MVP Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

AEW Talent Reportedly Having Issues With MVP, The Hurt Syndicate Backstage

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI
By Ethan Schlabaugh | Last updated Aug 6, 2025 8:30 AM ET

MVP arrived at All Elite Wrestling back at Grand Slam in September 2024. He would swiftly bring in Shelton Benjamin and Bobby Lashley to reform The Hurt Business faction, now going by the name The Hurt Syndicate.

The trio have found massive success in the tag team division, capturing the AEW World Tag Team Championships from Private Party on the January 22nd, 2025 episode of Dynamite. They have beaten pretty much every team going in AEW and eventually added a fourth member in MJF, just for a brief while.

In a space on X, user JCup2013 shared some information about MVP and The Hurt Syndicate having heat backstage with fellow AEW talent, and Fightful Select would further confirm these reports.

All Elite Wrestling - Ricky Havlik

Some of these reports mentioned MVP having a particular issue with "Speedball" Mike Bailey, letting it be known that he didn't want The Hurt Syndicate to lose to JetSpeed. The reason for them having any sort of issue is unknown.

Also reported was that The Hurt Syndicate shot down any pitches of them losing to FTR during any title defenses, with MVP specifically stating that the team wants to lose the titles to younger teams such as The Gate of Agony, The Outrunners, or Private Party.

Beyond that, the general idea is that a certain amount of the roster have some heat with MVP.

Overall Morale For AEW

AllEliteWrestling.com - AEW

Despite the reports of anyone having heat with a particular person backstage, numerous reports over the previous months have suggested the locker room is in great shape this year.

Having hugely successful shows like All In Texas and fan reception being at an incredible high in recent years were confirmed to be major contributors to the feeling backstage.

"I heard from some of the guys, and [they're] very, very happy with the show, very, very happy with the morale, I think that this was the night, honestly, where I think that the stench from almost two years ago now [is gone]."WON

Wrestling Observer Radio continued to say,

"That has been the cloud that has been hovering over their head. They know things were going down, then they know things have been going up this year. And then this one, being such a big success, I think...that feeling is that it's turned around. And they certainly peaked for a big show."WON [h/t Wrestling Inc]

This article first appeared on Wrestling on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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