We've heard it all before. The bragging and boasting, the egotistical ranting and raving of the man who insists that he is better than us all -- the United States Champion, Montel Vontavious Porter. Yet while his talent in the ring speaks for itself, outside the squared circle is a different story. And the one SmackDown Superstar determined to prove MVP wrong and write his own story as a champion is Matt Hardy.

After failing to defeat Porter at The Great American Bash in his quest for singles gold, Matt promised to MVP and our fans that he would not rest until he earned another opportunity for the United States Title. Hardy went so far as to claim he would defeat Porter in other physical challenges "again and again and again" until granted his rematch. "I'll beat you so bad, you will have no choice but to defend the United States Championship against me," said Matt, "and then I will prove that I am better than you."

This Friday on SmackDown, Matt Hardy will get his first chance at besting Montel Vontavious Porter in non-ring related competition when he declares their first special challenge. What does Hardy have in store for MVP? Perhaps a better question for the Ballin' Superstar is: How does one prepare themselves when they don't know what they'll face?

"That is one of the most ridiculous questions I have ever heard," sneered MVP. "Do you know who I am? I am Montel Vontavious Porter, world-class athlete extraordinaire. I don't need to prepare." Wearing bling around his neck and the U.S. gold around his waist, the flashy champion snickered before proclaiming loudly, "I do what I do, and I do it better than you."

While it's nothing new for the brazen Superstar to use his big mouth as a self-promotional weapon, these days Porter has taken his cockiness to new levels. He has claimed to be the best, the shining star on the SmackDown universe, even while Matt Hardy looks to extinguish that light and silence the cocky champion. Although he defeated Hardy when the gold was on the line, SmackDown's Franchise Playa still has a long road ahead against a determined man he thought he left behind at The Bash.

Still, the United States Champion doesn't want to hear about Matt Hardy's impressiveness in the ring, or his accomplishments as a sports-entertainer. As usual, MVP is concerned with only himself. When asked about the possibility of losing to Hardy in this forthcoming challenge, Montel Vontavious Porter snapped, raising his diamond encrusted necklace forward and pointing at the MVP lettering. "Stop right there," he said, "You lost me right at that point; I'm done talking."

With that, Porter stormed off, shouting to himself as he walked away that he's the greatest of all time and that Matt Hardy has no hope in proving him wrong.