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WRESTLING COLUMNS

MVP, The Next Don Muraco
April 25, 2007 by Baraa Elhariry


Editor's Note: The author of this column can be contacted via the OWW Forums, where this submission was first posted. Feedback can be posted automatically by clicking here - but remember you must sign up for the forums to post feedback on a column. Thanks you!


You're probably asking yourself as you look at these pictures side by side, "Is this kid on crack?" No, I'm not smoking crack and yes I am trying to point out that MVP and Don "The Rock" Muraco may soon have something incredible in common. Is it their hairstyle, their mouth, their waistline? No, no and no. But the way that Muraco paved his way to wrestling greatness may be the same way MVP makes his mark on the WWE.

Let's take a trip back to 1987. At the first ever Survivor Series, "Superstar" Billy Grahm's hip was injured which left Hulk Hogan's team of Ken Patera, the late Bam Bam Bigelow and Paul Orndorff one man short. The answer? Future Hall of Famer Don Muraco. Although Hogan's team still lost, the Survivor Series battle would be the beginning of a legacy for Muraco. Along with Muraco, Diesel and others WWE.com is reminding us that "one man's mishap is another man's blight is another man's benefit."

Similar to the example above, King Booker was tombstoned mercilessly on the announcer table of the April 6th version of Smackdown! and it was announced that he would be out indefinitely. So, the question that the WWE asks us, which one of these young, bright, hopeful wrestlers are ready to step it up to the next level? The answer to that question, the arrogant, cocky, overstated, overrated, and maybe a little overpaid...MVP.

When MVP first debuted, I'm sure it was a moment we just placed in the back of our heads and moved on. He was just another Miz, or Bogeyman. Right? I mean, the guy does look a "beer can" and has the gimmick of a particular controversial football player (yes, I mean Terrell Owens). But all that would change, when at WrestleMania, in front of 80,103 fans, only the second largest attendance at WrestleMania, MVP would prove us all wrong on the grandest stage of them all.

Now, here he is. His theme song tells us the whole story, he's coming, nobody can stop him, nobody can hold him and nobody controls him. But why MVP? Why did I vote for MVP when there were four other guys, Matt Hardy, Finlay, Boogeyman and the Miz who could steal the show from King Booker? It's simple. Matt is defending his tag titles he recently won with his brother Jeff all over the place. Boogeyman and the Miz are like those 2 multiple choice answers to a question that you would just ignore. Finlay looks like he's being thrust in with a rivalry with Kennedy and isn't being pushed much anyway.

Of course, this would never explain why MVP is on his way to greatness. More than just being more qualified than the four other superstars, he possesses the quality of a true heel. The guy you just want to hate. He's the Hollywood blonde, the man who does his shopping at Bloomingdale's not Target's. Who wouldn't hate someone like this? His mike skills....not too much, but I feel as though if he got a bit more time on the mike, he could cut some pretty mean promos, not at the level of Ken Kennedy but decent. After his performance at WrestleMania against the hard-nosed veteran who may be Hall of Fame bound, Chris Benoit, who can open their mouth and say that MVP can't go hold for hold with a great technical wrestler? Did he match Benoit move for move at 'Mania? Yes, he did, but we can't take away that MVP possesses skills and must be considered as one of the WWE's rising stars among Kennedy, Lashley, CM Punk, Elijah Burke and Kevin Thorne.

Only time will tell if MVP will truly rise to the occasion. Of course, the writers and Vince McMahon have the last call on who's doing what. But one must consider that it won't be long before he has the United States Championship around his waist and maybe even the WWE Championship later on? It's possible; an MVP title run may prove more useful to the WWE than they think. A heel with the mouth the size of MVP can only improve ratings and relieve the thousands of people who just want Cena's head.

He's no Don "The Rock" Muraco, that's for sure. But the next few weeks could be the most important of MVP's career, the time where he will pave the road to superstardom and preside over the WWE just as Muraco did 20 years ago at a little old event called Survivor Series.

As stated earlier, I used both www.obssessedwithwrestling,com and www.wwe.com as legitimate sources. Comments, suggestions and feedback would be welcomed.

by Baraael Hariry (View/Submit your feedback here)..




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