The contest for the United States Championship at The Great American Bash promises not only to be a competitive encounter between two of WWE’s finest, young and talented Superstars, but also an intersection of fates for Matt Hardy and the champion, Montel Vontavious Porter.
If you ask MVP about his fate, he would explain that he is preordained to bear the gold around his self-affirmed deserving waist. By contrast, Hardy believes he was predestined to fight for everything he’s ever wanted, and at The Great American Bash, he intends on doing just that.
“I’ve never stopped working hard, and I’ve never been afraid to scratch and claw to be the best I can be,†said a sincere Matt Hardy. “MVP is an amazing athlete, performer and wrestler. He was that good that he could walk into WWE and become U.S. Champion within a single year,†he continued.
“I’m not the most talented guy to ever walk through the doors of WWE. I don’t stand out in any single category except for one: having heart and desire.â€
Regarded by fans as one of sports-entertainment’s most passionate competitors, Hardy’s collar is unquestionably blue, whereas Porter’s is diamond-studded. Hardy has fought and worked for every single opportunity he has been afforded, whereas Montel Vontavious Porter walked into a top-dollar contract on SmackDown.
“MVP, when he came in, he was the guy who was gifted,†explained a guileless Hardy. “I was the guy who had to work for it, much like the people watching around the world who cheer for me. They work hard to achieve their goals and so do I,†he said.
“I know it’s going to be a hell of a challenge to get the title off of him, but I know it’s within me to do it, because right now, I am better than I’ve ever been.â€
It took the highest-paid free agent in SmackDown history, United States Champion MVP, less than one year to claim WWE gold, compared to Hardy who has endured a decade of sweat and blood spill, ladders and personal fate twists.
Matt Hardy’s trophy case is far from barren. In addition to a wealth of World Tag Team Championships with his brother Jeff, Hardy also secured several singles titles early in his WWE career, including the Cruiserweight Championship as well as the now defunct Hardcore and European Championships. Still, despite his remarkable success over the last few years (and especially more recently on SmackDown), Hardy’s hunt for singles gold has not yet quite reached the same heights that he’s scaled in the tag team division.
That could all change for the native North Carolinian next Sunday in San Jose, Calif., when Hardy meets MVP for one of the most prestigious championships in sports-entertainment.
“When you look at major singles titles,†said the challenger, “the first things that stick out are the United States and the Intercontinental Championships. They are basically building blocks to being the World Heavyweight Champion or the WWE Champion. And those have eluded me over the course of my career. But my ultimate goal is to one day be the World Champion here, and the first natural step to that is the U.S. Title.â€
The fan-favorite finally has a chance to secure the United States Championship when he faces a man who believes he is “God’s gift to the squared circle.†According to Hardy, it could be a night of ill fortune for the “half-man, half-amazing†Superstar who currently wears the gold.
“MVP is an extremely talented guy and if you don’t believe it, just ask him,†Hardy added. “We’re going to have a great match. And my ultimate goal is for MVP to suffer a very unfortunate Twist of Fate and Matt Hardy to become the new United States Champion.â€
from wwe.com