During an appearance on the Marking Out podcast, seasoned wrestler MVP, now part of AEW, shared an important moment from his past when Chris Jericho campaigned for MVP to win over him during their WWE run. The topic gave insight into not just the inner workings of wrestling, but also the mentorship and support experienced performers like Jericho offer to their colleagues. The story highlights how the Chris Jericho campaigned for MVP win didn’t just change a single outcome, but taught lasting lessons about professionalism in the wrestling industry.
“Chris Jericho campaigned for me to beat him one day in a match, and Chris Jericho said, ‘It doesn’t hurt me to lose to you, but it does a lot for you to beat me.’ And he campaigned for me to win.”
—Chris Jericho, AEW Star
MVP Applies Jericho’s Lesson with MJF in MLW
Reflecting on his experiences, MVP explained how this gesture of sportsmanship and mentorship from Jericho shaped his own decisions later in his career. When wrestling MJF in MLW, MVP chose to put his younger opponent over, influenced by the memory of Jericho’s selflessness. This showed how the actions of one respected veteran can impact the careers and philosophies of those who follow.
“And I learned that, and I went ‘Okay.’ There are certain…Like, when I was in MLW with MJF, we had a match, I put MJF over. And it reminds me of that period, you know? It didn’t hurt me, and where he was at in his time in his career coming up, it was a really good win for him. And that’s professionalism.”
—MVP, AEW Star
The Importance of Live Events for Wrestling Talent
MVP also touched on the significance of house shows—non-televised live wrestling events—and the missed opportunities in AEW due to their absence of such events. According to MVP, house shows give up-and-coming talent vital in-ring experience in front of real crowds. He stressed the value in testing and perfecting moves or routines before bringing them to televised matches, crediting his mentors for this philosophy.
“AEW doesn’t do live events, but I wish that they did because that’s an opportunity for the less experienced talent to get reps. There’s nothing like polishing your craft in front of a live audience, and you get to try things. You don’t experiment on live TV, as a matter of fact, one of my mentors a long time ago said, ‘Don’t do the things on TV that you do good. Go and do the things that you do great.’ If you’re on live events and you got something that’s pretty good, you can polish it up and you can get it to the point where, [you say] ‘This is great now.’ And at live events, you’re not locked into a time, the producer or a coach, they would say, ‘Give me 12-15 [minutes]. If you go under or over, it doesn’t matter, it’s a live event.’”
—MVP, AEW Star
Live Events Let Wrestlers Explore and Connect with Fans
Away from the strict constraints of live television, MVP said that house shows offer a chance for performers to engage the audience, try out new material, and even enjoy themselves in unexpected ways. He pointed out that these settings allow room for humor and spontaneous interactions, ultimately building skills and confidence that translate to bigger stages.
“But you also get to play around. You do things at live events that you’d never do on TV. You know, jokes, how you might clown around.”
—MVP, AEW Star
Looking Ahead at Mentorship and Growth in Pro Wrestling
The experiences MVP shared underline the significant influence that supportive figures like Chris Jericho and wise mentors have in wrestling. These moments, whether a match outcome or a lesson learned at a house show, have ripple effects on careers and the culture of the industry. As AEW and other wrestling organizations shape their event structures, lessons about giving newer talent the spotlight and space to grow, just as Chris Jericho campaigned for MVP win, remain more valuable than ever.
