Real name: Hassan Assad (born: Alvin Banks Jr.)
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 252 lbs.
Date of birth: October 28, 1973
Hometown: Liberty City, FL
Pro debut: 2001
Trained by: Alex G.
Finishing move: Playmaker
Biography
– Starting aged 16, Banks served half of an 18.5 year prison sentence for armed robbery and kidnapping. While serving his sentence, he converted to Islam, leading to the name change
– Assad made his wrestling debut in 2001, after getting into the business on the recommendation of his corrections officer
– On August 31, 2002, Assad (as Antonio Banks) & Punisher defeated Animal House (Jeff Roth & Anthony Michaels) to win the FOW Tag Team Titles. They would hold the titles until the promotion closed the following year
– In 2003-4, Antonio Banks made several appearances in TNA
– On February 19, 2005, Assad appeared on a Ring of Honor show, as Homicide defeated Antonio Banks to retain the FIP Heavyweight Title
– On August 20, 2005, Antonio Banks defeated Bruno Sassi & The Blackhart in a 3-Way Match to win the CCW Heavyweight Title
– In 2005, Assad signed a WWE development deal and was assigned to Deep South Wrestling. Here he originally used the Antonio Banks ring name, but later developed the Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP) persona
– On August 4, 2006, MVP debuted on Smackdown, described as a ‘coveted free agent’. In the following weeks, his storyline involved his agent negotiating a contract with Teddy Long
– On September 20, 2006, it was announced that MVP had become a full-time Smackdown wrestler
– At No Mercy 2006, MVP made his WWE in-ring debut, defeating Marty Garner
– At Judgment Day 2007, MVP defeated Chris Benoit 2-0 in a two-out-of-three falls match to win the WWE United States Title
– At Vengeance 2007, MVP defeated Ric Flair to retain the WWE United States Title
– At The Great American Bash 2007, MVP defeated Matt Hardy to retain the WWE United States Title
– In August 2007, Assad was diagnosed with the heart condition Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. He underwent successful treatment with Dr Fred Feuerbach and didn’t miss any TV time, though he stepped back from in-ring competition for a short time
– On August 28, 2007, MVP & Matt Hardy defeated Deuce n Domino to win the WWE Tag Team Titles
– At Unforgiven 2007, MVP & Hardy defeated Deuce n Domino to retain the WWE Tag Team Titles
– At SummerSlam 2008, MVP defeated Jeff Hardy
– On March 17, 2009, MVP defeated Shelton Benjamin to regain the WWE United States Title
– At SummerSlam 2009, MVP defeated Jack Swagger
– At Survivor Series 2009, Team Kingston (Kofi Kingston, Christian, Mark Henry, MVP & R-Truth) defeated Team Orton (Randy Orton, CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Ted DiBiase & William Regal)
– At Survivor Series 2010, Team Mysterio (Rey Mysterio, The Big Show, Kofi Kingston, MVP & Chris Masters) defeated Team Del Rio (Alberto Del Rio, Cody Rhodes, Jack Swagger, Drew McIntyre & Tyler Reks)
– On December 2, 2010, MVP was granted a release from his WWE contract
– On May 15, 2011, MVP defeated Toru Yano in the final of a tournament to become the first IWGP Intercontinental Champion
– In June 2011, Assad released his first single, titled ‘Holla to the World’. The video, released in October, featured Carlito & Hernandez
– On June 18, 2011, MVP defeated Toru Yano to retain the IWGP Intercontinental Title
– On July 18, 2011, MVP again defeated Toru Yano to retain the IWGP Intercontinental Title
– In October 2011, Assad competed in the first season of Wrestling Retribution Project (WRP) as ‘Lord of War’
– At NJPW Wrestle Kingdom VI, MVP & Shelton Benjamin defeated Masato Tanaka & Yujiro Takahashi
– On the January 30, 2014 edition of Impact Wrestling, MVP was revealed as the mystery investor in TNA
– At NJPW Dominion ’12, MVP & Benjamin defeated Karl Anderson & Tama Tonga
– At NJPW Evolution ’12, MVP, Shelton Benjamin, Manabu Nakanishi & Strong Man defeated Takashi Iizuka, Toru Yano, Masato Tanaka & Yujiro Takahashi by DQ. This was MVP’s last match for NJPW
– At House of Hardcore 2, MVP defeated Sami Callihan
– At House of Hardcore 3, MVP defeated Big XLG
– On the January 30, 2014 edition of Impact Wrestling, MVP was revealed as the mystery investor in TNA
– In his first TNA match a week later, MVP defeated Rockstar Spud
– At Lockdown ’14, Team MVP (MVP, Willow, Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) defeated Team Dixie (Bobby Roode, Austin Aries, Jessie Godderz & Robbie E) in a Lethal Lockdown Match to gain control of TNA
– At One Night Only: Rivals, MVP & Kenny King defeated Bobby Roode & Eric Young
– At Bound For Glory ’14, MVP defeated KAZMA
– In January 2015, MVP formed The Beatdown Clan alongside Kenny King, Low Ki, Samoa Joe and later, Eric Young
– In July 2015, MVP and TNA parted ways
– At House of Hardcore XVI, MVP defeated Moose
– On October 14, 2016, MVP defeated Jody Kristofferson to win the APW Universal Title
– On November 11, MVP defeated Jeff Cobb to retain the APW Universal Title
– At House of Hardcore XXV, MVP defeated Bull James
– At House of Hardcore 27, in Brisbane, Australia, MVP defeated Bull James
– At House of Hardcore 28, in Sydney, Australia, MVP defeated Matt Cross
– At House of Hardcore 29, in Bassendean, Australia, MVP defeated Jack Swagger
– At House of Hardcore 30, in Burwood East, Australia, MVP defeated Jack Swagger & Tommy Dreamer
– At House of Hardcore 31, in Morphettville, Australia, MVP & Tommy Dreamer defeated The Spirit Squad (Kenny & Mikey)
– At House of Hardcore 32, MVP defeated Jake Hager & Tommy Dreamer in a Hardcore Match
– At House of Hardcore 33, MVP defeated Rhett Titus
– On October 21, 2017, MVP defeated Damion Windsor to win the IWR Heavyweight Title
– At House of Hardcore 35, MVP defeated Lance Anoa’i
– At House of Hardcore 36, MVP defeated Jay Bradley
– On January 20, 2018, MVP defeated Ethan Carter III to retain the IWR Heavyweight Title
– On February 25, MVP won a 20-Man Rumble Match to win the vacant BLW World Title
– At House of Hardcore 40, MVP defeated Carlito
– On May 13, MVP defeated Matt Riddle & Bram to retain the BLW World Title
– At House of Hardcore 51, MVP defeated Big Cass
– MVP was a surprise entrant in the 2020 Royal Rumble. A few weeks later, MVP was hired as a backstage producer, but would soon transition into an on-screen role
– In May 2020, MVP aligned with Bobby Lashley, forming the stable which would eventually become The Hurt Business
– In September 2021, MVP was written off screen with an injury, but would continue with his behind-the-scenes roles with WWE
– In April 2022, MVP took on Omos as a new client
– On August 16, 2024, MVP’s WWE contract expired and he left the company
– MVP debuted for AEW at September 2024’s Grand Slam event and indicated that he would be reuniting with his former Hurt Business stablemates over the coming weeks. The group would eventually be named ‘The Hurt Syndicate’
– At Title Tuesday 2025, The Hurt Syndicate defeated The Demand (Bishop Kaun, Toa Liona & Ricochet)
– At WrestleDream 2025, The Hurt Syndicate again defeated The Demand