"He told me I would win" - MVP on who told him he would beat Chris Benoit to win the US Title
MVP is a WWE veteran who returned in 2020 after almost a decade away. His first major championship win in the company happened back in 2007.
At Judgment Day that year, he defeated Chris Benoit in an incredible 2-out-of-3 falls match to capture the United States Championship. MVP recently revealed that a good friend informed him that he would win the title.
He was coming off a losing feud to Kane after being set on fire in an Inferno match. Soon after, he began a feud with the late Chris Benoit, who was the United States Champion. Although he lost to Benoit in consecutive title matches at WrestleMania 23 and Backlash, he captured the title at the end.
MVP spoke to former WWE writer and Hollywood star Freddie Prinze Jr. on the Wrestling with Freddie podcast, where he discussed his long-time friendship with Bobby Lashley.
The WWE veteran disclosed that back in 2007, it was Lashley who told him that he would win the United States title:
"We've been friends for a really long time. Bobby [Lashley] was the one who told me I would win the United States Championship. We bet a steak dinner on it because I didn't believe it at the time and I was never so happy to buy someone dinner." (32:50 onwards)
He explained that he and Bobby Lashley stayed in touch after leaving WWE and remained friends in Japan when they wrestled for different promotions. Recalling their time together, he said their friendship translated well when they were paired together in WWE.
"And then over the years, Bobby and I stayed in touch. We were in Japan together. We were over at another company for a while [Impact Wrestling] where we had a really good pairing and really good chemistry. So when I came back to WWE and they put us together, it was a very organic relationship that transferred to the screen."
Today in History Wrestlemania 23: #ChrisBenoit def. @The305MVP http://t.co/mZCQcZ7qnt
It's been nearly two years since their association in WWE began, and it has turned out to be one of the big game-changers as well.
MVP helped give Bobby Lashley a career resurgence
Before Bobby Lashley was paired with MVP and Hurt Business on-screen in 2020, he floundered on the roster.
The Almighty was involved in an extensive seven-month-long romance storyline with Lana, which received a lot of backlash. Lashley later faced Aleister Black in a random WrestleMania match, which lacked a proper buildup and lost.
Suit game on fleek.
@fightbobby @The305MVP
#WWERaw https://t.co/XbSNLvuJfe
Once his pairing with Lana was over, MVP took him under his wing, and Lashley witnessed a career resurgence with The Hurt Business stable. He began a note-worthy United States Title reign. Within eight days of losing it, he won his first WWE Championship.
Without the former United States Champion by his side, Lashley might not have witnessed such success. It's great to know that both men have always been there for each other, on and off the screen.
If you're using the quotes, please give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription and credit The Wrestling with Freddie podcast.