It now seems a custom for Smackdown! commentator JBL to introduce Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP) as “Half-man, half amazing and one half of the tag team champions! M-V-P, the only man with three halves”. While this statement is grossly inaccurate mathematically speaking, it does seem to ring true in terms of MVP’s abilities.

MVP does seem to have a little extra half so to speak that separates him from the pack. However, the fact is that he does not have anything extra – he just has the total package. Perfection is a rarity, especially in the wrestling business and while MVP is not perfect, he is quite possible the closest thing to it. You see MVP has all the tools needed to succeed and become the next big thing. He’s showed that he has the talent in the ring through his matches with Beniot and impressed at GAB against Matt Hardy. No one can dispute the charisma he exudes and his mic skills are so far ahead of pretty much everyone else it’s scary.

Finally, he has the ability to generate heel heat. Not only that, he gets real heat. He’s able to get the people to genuinely hate him. Certainly, the fact that he has gone from feuding with two of the most over faces in the company in Beniot and Hardy has helped, but he himself has clearly played a huge role. Just feuding with an extremely over face or heel doesn’t guarantee you reactions. For example, in 2004 when Orton initially feuded with HHH – who at the time was the biggest heel in the company – he would come out to silence. MVP on the other hand is able to use his charisma and mic skills to gain a connection with the audience.

From here, he must find a way to get himself into the main event scene. No doubt his program with Matt Hardy has – and will continue to be – the best and most consistent feud in the WWE, and will hopefully culminate in a show-stealing ladder match. After that however, MVP will have to work his way into being credible enough to hold the world title. Most likely he will either win the royal rumble or the Money in the Bank Match at Wrestlemania if Vince and co are set on turning MVP into the next big thing. If they aren’t though, he will have to get there himself, which undoubtedly is not an easy task. On Smackdown he will have to make the people believe he can defeat the likes of Batista, Edge, Mark Henry and the Undertaker. Should he be moved to Raw, he will face an even harder task of having to work his way up to HBK, HHH & ‘SuperCena’. However, possibly his biggest challenge will be to rise to top before his competition does. Matt Hardy is destined to be a Main Eventer, and I can definitely see him becoming one of the biggest names in wrestling over the next few years. On Raw, Matt’s brother also seems destined to be a Main Eventer. Week in and week out Jeff Hardy outpops both Cena and HHH - even though he is more often than not in a meaningless match. As well as this, the WWE seems set on turning Mr. Kennedy into a main event star.

As you can see, there is plenty of competition for MVP. I personally have no doubt that he will one day become the ‘top dog’. However, MVP must reach these heights faster than the others. Why? Because MVP is already 34 years old. Wrestling is a young man’s business, and unless MVP breaks out in the next year or two, he will never have the extended run on top that he deserves. Many will point to Batista who is nearing 40. Quite frankly, that analogy sums up MVP’s predicament. If we look back to 2005, Cena and Batista were basically on the same level. However, Cena received the Superman push while Batista has spent the last 9 or so PPV’s (with the exception of Unforgiven) losing. MVP may end up in this same situation, while someone like Kennedy receives the larger push.

MVP right now is the best rounded up and coming entertainer. Will he become big? Yes. But the real question should be whether he can – or will be allowed to - reach his full potential. If he can, then I have no doubt in my mind that he will indeed be the next big thing.