It didn’t take long after reports broke that Bobby Lashley’s latest stint with WWE was nearly over — and that it looked like Montell Vontavious Porter would soon be done with the company as well — for talks to begin about their next move.
Both men have often spoken about wanting to reunite The Hurt Business stable, which they were part of from 2020 to 2022 while still with WWE. MVP recently took to social media to reveal that Chief Creative Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque refused to bring the group back together, implying that the decision was racially motivated. So it’s no surprise to hear that Lashley and MVP are interested in doing some version of the act, wherever they sign.
The news about that plan comes from Wrestling Observer Radio’Dave Meltzer, who confirmed that Lashley and Porter’s WWE contracts will expire “relatively soon” while discussing their future plans:
“I know there’s talk about trying to get to AEW. It’s one of those things where technically no one can talk to them about it because I don’t believe their contracts have expired, but their contracts are going to expire and at this point, the way things stand, WWE is assuming they’re gone and they’re trying to revive ‘The Hurt Business.’
“I don’t know if they’re going to use that name or not. I think it depends on the ownership of the name. I thought I saw MVP trying to trademark the name, which would mean they might even try to use the name. But whatever it is, they want to bring in Shelton Benjamin, who’s also a free agent, and rebrand the group as AEW. Whether that happens or not, I mean, it depends on Tony Khan. But it’s definitely something that’s being considered. I don’t think it’s a done deal or anything, but it’s something that’s on the table.”
Benjamin has been relatively busy on the independent scene in recent months, but has not signed a long-term contract that would prevent him from joining MVP & Lashley in AEW or another company. The fourth member of the group, Cedric Alexander, is still with WWE and was recently moved up to the NXT roster.
As for the name, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office shows that WWE has filed trademark claims on “The Hurt Business” for entertainment services and merchandise. So if Lashley, Porter & Co. are going to set up shop at AEW or elsewhere, they’ll likely have to rebrand.
Start fleshing out your ideas in the comments below. We’ll keep you updated on any new developments in this story.