In 2011, Assad signed a year contract with New Japan Pro Wrestling, pursuing his noted passion for puroresu.[78] TMZ reported that Assad's prior convictions had made it difficult for him to acquire a visa but that he would be debuting in February.[79] In storyline MVP was brought in to the promotion by NOSAWA Rongai, who wanted him to join the villainous Kojima Army, led by Satoshi Kojima.[80] In his debut match for the promotion on February 20, MVP teamed with fellow Kojima Army member Taichi to defeat Togi Makabe and Tomoaki Honma in a tag team match by making Honma submit to his Take it to the Bank crucifix neck crank.[81] On March 6, MVP entered the 2011 New Japan Cup, used to determine the new number one contender to the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, defeating Karl Anderson in his first round match.[82] On March 19, MVP suffered his first loss in New Japan, when he was defeated by Togi Makabe in the second round of the New Japan Cup.[83] The following day, MVP achieved a major victory when he tapped IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi out with the TTB in a tag team match, where he teamed with Satoshi Kojima and Tanahashi with Hirooki Goto.[84] On May 3, the returning Minoru Suzuki took over as the new leader of Kojima Army, after its members Taichi and Taka Michinoku had turned on Satoshi Kojima.[85]
In May 2011, MVP took part in New Japan's first tour of the United States. On May 13 in Rahway, New Jersey, he entered the tournament to determine the first ever IWGP Intercontinental Champion, defeating Kazuchika Okada in his first round match.[86] The following day in New York City, MVP defeated Tetsuya Naitō to advance to the finals of the tournament.[87] On the third and final day of the tour in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, MVP defeated Toru Yano in the finals to become the first IWGP Intercontinental Champion.[88] Earlier in the event, MVP showed his allegiance to Satoshi Kojima by saving him from the debuting Lance Archer, thus breaking away from the newly renamed Suzuki Army.[89] On June 18 at Dominion 6.18, MVP made his first successful defense of the IWGP Intercontinental Championship by defeating Toru Yano. After the match, Yano attacked him and cut his hair.[90][91] The two would face each other in a third title match on July 18, where MVP was once again victorious.[92] After the match MVP was attacked and challenged by Yano's Chaos stablemate Masato Tanaka.[93] In August, MVP took part in the 2011 G1 Climax, where he managed to win six out of his nine matches, but a loss to Karl Anderson on the final day of the tournament caused him to narrowly miss advancing to the finals.[94] On October 10 at Destruction '11, MVP lost the IWGP Intercontinental Championship to Masato Tanaka, ending his reign at 148 days
i really miss mvp
irgendsonfreak 1 month ago 14
Great CAW. Could you please put him on Community Creations?
TheWWWNetwork1 2 months ago 7