first entered the WWE people claimed his outfit made him look like a reject Power Ranger but by the end he won the fans over by doing things his way. A lot of his best moments in the WWE were unfortunately shadowed, whether it be his great program with Chris Benoit (you can figure it out yourself why that’s been forgotten), cutting a fantastic promo on The Miz (when Miz himself was cutting the promo of his life about a chicken wing) and being vomited on by Matt Hardy, which I unfortunately remember and you probably tried to forget. TNA Wrestling has felt considerably milquetoast as of late with wrestlers being hard to distinguish from one another. Even with the Aces and Eights pretty much cleared out, it’s still difficult to really explain the character’s of a lot of TNA guys beyond a sentence or two. While it’s true that this high level of charisma has been seen from bringing in guys like The Pope and Brian Kendrick in the past, MVP is being immediately given an authoritative role so you get the feeling he’ll be treated as someone very important. MVP could help shape the flavour of TNA in the role he’ll work, as we might see him be the mouth piece for the Wolves as an example.
With AJ Styles gone and now Sting likely departing, TNA is running out of people that the casual fan or hardcore fan might be excited about. Magnus has a great future ahead of him and the Wolves should really send a jolt of energy throughout the TNA roster but as the title says, TNA needs an MVP. They need someone who can give both the fans and the wrestlers a performer to push their A game up. If MVP is just in this because Florida is his backyard and he wants a paycheque until he’s ready to go back to New Japan Pro Wrestling, he ain’t the MVP they need. But if he brings a new energy to this plodding Dixie Carter storyline and gives people a reason to tune into Thursday night Impact instead of the same old stories, it could be just the type of thing TNA could use to give some hope into 2014.
Lord knows they need it.
photo credit: memles via photopin cc
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