Over the weekend, rumours started swirling that three WWE Superstars are no longer listed on the company's internal roster. Those are former WWE Champion Bobby Lashley, MVP, and Tamina.
This is typically a suggestion that they've been released, news which doesn't come as a surprise in some respects. Despite being paired with The Street Profits and B-Fab, Lashley hasn't done much since WrestleMania. MVP also hasn't been featured on TV for a while, while the same applies to Tamina as well.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Dave Meltzer has since chimed in to share an update, suggesting the current plan may be for Lashley and MVP to reunite with Shelton Benjamin and reunite The Hurt Business...in AEW!
"I know that there is talk of them trying to get into AEW. It’s one of those things where technically nobody can talk to them because I don’t believe either’s contract is expired but their contracts are going to expire..as things stand right now, WWE is under the assumption that they are gone and that they are going to try to revamp The Hurt Business. I don’t know if they’ll use that name or not."
"I guess it depends on the ownership of the name. I think I saw MVP try to register to own the name, which would mean that they would maybe even try to use the name. But whatever it is, they want to get Shelton Benjamin, who is also a free agent, and revamp the group in AEW. Whether this happens or not, I mean it depends on Tony Khan. But it’s definitely something that is under consideration."
I don’t believe it’s a done deal or anything like that but it is something that is alive. As of right now, Bobby Lashley and MVP are both going to be gone from WWE when their contract expires, which is relatively soon."
Lashley must be deeply unhappy with his place in WWE, while MVP recently tore into WWE and Triple H for failing to bring the faction back after Vince McMahon was pushed out of the company (a move which signalled his time in the company was close to reaching its end if it hadn't already).
Looking on the United States Patent and Trademark website, WWE still has an active trademark for "The Hurt Business" so this trio will need a new name if they hope to take another crack at a group the majority of fans agree weren't given a fair run together.
Stay tuned for updates as we have them.