Former WWE United States Champion and AEW star MVP opened up about his emotional connection with Chris Benoit, revealing the deep personal and professional bond they shared before Benoit’s tragic death in 2007.
Speaking with Chris Van Vliet, MVP said that Benoit was not just one of his favorite wrestlers – he was a mentor who helped shape his early career. MVP recalled first meeting Benoit when he was still an extra, nervously approaching the former World Champion through mutual friend Norman Smiley.
Benoit agreed to watch MVP’s matches, and to his surprise, he took detailed notes on his performance. “When we spoke later, he told me I didn’t suck – I was just green,” MVP remembered. “That opened the door between us.”
Over time, Benoit became a guiding figure, even offering to lend MVP $1,000 to buy suits for his new “MVP” character – an offer MVP respectfully turned down because he wanted to make it on his own. “I think I earned a measure of respect from him that day,” he said.
Benoit later pushed to work with MVP on television, even requesting that he drop the United States Championship to him – a moment that remains MVP’s proudest in-ring memory. “Wrestling my favorite wrestler at WrestleMania for the United States Championship… that was my favorite match of my career,” MVP said. “Chris said, ‘We’re going to show them what you can do,’ and after that match, Stephanie McMahon came up and said, ‘Wow, who knew you could do that?’ Chris just said, ‘I did.’”
However, the conversation turned heartbreaking when MVP reflected on the Benoit tragedy. Having been close to the Benoit family, MVP described visiting their home and playing with Benoit’s son, Daniel. “I was absolutely crushed,” he said. “I just couldn’t understand how something like that could happen.”
Later, learning about CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) and the severe brain damage discovered in Benoit’s autopsy helped MVP process the horror. “When we found out his brain was like that of a 70-year-old man, I finally understood,” he said. “The friend I knew didn’t do that – the CTE that destroyed his brain did.”
For MVP, reconciling the memories of a beloved mentor with the tragedy that followed has been one of the hardest parts of his wrestling journey. Yet, despite the pain, he continues to cherish the lessons and kindness Benoit showed him during the most formative years of his career.
Also Read: “He finally did it, huh?” – Former WWE Star’s Reaction To Chris Benoit’s Death
