Column: Booking MVP Right
This article looks at two things that I miss in WWE. 1: MVP being spotlighted as a top guy. 2: The return of long-term storylines.
MVP has always been looked at as one of “those guys” in WWE. You know “those guys”. When I refer to “those guys” I’m referring to the next crop of main event talent when the Shawn Michaels’ of the company retire from the professional wrestling ring and hang up the boots.
However, the thing holding MVP down from that main event is the WWE’s lack of creative direction for his character. WWE perhaps doesn’t want to commit to pushing MVP, and while I don’t see any reason for that, there must be one. Or perhaps, just perhaps, they don’t see the talent in MVP that the Internet Wrestling Community, and the rest of the wrestling community sees in the man. It’s a shame.
I think MVP could set the Sports Entertainment world on fire. He just needs the right creative push. And here it is…
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On Raw, MVP comes out to the ring and takes a microphone. MVP says, “I have been with this company since 2006. I was the longest reigning United States Champion, not just in SmackDown history, but in the belt’s WWE history. I am a former Tag Team Champion. I am the highest paid entertainer in the history of SmackDown, a moniker which still lives to this day. I was paid higher than The Undertaker, paid higher than Hulk Hogan during his SmackDown days. Paid higher than when Triple H was on SmackDown. That, to me anyway, makes me better than all of those guys combined. But yet, week after week, I come out here and wrestle against guys who aren’t even 1/3 of the man I am. The wrestler I am or the genius I am.
“Now, I blame two groups of people for this travesty. The first group of people I blame is the Management of this company. I blame everyone in the suits in Stamford for not putting MVP where he deserves to be: on top. I should be main eventing pay-per-views, headlining house shows and transforming the TV main event. The second group of people I blame is you idiots, the ‘WWE Universe’. ‘Cause you see, you people don’t believe in MVP either. You don’t believe that MVP is the next main event. You people are so stuck up John Cena’s ass. So stuck up Triple H’s ass. So wanting to see Shawn Michaels’ come back from his hiatus. So eager to hear the gong of The Undertaker, that you ignore the fact that my talent is going to waste.
“Put simply, Montel Vontavious Porter is the greatest WWE superstar in the history of Raw, SmackDown and ECW. Hell, I’m the greatest superstar in this company’s history; period. But, it’s obvious that Monday Night Raw isn’t going to give me the chances I deserve. So as of this moment, I’m handing my notice in to WWE Management. Well, I’m handing my Raw notice in. As of tomorrow morning, MVP is the newest addition to the Friday Night SmackDown brand. Maybe, just maybe, then MVP will get what he deserves.” Porter drops the microphone and leaves the ring.
Okay so at this point, fans are going to be wondering what MVP’s going to do when he gets to SmackDown. This would be where, if I was in charge, I would take MVP off TV for the rest of the weeks until Breaking Point. Have vignette’s air on Raw, SmackDown and ECW (yeah, that’s right) where MVP says that he will debut when he wants to debut, and not at the beck-and-call of SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long. He could say that he’s above performing in the city that SmackDown is in at that moment, but says that everyone will see MVP back on SmackDown soon. Continue promoting this with the commentary team, and on WWE.com. Get the IWC ablaze as to what WWE is going to be doing with MVP.
Then, Breaking Point rolls around. It’s CM Punk vs The Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Championship in a Submission Match. The match is about 15-20 minutes in. Undertaker has CM Punk in the Hell’s Gate submission hold. The match is surely about to end. Punk can’t take much more of this. Then, someone jumps over the barricade. Jumps into the ring. It’s MVP! Porter kicks Punk in the head, breaking the submission, and causing a disqualification. Undertaker wins the match, but Punk retains the Title thanks to MVP. MVP just cost Undertaker the title. MVP bails from the ring, goes up the entrance ramp. Referee explains to Taker that MVP’s interference cost him the title. Taker’s mad, and everyone is talking about MVP costing The Undertaker the World Title at Breaking Point.
At this point, move CM Punk into a feud with Matt Hardy for the World Title. Something along the lines of Punk took Matt’s brother Jeff out of WWE, and Matt wants some redemption for his little bro. Meanwhile, Undertaker’s chasing MVP, and they can do that old ‘paranoia’ angle where MVP keeps seeing Taker wherever he goes. Keep Taker off TV for a little while, have MVP on a one PPV suspension (meaning he won’t be wrestling at Hell in a Cell) because of what he did to Undertaker at Breaking Point. During MVP’s matches, the lights flicker, the gong sounds… no Taker. Finally, SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long tells MVP that The Undertaker is coming back. He tells MVP that Undertaker wants retribution on him. Long books a match between MVP and Taker at Bragging Rights. MVP says that it’s okay, and says he hired back-up to protect him.
The match comes, Undertaker makes his big return, but it’s spoiled when MVP’s back-up, KANE, comes to his aid and helps him defeat The Undertaker. The IWC and the rest of the wrestling world are once again ablaze at how Kane was the back-up, but more importantly, MVP just pinned The Undertaker. This guy is headed to hell, surely. On the next SmackDown, Teddy Long informs MVP that Kane has been booked to face Undertaker in a No DQ match next week on SmackDown. The next week, Undertaker defeats Kane (in a match including MVP’s tried and failed interference) and “sends him to hell”. Undertaker takes a mic and says, “MVP. You made a huge mistake costing me the World Heavyweight Title. And now, like others before you, you must pay for your sins. At Survivor Series, it will be Me and you. One on one… Buried Alive!” Fans erupt, MVP throws a fit.
Survivor Series comes, and MVP and Taker fight in a Buried Alive Match. This time, MVP beats Undertaker without interference. MVP buries Taker alive, and everyone is now seeing big things in MVP’s future. He’s the next main event. At this point, I’d have the World Heavyweight Title on Matt Hardy. Over the next few months, MVP advances up the SmackDown ladder, and eventually finds himself in a return feud with Matt Hardy over the belt. Armageddon features a 3-Way between MVP, CM Punk and the champion Hardy, which Hardy retains in. At Royal Rumble, MVP meets Matt Hardy in a title contest and…. MVP BECOMES WORLD CHAMPION!
Later in the night, Undertaker makes a surprise return in the number 30 spot in the Rumble match and wins the match. Undertaker elects to face MVP at WrestleMania 26 in Phoenix. WWE can build the rest of the feud till Mania. Then, at Mania (not the last match on the card, though), after a really good 25 or so minute match, MVP pisses the fans off by walking out on the match!! How could WWE book a Mania main event to end in a count out? This builds to Backlash, where Teddy Long has granted Undertaker a rematch for MVP’s World Title. No count outs, no DQ’s but no interference, either. In this match, I’d put MVP over on Undertaker clean. Yes clean. This cements MVP’s title reign and gives it credibility, while also cementing MVP as a main event player.
It’s been too damn long since WWE has built a storyline over months and months to WrestleMania, but with this storyline, that’s exactly what it does. I think MVP vs Undertaker for the WHC is a money feud, and could headline Mania. If done with this idea, or something better, I could see it happening.
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There is no chance a wrestlemania main event would end like that. Plus why the hell is the undertaker losing practially every match. He is a great worker and is very generous with putting people over but thats really pushing it.
Nice storyline man, you sholud be aq booker
i like the storyline, honestly. It gives MVP the push he deserves, while not letting the bigger names come off as weak. As with Triple H, what do wins mean to the Undertaker at this point in his career??? He’s already establishment himself with the industry. He has his streak. What else is there to fight for? Another title run? He had that. Give the ball to MVP, and see how far he runs with it. One problem I do have with the storyline is that Matt has the belt. I’d rather see Morrison with the strap than Matt. But other than that, good storyline.
i can see holes in ur storyline y not john morrison he is by far the best thing on smackdown at the moand no offence but how come undertaker can just have hiatias then suddenly walk straight back into world title pic!i know hes been there since noah built the arc but even he should have to earn a title shot and same with matt hardy hes lazy in the ring and has done nothing recently apart from coming saving jeff! and i thought he was supposed to be on raw!
paul mcnamara:
The Mania finish was booked n the way it was with the intention of getting heat on MVP. People will despise him for walking out on a main event at such a grand stage. I did make clear that the ‘main event’ was not the last match on the card. Thus, the last match can ’send fans home happy’.
As far as Undertaker losing, I totally agree he’s great worker. Fact is, though, that he doesn’t need to win every week. Taker can keep his popularity and credibility even when putting over younger talents. I don’t feel I booked him to lose every match as you said. I booked him to defeat Kane, win the Royal Rumble, as well as the matches unmentioned that he will have on SmackDown’s, too.
serginho:
Thank you for your feedback.
omg this was the ebst storyline i seen so far in a while
Couple of problems i see with this scenario.
I don’t rate MVP that highly yet. I think he has prospects, but he’s not a world title kind of guy. If i was going to push someone for the title right now, it’d be John Morrison, not MVP.
MVP is truly one of the best on the mic. In the ring he’s pretty boring though. That’s his problem. As for him beating Undertaker, especially in a buried alive match, it just doesn’t make any sense. MVP just does not have the in-ring impact to do it.
I also think he’s better as a face than as a heel. His mic time on raw this week against Jericho was excellent.
Apart from that, if you were to put MVP in a world title position, it’d be much more interesting against Randy Orton imo. Something to at least take Cena and HHH out of the picture.
Honestly, as far as Undertaker is concerned, i thought the ’switch’ they did with Undertaker and Hardy at the last PPV was performed perfectly. If only Hardy wasn’t leaving, you could have an excellent storyline (maybe after a few weeks of absence) where Jeff would start showing up when you were expecting Undertaker, just for a few seconds. Taker’s gong would hit, the lights would go out, Taker appears at the top of the ramp, the lights go out again, Jeff appears exactly where he was standing (cue crowd going crazy), lights out again, and Taker is back.
This would all be symbolic of how they first just swapped somehow at the PPV. You’d never know when Jeff was going to turn up, or why or how. Perhaps it could build to a PPV Taker vs Punk. Taker hits the choke slam, presumably for the win, but before he goes for the pin the lights go out, and when they come back it’s Hardy on the turnbuckle going for the swanton and Taker is nowhere to be seen.
During all this time you’d only see Jeff a couple of times for a few seconds, and only when you’re expecting it to be Taker. No mic time or anything ofc. Would build quite an interesting storyline i think; Punk being essentially stalked by Taker (as he does), but haunted by Hardy (in the vein of his ‘dark’ character turn, like he did last year against Taker to beat him for a title shot against HHH).
it’s a great storyline… i’d pay to see it
MVP would do betterwith a more technical opponent like Matt or to suit the storyline Michaels.
It is actually only the WWE’s fault. Fans can only influence wrestlers in just matches and not ones draped in story and interference.
If someone thought Gunther on friends needed a push it doesn’t mean the studio audience will refuse to laugh when Chandler makes a joke.
If I had more time I wouldn’t limit myself to only TNA.
I think its a stupid idea 2 degrade the greatest wrestler in wwe history the undertaker. A guy of his magnitude should not be loosing constantly to a person who has not that much in ring ability. I’ve seen “MVP” wrestle independent and wwe shows and to me I don’t see much ability. He is only popular because of the way he acts. I mean how could anyone lose to da “playmaker” or da” ballin” fist drop. MVP is not ready for a world title not that it means much nowdays. Just keep him in da U.S and intercontinental title runs and eventually should b put in as a major contender like randy ortons character was built yrs ago
Fair enough. One last thing though I dont think there is any chance at this stage that WWE will let taker have a wrestlemania match without him getting a clean win unless they decide to break the streak. But i do like the storyline and i know you are saying this is what you would do if you called the shots thanks for some interesting reading.
Seems like just another way to bash John Cena. Not that I really care.
kantankruz:
Where did you get that I was bashing John Cena?
I don’t believe I mentioned his name in any derogatory way during the entire piece. But I think the overwhelming majority of people would agree that WWE needs more main event talents. Wouldn’t you?
Anyway, thanks for the feedback.
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paul mcnamara:
Not at all, man. I welcome your feedback, but I also have to explain things on my end, too. Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m doing, it’s just how I’d book things. But, yet again, thank you for commenting, otherwise, stuff like this isn’t worth posting, right? Haha.
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661shadow:
But that’s my point. He’s been in the U.S. Heavyweight Title scene since he debuted. His character has potential, his in-ring work is good, and many people I have spoken to (fans, just like you and I) agree with me. He’s by far one of the more popular wrestlers in World Wrestling Entertainment, whose not currently in the main event scene.
Thank you for your feedback.
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EVERYONE:
Wow, this column got more feedback then I’d ever thought it would. I’ll send these columns in (they’re to become a weekly feature at my site) every Monday. If you check it out, leave me some comments, if not, then that’s cool too.
Thanks, guys, and keep the comments coming.
Matt Saye (www.viperwrestling.blogspot.com).
I got one problem with that MATT HARDY WHC! u serious? All because heis brother did it, dont know how dosent mean matt should, but i like the story, but u makingtaker a jobber, taker isnt a jobber no matter how you see him.