If you’ve been around pro wrestling long enough, you’ve heard the word “respect” used a ton in relation to it. Respect is a big thing with pro wrestlers, especially those from a bygone age. To them, respect for wrestling comes down to things that have nothing to do with moonsaults or lariats; it’s about making sure to shake the hand of every wrestler in the locker room when you’re new to the business, paying your dues, ect. Some of that may seem silly, but it has certainly been a way some wrestlers have earned the respect of their peers over the years. Other times, however, earning respect can come from something far simpler; by letting the past be the past, and making amends with someone who you otherwise may not want anything to do with.

The story of MVP and Chris Jericho is very much along those lines. For a long time, most probably didn’t think MVP and Jericho had much of a relationship at all beyond being co-workers in WWE; at worst, there was no reason to believe there was any animosity between them. That may have been the case for a long time, as MVP has in the past noted the respect he held for Jericho after the latter was helpful to him earlier in his wrestling career. But by the late 2010’s/early 2020’s, things had changed between the two, beginning with a 2020 Jericho Cruise altercation that reportedly saw MVP knock Jericho out. That was followed by a contentious social media exchanges between the two, and then another in person confrontation in 2022, when the two exchanged words in a Houston, Texas hotel lobby.

Based on all of that, it was clear MVP and Jericho weren’t exchanging Christmas cards, which made it all the more interesting when MVP showed up at “AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam” last September, all while Jericho was continuing to be a steady presence on AEW TV alongside his Learning Tree stable. Very quickly, many wondered how these two would be able to coexist backstage given their issues; was it possible, or could it morph into a situation similar to other disputes that had taken place in the AEW locker room? The wrestling world didn’t get the chance to find out, as MVP quickly sought Jericho out backstage in an attempt to mend fences and squash any lingering bitterness between them. And by all accounts, that’s exactly what happened; the two were afterward seen interacting with each other backstage at AEW events, and all indications were that the heat between them had been extinguished.

In the end, it was a move on MVP’s part that received praise from many across the industry; those within AEW gave MVP kudos for addressing the situation head on, and many came away with a new found respect for the wrestling legend, who already commanded respect in the locker rooms he had been in. Oddly enough, it’s possible that MVP may not have even needed to do this, as uncertainty regarding Jericho’s AEW status is at an all-time high with his contract set to expire at the end of the year. But whether or not Jericho resurfaces in AEW again is moot when it comes to MVP and what appears to be his meaning of respect. Despite his history with Jericho, MVP made the decision to begin his run with a new promotion, not by avoiding any potential problems, but by confronting them and looking for a solution. And the results of that decision appear to have benefited MVP greatly.