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WWE returns to Amarillo, wrestler MVP reflects on return to the ring

WWE returns to Amarillo, wrestler MVP reflects on return to the ring

Posted: Jun 24th 2022 By: Michael Cuviello

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) returns Saturday bringing grappling action back to Amarillo, a city that celebrates one of the great wrestling families of the pro
circuits with the Funk family. Dory Funk Sr. was a key proponent of the Western State Sports wrestling promotion, going on to take over ownership in 1967 with his sons Terry and Dory Funk already performing on cards for the organization. Both sons went on to wrestle with multiple organizations including the WWE, with long list of
championships held by both brothers.

With Amarillo serving as the base of operations for the Western State Sports promotion, it drew many of its wrestlers from the football team at West Texas A&M, formerly known as West Texas State. At least a dozen major pro wrestlers played football at West Texas State, including Dusty Rhodes, Ted Dibiase and the Funk brothers. Terry Funk, 77, currently lives in the Amarillo area.

Hassan Hamin Assad, better known by his wrestling name Montel Vontavious Porter or MVP, spoke about the upcoming event in Amarillo. He said he had been to the city many times over his career, and the first thing that pops into his mind is the Funk Legacy in the region.

MVP has had a prior stint with the WWE and has been in multiple worldwide wrestling alliances in his more than two decades of wrestling experience.

“Whenever any wrestler thinks of Amarillo, I think of the Funks and the Double Cross Ranch along with the legendary history of western wrestling in that region,” MVP said.

He said that he had been on some cards with the Funks and met them a few times but had never wrestled either of them but was just honored to work with them.

“I have had the pleasure of sharing a locker room with each brother on more than one occasion,” MVP said. “That they knew who I was (was) flattering with all they had been through.”

MVP said that although he contemplated retirement just a few years ago, his intentions for his young son of 5 to be able to see him wrestle outweighed those urges.

MVP points to his new prodigy, the 7-foot-4-inch Nigerian Giant Omos during a RAW event. “It has really been great being back in the WWE and having my son watch me wrestle,” MVP added.

He said that he had asked to appear at the Royal Rumble held in Houston in January of 2020 and asked to wrestle the following night again on WWE Raw. He said that this was supposed to be a one-off, but this led to him being brought on as a backstage producer for WWE.

“You know, it’s all for my son. You know, I just wanted my son to see daddy in the ring before I was done,” MVP said. “I wanted him to see me in the premier wrestling company in the world; I was able to do that. Being back and being involved has really been a big part of getting my creative juices going, working with all these phenomenal people that I share a locker room with. This has absolutely rekindled the flame."

MVP stated that he has been a big part of the recent success of former tag team partner Bobby Lashley, including being two-time WWE champion and now is training and managing Lashley’s likely opponent for the Amarillo stop, the Nigerian Giant Omos, who stands 7-foot-4-inches tall and weighs more than 400 pounds.

Asked who his influences were in wrestling growing up and what got him into wrestling, MVP reflected on his childhood in Miami, Florida. He said one of his first matches taken to as a kid was Terry Funk and Dusty Rhodes wrestling at the
Miami Beach Convention Center. He remembers Funk hitting Rhodes with a chair and bleeding all over the place.

“I was in first grade and everyone was screaming and carrying on, and I looked over at my mom and she was doing the same thing. I was like, she is letting me watch this,” MVP said. “That was my first introduction to wrestling, not realizing at the time it would be my chosen career. I watched a lot of Championship Wrestling from Florida as a kid.”

Asked which wrestlers were major influences on him in his career, MVP glowingly spoke about a masked wrestler from Florida named Sweet Brown Sugar.

“That was one guy that blew me away. He had a white mask, white trunks and boots, and his dropkicks and leap frogs were so exciting to watch,” MVP said. "I remember being in absolute awe of his abilities and later on thought, well I can do this.”

MVP addressed any people on the fence about coming to see the wrestling action and said he sees it as an experience like no other.

“To fans that love watching wrestling on TV and have never been to a live event, and to people that may not be wrestling fans, I have never seen a person leave a live
wrestling event that they had a bad time at," MVP said. “I urge you to go and enjoy yourself. It is a completely different experience when you are there in person. What I
love most about these shows is looking at three generations of wrestling fans all enjoying the experience together.”

The WWE Saturday Night Main Event will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Amarillo Civic Center.

 

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Spotlight in History

  • 1954 Red Berry def. Whitey Whittler for the TSW Tri-State Title
  • 1976 Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch def. Buck Robley & Bob Slaughter for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 1980 Kevin Von Erich def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 1989 The Simpson Brothers (Steve Simpson & Shaun Simpson) def. Beauty & The Beast (Terrance M. Garvin & The Beast [2nd]) for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
  • 2000 Heather Savage def. Jenna Love for the OPW Oklahoma Womens Title
  • 2002 Summer Rain became the OCW Oklahoma Womens Champion
  • 2007 Eric Rose def. Jersey Devil for the UWF06 Light Heavyweight Title
  • 2007 Joe Herell became the UWF06 Violent Division Champion
  • 2017 Brandon Groom def. Sam Stackhouse for the BPPW Oklahoma Title
  • 2018 Dusty Gold def. Wesley Crane for the UWE United States Title

Week of Sun 04-26 to Sat: 05-02

  • 04-26 2008 Jerry Bostic def. Joshua Smith for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 04-26 2008 Shane Rawls def. Ky-Ote for the 3DW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2014 Buster Cherry def. Bud Barnes for the SWCW All-American Title
  • 04-26 2014 Chaz Sharpe def. Kevin James Sanchez for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2014 Sam Stackhouse def. Warhammer for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2024 Miranda Gordy def. Sgt. Slice for the CPW Women’s Title
  • 04-26 2025 Deacon Hendrix became the RWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-26 2025 Family Affiliated (Athan Sorrow & Rika Wildlee) became the RWE Tag Team Champions
  • 04-26 2025 Gluttony became the RWE United States Champion
  • 04-26 2025 Bishop Simon became the RWE Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-26 2025 For God And Country (Pastor Brent & Corporal Punishment) def. The Main Characters (Sean Ryan & Daniel Aaron Michalles) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 1978 The Assassin became the TSW Louisiana Champion
  • 04-27 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Grappler & The Super Destroyer for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-27 2008 Tyrone def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 04-27 2019 Brandon Groom def. Brian Dixon for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 04-27 2019 Doc Black became the BCW Heritage Rivalry Champion
  • 04-28 1954 Red Berry def. Whitey Whittler for the TSW Tri-State Title
  • 04-28 1976 Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch def. Buck Robley & Bob Slaughter for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 04-28 1980 Kevin Von Erich def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 04-28 1989 The Simpson Brothers (Steve Simpson & Shaun Simpson) def. Beauty & The Beast (Terrance M. Garvin & The Beast [2nd]) for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
  • 04-28 2000 Heather Savage def. Jenna Love for the OPW Oklahoma Womens Title
  • 04-28 2002 Summer Rain became the OCW Oklahoma Womens Champion
  • 04-28 2007 Eric Rose def. Jersey Devil for the UWF06 Light Heavyweight Title
  • 04-28 2007 Joe Herell became the UWF06 Violent Division Champion
  • 04-28 2017 Brandon Groom def. Sam Stackhouse for the BPPW Oklahoma Title
  • 04-28 2018 Dusty Gold def. Wesley Crane for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-29 2006 AWOL def. Michael York for the TPW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2006 Natural Born Sinners (Appolyon & El Lotus) def. Pretty Young Things (Cade Sydal & Mitch Carter) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-29 2006 Rexx Reed def. Carnage for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-29 2006 Carnage def. Rexx Reed for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-29 2007 Aaron Neil def. Tyler Bateman for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 04-29 2007 Brad Michaels def. Ryan Davidson for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2007 Bad Boy & Outlaw became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 04-29 2011 The Unknown & Johnny USA def. Michael H & Mr. Big for the NCW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-29 2011 Mr. Big became the NCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2012 Sam Stackhouse def. Prophet for the BYEW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2012 Rage Logan became the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2012 Nemesis (Damien Morte & Damon Windsor) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 04-29 2017 Aaron Anders became the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 04-30 1954 Frenchy Roy became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-30 1971 Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 04-30 2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Title
  • 04-30 2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-30 2011 Ray Martinez def. Ryan Reed for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-30 2016 Ray Martinez became the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-30 2022 Clayton Bloodstone def. Ky-Ote for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
  • 04-30 2023 El Gallardo/El Vaquero def. Cappuccino Jones for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 04-30 2023 Heavyweight Grappling (Dan Webber & Morrison) def. Subject To Death (Cade Fite & Leo Fox) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
  • 05-01 1981 Super Destroyer def. Jim Garvin for the MSW Louisiana Title
  • 05-01 2016 Skylar Slice def. Nikki Knight for the MSWA Ladies Title
  • 05-01 2021 Fuel def. Derek James for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 05-02 1969 Johnny Valentine def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 05-02 1975 Mad Dog Vachon def. Billy Graham for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 05-02 1977 Stan Hansen def. Dick Murdoch for the TSW North American Title
  • 05-02 1984 Krusher Khrushchev became the MSW Television Champion
  • 05-02 1984 The Rock-N-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) def. The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 05-02 2009 Ozzy Hendrix def. Shank for the SWCW Luchadore Title
  • 05-02 2015 Gail Kim became the IWR Diamonds Champion
  • 05-02 2015 Kareem Sadat became the BCW Independent Hardcore Champion
  • 05-02 2021 Drake Gallows def. Blade [2nd] for the AIWF National Title
04-28
  • Ichiban [2nd] Apr 28th Today!
  • Siva Afi Apr 28th Today!
  • Chance Snodgrass Apr 28th Today!
  • Sunshine Apr 29th
  • Joe McCarthy Apr 30th
  • Billie the Kiid Apr 30th
  • Dustin Tibbs Apr 30th
  • Anarchy [2nd] Apr 30th
  • Prince Maivia May 1st
  • Don Fields May 2nd
  • Barrett Brown May 2nd
  • Americos May 2nd
  • Nightmare [1st] May 2nd
  • Big Bossman May 2nd
  • Kari Wright May 2nd
  • Lester Welch May 3rd
  • Johnny Humble May 3rd
  • Lily McKenzie May 3rd
  • Jay Hazzard May 4th
  • Malik Mayfield May 4th
  • El Hijo del Mascara Sagrada May 4th
  • Dory Funk May 4th
  • Bull Schmitt May 4th
  • Miss Diss Lexia May 5th
  • Bill Watts May 5th
  • Zane Morris May 5th
  • El Gallardo May 5th
  • Olivier Vegos May 5th
  • Pat O'Dowdy May 5th
  • Maria Brigitte May 5th
  • El Matador Dos May 5th
  • Princess Victoria May 5th
  • Claire Watson May 6th
  • Hercules May 7th
  • Richie Adams May 8th
  • Jake Danielsson May 9th
  • Jerry Brown May 10th
  • Tito Santana May 10th
  • Billy Brown May 10th
  • Sunny War Cloud May 10th
  • Rook Tyler May 10th
  • Psycho May 11th
  • Big J May 11th
  • Charming Charles May 11th

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