MVP recently spoke with Busted Open Radio about a variety of topics. Check out the highlights:
On what his gut is telling him regarding CM Punk tonight: “You’re asking me my gut….I really have no feel. He has been very polarizing. Fans watch the product and then take their position as fans with no knowledge of what goes on from a business standpoint. At the end of the day, even though we are fans of the product, we are businessmen. Punk had to stand up for himself from a business standpoint. One thing about the WWE, no matter how bad you mess up you can always come back as we have seen. Punk has a contractual obligation he has to fill out at some point. I’m sure he will be back at some capacity to honor the remainder of his contract at the very least. But will he back tonight? I can’t say.”
On how much of a creative pull does he have: “Before I decided to go over to TNA, we had a long talk about where they were going creatively in the future and what they were doing with new talent and how they are doing a reset. John Gaburick, who I worked with in WWE and Dave Lagana who I worked with in the WWE, we had a good relationship and even though I’m not some creative genius, but I love pro wrestling and I love the creative aspect of it and they have been very open to my suggestions. I have lots of creative input. As a matter of fact, I’m encouraged to be given creative suggestions. It’s been real cool in that regard.”
On whether he’s under contract to TNA: “As of this moment, we are still working out the crossing of T’s and dotting I’s so to speak. We have come to terms, but there is some minor legalities that still needs to be worked out. But as far as me and TNA are concerned, we are good. I’ve always wanted TNA to succeed, even when I was with the WWE. I said I had friends over there that I wanted to do well. The most prosperous times were the times of the Monday Night Wars. There were something like 12 million people watching wrestling. There were also guys too that I wanted to work with. Samoa Joe, I’ve been wanting to work with him since we were in the indies together. I don’t think you want to lace up the boots if you don’t want to work with Kurt Angle. I finally got a chance to work with Bobby Roode and I’m sure that’s the first of many to come. It’s a roster loaded with talent, I just think in the past there were some decisions that were made that probably weren’t for the best, but hopefully those mistakes were recognized and now will be rectified.”
On Dixie Carter: “She understands her role and she understands what we are trying to create. In order to have a reset and have a breath of fresh air concept, there has to be major changes. That why at Lockdown, if I win, I assume control of wrestling operations and Dixie is banished to the front office. Yes, she will still be a part of the company. She is the owner of the company. We are not going to insult anyone’s intelligence by saying ‘Dixie is gone forever’. No, she will still be around and I’m sure she will still be on tv periodically. You’re still going to see her relating to the company, but now it will be just the stuff she does well and that’s business.”
