Back to Business: Can AEW's Hurt Syndicate Fill a Void After WWE's Fumble?

MVP's emergence and the imminent threat of The Hurt Syndicate has been a refreshing addition to All Elite Wrestling.

Mr. 305's tremendous promo work and the group's impending storyline with Swerve Strickland have been a highlight on AEW Dynamite. Their segment from WrestleDream effectively created anticipation for Bobby Lashley's arrival and helped build up Shelton Benjamin in the meantime.

Ever since The Hurt Business imploded three years ago in WWE, fans have campaigned for a reunion and return to glory.

Their short but dominant run made them a fan favorite because there aren't many memorable mainstream stables featuring Black wrestlers in pro wrestling.

So much so that the group dodged comparisons to The Nation of Domination because that's the only frame of reference many viewers had. Still, the four-man supergroup offered a unique presentation and positive representation in an industry that often relies on outdated tropes and stereotypes.

In a time when The Bloodline has also revolutionized the use of Samoan heritage, The Hurt Business was a much-needed step forward for African American men that could have developed into so much more.

As such, it's gratifying to see three of the founding members seemingly prepared to take on another venture together. Hopefully, they can achieve more and continue to inspire change with AEW.

A Booming Stretch Cut Short

"If it ain't broken, don't fix it." This famous adage perfectly describes Lashley's working relationship with his well-dressed manager. The two formerly teamed up with TNA to create the foundation for The Beat Down Clan.

However, most fans will always link them due to their partnership and triumph with WWE. In 2020, they formed The Hurt Business with Cedric Alexander and Benjamin, with whom MVP also worked with in New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

The winning combination helped the four men attain renewed interest and championship gold, including Lashley's WWE title win on March 1, 2021. Surprisingly, though, the faction didn't last long.

In fact, Benjamin and Alexander lost the Raw tag team titles two weeks later and were unceremoniously kicked out of the group by the end of the month. That's right. WWE split them up at the height of Lashley's success as a heel in the lead-up to WrestleMania 37.

Although The CEO of The Hurt Business retained his title at the event, putting the kibosh on the act that got him there was a baffling decision. There was still so much they could have done together, but their prosperous run ended prematurely.

Breaking them up before the first show in front of a live audience seemed even more short-sighted because they rose to prominence in empty arenas and the ThunderDome.

WWE didn't even allow them to see the fruit of their labor during the pandemic because we didn't find out how the Raymond James Stadium crowd would have reacted to them.

Renewed Hope

The Hurt Business briefly teased a reunion in 2022 and again in January 2023, but neither attempt was successful.

WWE abruptly dropped the storyline last year following the Feb. 6 episode of Raw, and Lashley recruited The Street Profits to join The Pride in July.

Recently, MVP stated plans to reunite the faction fell apart without any explanation and he was upset that no one contacted him to let him know. Benjamin confirmed this and later said Vince McMahon told him, "We've gone as far as we can with The Hurt Business," during his interview with Chris Van Vliet.

The company ultimately released the 49-year-old last September. Lashley and his outspoken mouthpiece finished their contracts this fall, opening the door for a long-awaited return to form elsewhere.

WWE is currently facing criticism online about the lack of Black male wrestlers in its last three premium live events. Losing Ricochet to AEW and the prospect of The Hurt Business joining its biggest competitor isn't a great sign.

Yes, the industry leader has crowned three Black world champions over the last five years so it's hard to say it hasn't made progress. Still, pulling the rug out from under its members and eventually losing the faction was a major unforced error.

For the past two years, there have also been no African American men in the title picture on the main roster.

Conversely, AEW has also received its fair share of complaints because of its lack of diversity at times. Both companies and the industry as a whole still have some work to do in this area, but giving The Hurt Business an outlet to tell new stories is a step in the right direction.

We certainly don't want to give out kudos on this issue before the follow-through, but this is Tony Khan's chance to reaffirm his commitment to changing the narrative.

Lashley, MVP and Benjamin fill a void, and the top two purveyors of pro wrestling must give performers like them the platform to normalize positive examples of representation.