MVP Reportedly Facing Backstage Heat in AEW Over Hurt Syndicate Creative Disputes – MVP is reportedly dealing with backstage friction in AEW stemming from his involvement with The Hurt Syndicate, the faction currently consisting of Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and others. According to a new report from Fightful Select, several AEW wrestlers have expressed frustrations with MVP, confirming earlier claims first discussed by JCup2013 on The Wrestling Binder’s Twitter Space.
While there are no reported issues between MVP and his Hurt Syndicate teammates, particularly Lashley or Benjamin, tension appears to be brewing behind the scenes over creative direction. MVP has allegedly made it clear he isn’t a fan of “Speedball” Mike Bailey and was strongly against The Hurt Syndicate losing the AEW World Tag Team Titles to JetSpeed, the team of Bailey and Komander.
Sources say there were never concrete plans for JetSpeed to win the titles, but multiple creative pitches were made involving The Hurt Syndicate. One proposed direction included a redemption arc for FTR beginning at AEW All In: Texas. However, MVP reportedly shut down match suggestions involving FTR for both All In and Forbidden Door.
Instead, MVP is said to have advocated for dropping the titles to younger teams such as The Outrunners, Gates of Agony, or Private Party — all of whom The Hurt Syndicate had already defeated. Due to this, many felt those ideas lacked credibility. At one point, the faction was reportedly open to losing to the duo of Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay, but that scenario was ultimately dropped due to Ospreay’s neck injury.
Backstage perception of The Hurt Syndicate also plays a role in the reported tension. Some within AEW believe the group is being portrayed more like fan favorites than heels, described as “heels that do cool moves, beat up everyone, and give fans fives on the way out.” The faction was recently involved in an angle with MJF that insiders suggest was intended to continue longer, but the storyline was wrapped up early. Despite that, no bad blood exists between the two sides.
Despite the chatter about MVP’s backstage reputation, The Hurt Syndicate is not expected to be leaving AEW anytime soon. Several within the locker room have dismissed the rumors, noting that 2025 has been one of the most positive years in terms of backstage morale in quite some time.
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MVP Reportedly Facing Backstage Heat in AEW Over Hurt Syndicate Creative Disputes
