MVP is currently enjoying a career revival after successfully converting a one-off surprise entrant spot in the Royal Rumble match into a full-time contract on the Raw brand, and he is doing great in his role.
It’s incredible watching him now and thinking that when he was younger, he spent nine-and-a-half-years of his life in prison for armed robbery and kidnapping. Thankfully, MVP managed to put his criminal past behind him with the support of a corrections officer who also worked independent wrestling shows that introduced him to the business.
Being a natural athlete and being solid on the mic, it only took MVP three years to get a WWE tryout, which led to him working for Vince McMahon’s company between 2005 and 2010. It wasn’t that long of a run, but he did twice became United States Champion, and with Matt Hardy, he won the WWE Tag Team Championship.
Now in an interview with Lilian Garcia on her Chasing Glory podcast, he spoke about WWE, and specifically Vince McMahon giving him an opportunity despite him being a convicted felon.
I’m still 190197. You never forget that number. I’ll always be that. Even today, on social media, if I make a social comment, I’ll get, “Yeah, well, you shouldn’t have kidnapped those people.” You’re right, I shouldn’t have kidnapped those people, but I went to prison and served my time.MVP
It’s easy to say negative things about Vince McMahon, but he does have a good side and showed that by giving an unproven MVP a chance when it would have been easier not to.
