Grayson Waller, former WWE Tag Team Champion, recently recounted an incident where AEW star MVP intervened during a tense bar confrontation. This event took place at a hotel bar in Philadelphia around WrestleMania, when some wrestling fans behaved aggressively toward female talent, prompting Waller to step in and, ultimately, MVP to assist in defusing the situation.
Details of the Bar Incident Shared by MVP
On a recent episode of the Marking Out podcast, MVP provided a detailed account of the bar confrontation involving Grayson Waller. The encounter happened during WrestleMania weekend in Philadelphia, where Waller had recently won the tag team titles. According to MVP, a group of intoxicated wrestling fans were acting obnoxiously toward women present at the bar. Waller initially confronted the men to protect the female talent, but as the situation escalated, MVP stepped in to prevent the conflict from worsening.
“As I recall, we were at the hotel bar. I think it was WrestleMania in Philly. We were at the hotel bar and I think Grayson Waller had won the tag titles that night or something like that. I mean, it’s Philadelphia, Philly fans are going to be Philly fans. These are the people that cheered when Michael Irvin got hurt. I think there were some drunk wrestling fans that were hanging out at the bar and I think they were being a little obnoxious to some female talent or something like that.”
— MVP
If I recall correctly, I think Grayson Waller was just kind of telling the guys like, back off, chill out or whatever. I think they got kind of drunk and obnoxious, tried to bow up. I don’t necessarily — I wouldn’t call it a fight, but you know like, what’s going on over here? Like, ‘Hey, everything alright over here?’ Josh Barnett and I have a relationship that goes way back.
— MVP
MVP’s Support Team: Josh Barnett and Shayna Baszler
MVP emphasized that he was not alone when intervening, highlighting the presence of GCW’s Josh Barnett and AEW’s Shayna Baszler, who stood beside them during the confrontation. MVP praised Baszler’s involvement, suggesting he would much rather have her support than that of most men in such situations. When the three approached, the hostile men reportedly withdrew and calmed down, recognizing they were outmatched.
“It was just a situation where we’re at the bar and we’re in our space. We’re all comfortable, we’re chilling and these dudes are being dickheads. I think Grayson said that once me, Josh, and Shayna walked up, he just went and sat down. To be in a situation like that, I can think of a lot of guys that I’d much rather have Shayna Baszler on my side than some of those guys. I remember that moment, we were just looking out for one of us. These guys were wrong, they were out of hand. They didn’t turn into anything, they f***ed off because they knew they were in deep water,”
MVP explained.
The Broader Context and Implications of the Incident
This altercation underscores the ongoing challenges faced by wrestling talent when offstage interactions with fans turn hostile. MVP’s confirmation lends credibility to Grayson Waller’s account, highlighting the importance of solidarity among performers during demanding events such as WrestleMania. The swift response prevented further escalation and emphasized the protective role peers can play in tense environments. As the wrestling community continues to navigate fan interactions, such incidents serve as a reminder of the vulnerabilities talent may experience outside the ring.
