MVP spent years meandering in WWEs midcard scene and wasnt going any further up the bill in 2009, despite his obvious upside and potential. Frustrated with the lack of opportunities, he left WWE with the sole purpose of going to Japan, following a long-term dream of competing in NJPW. The result was a career renaissance for MVP. He wrestled to a much higher standard while working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, and enjoyed more success than ever before in his wrestling career. Of particular significance was his becoming the first-ever IWGP Intercontinental Champion, a belt that has since gone on to become such a prestigious belt that its believed to be on par with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in the eyes of many fans. Although he isnt likely to reach the top level in NJPW (should he ever return), MVP was a very different wrestler in Japan from the one we saw every week in WWE. He was given multiple opportunities to show off his skills, and his IWGP IC Title run was an example of his dedication paying off. While he may have enjoyed a push at the beginning of his WWE career due to his dedication and relationship with mentor Chris Benoit, that push waned as the years went by and he was only able to recoup some of the passion he had for wrestling when he made the switch to wrestling in Nippon.