51-year-old AEW star explains why he could never become World Heavyweight Champion in WWE: "There were reservations"

A major AEW star who never became a World Champion in WWE revealed the reasons why it didn't happen for him. The star believes it was due to certain activities from his past.

The star in question is MVP. The 51-year-old is one of the more prominent faces on AEW TV today and is the de facto leader of The Hurt Syndicate, which consists of Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin, one of the most dominant groups in the promotion. During his time in WWE, MVP won the United States Championship twice and the Tag Team Championship once. However, Montel Vontavious Porter could never get his hands on a World Title in the Stamford-based promotion. In a recent interview, MVP explained the reasoning behind it.

Speaking on the latest edition of INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet, Porter claimed that his past criminal record may have prevented him from being a WWE or World Heavyweight Champion. MVP stated that his felony conviction did not allow him entry into certain countries.

"There were potentially countries that I couldn't get into. So how can you be the World Heavyweight Champion, but you can't go to this country?..So coming full circle, as it was told to me, There was a conversation about me being a World Champion. But there were reservations because of my convicted felony," said MVP [H/T Cultaholic on X ]

For those unaware, during his teenage years, MVP carried out an armed robbery for which he had to serve time for nine and a half years.

MVP reveals why he was absent from AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door

On the same edition of INSIGHT, MVP also revealed the reason behind missing the AEW Forbidden Door 2025 pay-per-view, which was in London. The Hurt Syndicate leader stated that it was due to not meeting the United Kingdom's entry requirements.

Now England, the United Kingdom, just started the electronic transfer authorization, and they ask the question, 'Have you been convicted of a felony that required you to have a 12-month stay or longer in a correction?' Well, yeah, I did nine and a half years, so I answered truthfully, and that's why I wasn't allowed in for Forbidden Door. [H/T Cultaholic on X ]

Meanwhile, MVP is set to return to in-ring action in AEW for the first time since January, at All Out 2025. He will team with Lashley and Benjamin to take on Ricochet and Gates of Agony.