AEW's MVP Recalls Heated Confrontation That Culminated In His First WWE Departure

MVP's original run in WWE saw him as a mid-card mainstay, with various prominent rivalries and runs with both the United States Championship and Tag Team Championships alongside Matt Hardy. Despite his growing prominence, MVP was released by WWE in late 2010, and according to the veteran during an episode of his "Marking Out" podcast, his exit was preceded by an altercation with John Laurinaitis, after missing a flight.

"I called [John] Laurinaitis, I said, 'Hey man. I screwed up. I changed my flight," MVP recalled. "I missed it. I'm not going to make the show.'" 

He'd later talk to John Laurinaitis ahead of the next episode of "RAW," but for whatever reason he felt agitated and ready to fight, taking shots at John Cena and noticing how CM Punk also got into trouble for dying his hair, before deciding to push Laurinaitis' buttons. 

"Me and Punk had always been pretty tight, and I walked into the conversation," MVP said. "I had been wanting to cut my cornrows, and I said: 'Well, John, let me cut my cornrows.' and he goes, 'Go ahead, I don't care.' I said, 'You don't care?' He goes, 'Yeah. Maybe if you make your dates, I might.' And I was like, alright b**ch. Okay."

While MVP admits that he was in the wrong in this case, things would quickly escalate the next day, when he'd bump into a drunk Laurinaitis at the hotel bar.

"I just remember, man, John just started laying into me, man," he recalled. According to the veteran, Laurinaitis told him that he should have hired a private plane to make it to the Denver show, which would've even gotten him some brownie points with Vince McMahon. "I was making really good money, but not 30. For that show I might have made two or three grand."

Following this, MVP claims that Laurinaitis would begin making unsubstantiated claims that he was defending him backstage. 

"What do you mean, you 'look out for me,' man?" he exclaimed. "And he goes, and I'll never forget this moment 'cause he was drunk-drunk, messy-drunk. He goes, 'You don't think I look out for you?' I said, 'No, you don't look out for me!' He goes, 'Yeah? Well, you can go f**k yourself!'"

In that moment, MVP claims he realized he was done with WWE, wondering if his dignity was worth a WWE paycheck.

"I looked at him, and I said, 'No, you go f**k yourself.' And he goes, 'You talking to me like that?'" he recalled. "I just remember in that moment, he stood up, and John Laurinaitis is a tall guy! And in that moment, I remember he stood up, and I said: 'Put your hands up right now. I'll beat your a**!'"

John Laurinaitis wasn't afraid of MVP and was even willing to step out to fight him in the parking lot, according to MVP, but former WWE director Kevin Dunn stopped the fight from happening. The next day, MVP got a text from Laurinaitis to talk in person, where the former WWE Head of Talent Relations apologized to him.

"After that, I remembered thinking, 'I don't want to be here, man,'" he added, noting that he then told Laurinaitis he would not be renewing his contract with WWE. The former United States Champion said that he finally understood advice he received from Chris Benoit, who told him not to let the office workers get under his skin.

"[Laurinaitis] could fire you like that; he's your boss, and if he goes and says: 'Hey Vince, I'm going to let this guy go, because' whatever, whatever," the veteran claimed.

Despite the altercation, MVP claims that he'd eventually have a good relationship with him by his second WWE run, and he believes their clash at the bar made Laurinaitis respect him.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Marking Out" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.