MVP was one of the most notable absences from AEW All In: London, held last Sunday at Wembley Stadium. Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin both worked the Buy-In, but the Hurt Syndicate’s manager was not in the United Kingdom.
Fightful Select reports that the explanation they received pointed to changes in the visa process. The situation was reportedly already being worked on to avoid similar problems for MVP’s upcoming international trips.
There’s important context behind the situation, though. U.S. citizens have been required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the United Kingdom since August 1, 2025. On top of that, beginning February 25, 2026, airlines started preventing travelers without a valid ETA, visa, or other authorization from boarding.
Under current UK government rules, an ETA application must be denied if the traveler has received a prison sentence of 12 months or more, including suspended sentences. If the ETA is refused, the applicant must pursue another form of authorization, such as a visa, to enter the country.
That rule directly applies to MVP. The wrestler himself revealed in 2025 that his criminal conviction was the exact reason he was unable to enter the UK for that year’s AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door. MVP said he answered honestly about his criminal history on the ETA application and was ultimately prevented from traveling.
MVP spent nine and a half years in prison after taking part in the robbery of a ship’s casino at age 16. In an interview with VICE, he said he pleaded guilty to one count of armed robbery and ten counts of armed kidnapping, initially receiving an 18-and-a-half-year sentence.