History Wrestling / MontelVontaviousPorter

* OddFriendship: With Sherri Sheppard of the Barbershop films and ''Series/TheView''. The story was that they took each other to prom, well after their time in high school. (Sherri felt she couldn't get a date because she was black and MVP could not go because he was in prison).

[[quoteright:216:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/MVP1bmp_7402.jpg]]

** Every current (MVP, Kenny King, Low Ki, Homicide) or former ([[WeUsedToBeFriends Lashley]], [[PutOnABus Samoa Joe]]) member of the Beat Down Clan is part of a real-life circle of friends which was acknowledged in the past as being centered around a core four of MVP, Joe, Ki, and Homicide, who fancied themselves wrestling's version of the Music/WuTangClan.

* OneSteveLimit: Prime Time Elix Skipper had a finishing move called "Play Of The Day", but it was an overdrive rather than an STO, variant. The same move that is MVP's "Play maker". They both worked in TNA too.

'''Hassan Hamin Assad''' (b. Alvin Burke Jr. in 1973) is an American {{Professional Wrestl|ing}}er from Liberty City, Miami, UsefulNotes/{{Florida}} who is best known for his work in Wrestling/{{WWE}} from 2006-2010 as '''Montel Vontavious Porter''', or simply '''MVP.''' He debuted in the Florida independent scene in 2002 as '''Antonio Banks''', where he wrestled in Full Impact Pro, Future Of Wrestling (where he won the tag team championships with Punisher), Coastal Championship Wrestling (where he won the heavyweight championship) and made several brief stops at Wrestling/{{TNA}}. Later he had a run in the Puerto Rican IWA until in 2005, when he signed a developmental deal with WWE and was assigned to Deep South Wrestling in Georgia, where he developed the MVP gimmick, an arrogant, self-obsessed athlete based on [[Film/JerryMaguire Rod Tidwell]] and [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague Terrell Owens]]. He debuted on ''[=SmackDown=]'' in 2006 as Porter, with the storyline of holding out for a big contract and eventually obtaining it. Over the course of his WWE run, he would hold the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwf-us-h.html WWE United States Heavyweight Title]] twice and the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwe-t.html WWE ([=SmackDown!=]) Tag Team Titles]] once with Wrestling/MattHardy. He left WWE to compete in Wrestling/NewJapanProWrestling until he left in 2013. Then went on to return to TNA in early 2014.

* DespotismJustifiesTheMeans: Turns out he invested in TNA mainly to have control over something after failing in the political side of wrestling. After seeing [[UsefulNotes/{{Basketball}} Los Angeles Clippers]] owner Donald Sterling lose his team he reasoned being partial owner of TNA and its Director of Wrestling Operations was not enough and now wants to rule ''everything''—hence the formation of a new team with Bobby Lashley and Kenny King with the intent of getting him the World Heavyweight Championship.

** His FaceHeelTurn in TNA had him likely poised to take the World Title from Eric Young and become the mega-tyrannical heel boss/champion, but then he blew out his knee. ''Slammiversary'' was promptly rebooked as a straightforward wrestling show, and the following ''Impact'' saw MVP essentially sacrifice his power over wrestling operations by blatantly abusing it to get Lashley the championship. {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d by Dixie Carter in a promo the week after.

* TheCastShowoff: Is also a rapper. See DoItYourselfThemeTune.

* MalcolmXerox: {{Defied| Trope}}, despite how easy it would have been with his Malcolm X tattoo which the bookers instead opted to have him cover up. He converted to Islam while in prison, thus explaining his real life name change though he has since moved away from it and is now a non believer toward religion in general (except [[TheBigLebowski Dudeism]]). This becomes even more poignant with the formation of his "Money, Power, and Respect" stable in TNA, as the extent to which he has acknowledged the ever-growing "Black Evolution" meme that came about as a result has been to openly reject the idea of race being his motivation when brought up to him on Twitter.

** Every current (MVP, Kenny King, Low Ki) or former ([[WeUsedToBeFriends Lashley]], [[PutOnABus Samoa Joe]]) member of the Beat Down Clan is part of a real-life circle of friends which was acknowledged in the past as being centered around a core four of MVP, Joe, Ki, and Homicide, who fancied themselves wrestling's version of the Music/WuTangClan.

** As Antonio Banks, he used the Malicious Intent (spinning back kick, WordOfGod inspired by [[VideoGame/{{Tekken}} Eddie Gordo]]) and the TTB, meaning Take it To the Bank or Tribute To [[Wrestling/ChrisBenoit Benoit]] (arm trap crossface).

* ForeignWrestlingHeel: While he was brought into NJPW by a Japanese man, NOSAWA Rongai, his self proclaimed "Ghetto Strong Style" and "Black Godzilla" moniker ([[DontExplainTheJoke Togi Makabe's finisher is the King Kong knee drop but Godzilla is bigger than Kong]]) invoked this trope. All his signature spots still got face like pops with the crowd though and then they began chanting "MVP" to the opening beat of his entrance music so he was a face again before too long.

** BoringButPractical: Thing is, the outfit's pretty clearly supposed to be based off the Under Armour line of athletic apparel, making it literally the most practical wrestling costume in history. He even recently lampshaded this on Twitter [[https://twitter.com/The305MVP/status/468150421060476928 here]]:

* FinishingMove: Formerly a capoeira kick called "malicious intent". Later, Play of the Day (leaping reverse STO), Playmaker (overdrive), Drive-By (Big boot in the corner or as a [[Wrestling/TheGreatMuta shining wizard]] big boot variant), Take It to the Bank (crucifix neck crank, a cross face prior to WWE). In NJPW he often followed the playmaker with a crossface armbar combination he called the Irreversible Crisis.

* SignatureMove: An overshot big boot in the corner (miss that leaves his leg caught on the top rope optional) and an elbow drop preceded by a mock basketball shot "ballin!" called Ballin' Elbow. As a face he also had what Michael Cole called "Great Throws". In NJPW he also had a European uppercut-lariat combo.

** Every current (MVP, Kenny King, Low Ki, Samoa Joe) or former (Lashley, [[spoiler:Samoa Joe once the tapings catch up]]) member of the Beat Down Clan is part of a real-life circle of friends which was acknowledged in the past as being centered around a core four of MVP, Joe, Ki, and Homicide, who fancied themselves wrestling's version of the Music/WuTangClan.

** The role was also similar to Savio Vega's role as Director Of Wrestling Operations in The World Wrestling League, which makes sense when you remember TNA ''is'' a WWL affiliate. The difference being MVP, gradually drifted toward a heel turn where Vega went the other way.
** His new {{power|Stable}} [[TerribleTrio trio]] with Kenny King and Bobby Lashley instantly racked up comparisons to Trips' Wrestling/{{Evolution}} stable (earning itself memetic titles such as "Black Evolution" or "The Nation of Evolution"), but closer examination of their motivations ("[[{{Catchphrase}} Money, power, and respect is the key to life"]]), as well as MVP's own refusal to [[MalcolmXerox make it about the three's race]], reveals that it's more of a [[CompositeCharacter composite match]] for [[Wrestling/{{Christian}} Christian's Coalition]] [[XMeetsY meets]] [[Music/FiftyCent G Unit]].

** Becomes one in name and function to "Chief Operating Officer" Triple H as TNA's "Director of Wrestling Operations". Unlike Trips though, MVP had to claw for the position even after footing the bill rather than being appointed by the board of directors and having backup from the boss's daughter. Like Triple H, he has to deal with a bearded underdog babyface champion. ''Un''like Trips again, who repeatedly attempted to obstruct Bryan's rise to the top using his executive power and only inserted himself into things as a wrestler as a last resort after months of Bryan's and the fans' persistence, MVP quickly moved to affirm Young's climb to the top once he saw it happening as he perceived the plucky underdog Showtime EY to be easy pickings compared to the always-connected [[EvilBrit Magnus]].

** Every current (MVP, Kenny King, Low Ki, Samoa Joe) or former (Lashley, [[spoiler:Samoa Joe once the tapings catch up]])) member of the Beat Down Clan is part of a real-life circle of friends which was acknowledged in the past as being centered around a core four of MVP, Joe, Ki, and Homicide, who fancied themselves "ProfessionalWrestling's Music/WuTangClan".

* DoItYourselfThemeTune: His second WWE theme, though [[ChorusOnlySong they never bothered to play the whole thing]]. Ironically the remix NJPW did contained more of the original song despite having a completely different title and extended samples from Godzilla movies. He's also released three rap singles on iTunes, including one of two other rap themes he's used in NJPW. As well as the theme he used in his return to TNA.

* VillainTeamUp: Briefly his "[[FanNickname MLK Alliance]]" with Kenny King and Bobby Lashley expanded to include Dixieland in TNA. It almost immediately fell apart though when the "undefeated" Ethan Carter III cost them a multi-man tag team match.

* TooManyHalves "I am half-man, half-amazing, half-tag-team-champion... I'm so great, I'm the only man on Earth with three halves!"

* VillainTeamUp: Briefly his alliance with Kenny King and Bobby Lashley expanded to include Dixie Land in TNA. It almost immediately fell apart though when "The Undefeated" Ethan Carter The Third cost them a multiman tag team match.

* PowerStable: Nosawa Rongai, who had to take a break from wrestling following an arrest, used his American connections to get MVP to replace him as a member of Kojimagun with Wrestling/TAKAMichinoku and Taichi, who were in turn lead by Satoshi Kojima. MVP Abandoned the group when Wrestling/MinoruSuzuki took it over and renamed it [[EgoCentricTeamNaming Suzukigun]], staying loyal to Satoshi Kojima.

* CoolTeacher: His were Cash Money Alex Gibson (who works at Coastal Championship Wrestling's Bodyslam University and The Spot in Florida) and Wrestling/NormanSmiley. He also trained one third of the Wrestling/{{N|ational Wrestling Alliance}}WA's [[TagTeam Vandalz]], Johnny Vandal.

* BigGuyLittleGuy: At 6 foot, 160 lbs, Antonio Banks wasn't exactly little but next to the 6'11, 302 lbs Punisher, he often looked that way. MVP was also much smaller than Wrestling/MarkHenry.

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: MVP felt he was not getting over because he did not have good enough competition. So Theodore Long gave him Kane, though MVP did end up getting over afterwards.

* CatchPhrase: When hosting the V.I.P. lounge, "Big things popping, little things stopping." This is a {{bowdlerize}}d reference to southern USA rapper Ti(p). In TNA he's since said much closer to the original line in reference to his intentions to take over the show. "Big things popping, Dixie's shit stopping!"

* BrutalHonesty: He talked very much and very loudly about what a great TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Lashley was and did everything he could to make sure Lashley stayed champion. He also said Lashley was only champion in the first place because his knee was injured and that he still had a title shot once he was healthy again. This was true but probably did a lot to erode away the trust he had been building up from Lashley up to that point.

* [[DisneyOwnsThisTrope WWE Owns This Trope]][=/=]WritingAroundTrademarks: Can't use the full Montel Vontavious Porter name in TNA because WWE owns it, however he can get away with simply "MVP" since it's a pretty common acronym and he created the gimmick.

* PowerStable: Nosawa Rongai, who had to take a break from wrestling following an arrest, used his American connections to get MVP to replace him as a member of Kojimagun with Taka Michinoku and Taichi, who were in turn lead by Satoshi Kojima. MVP Abandoned the group when Wrestling/MinoruSuzuki took it over and renamed it [[EgoCentricTeamNaming Suzukigun]], staying loyal to Satoshi Kojima.