Michael Hayes was once suspended for 60 days after he used a racial slur on Mark Henry at a party after WrestleMania in 2008.
The current Head of Producers Michael Hayes is more recognized for his backstage role in WWE than for his career as a wrestler. However, Michael Hayes had quite a successful career as a wrestler but his creative mind got him promoted to working closely with Vince McMahon.
Hayes was initially hired during the mid-90s for a broadcasting role. Over time Hayes became of the top writers in the company. Besides his success, the former wrestler also has a past of being a controversial figure in WWE. In 2008, during a WrestleMania after party, an inebriated Hayes took things too far when he used the “N” word on Mark Henry.
It’s important to note that the work setting in WWE backstage is as professional as it should be. However, a lot of hazing and bullying that happens behind the curtain has also made news from time to time. Before the incident, Michael Hayes and MVP were reportedly jokingly using the word earlier that night.
At the party, the duo was indulging in alcohol when Mark Henry approached Hayes. According to some sources, Hayes told Henry, “I’m more of a n**** than you are” before playfully headbutting him.
The World’s Strongest Man took umbrage to Hayes’s inflammatory remarks and reported him to the higher-ups. Hayes, a writer for SmackDown at the time, was suspended for 60 days. Some people believed that the action taken by the authorities was unnecessary while others thought Hayes had it coming.
Another source reported that Hayes meant no harm as he often casually used the N-word around his African American friends in jest. However he had been previously warned by Stephanie McMahon not to use the word before this incident considering his position of power and the corporate setting they found themselves in.
Regardless, disciplinary action was taken after Vince McMahon made the call to suspend the WWE writer for 60 days.
Michael Hayes was the brainchild behind “Stone Cold Stunner”
It’s a little-known fact that Michael Hayes has hugely contributed to the success of WWE. Despite his contentious character backstage, Hayes has been positively instrumental in WWE’s popularity.
Fans will remember his iconic interview with Steve Austin back in the 90s when Steve cut the “Austin 3:16” promo after winning the King of The Ring tournament. It turns out, the “Stunner” was suggested to Austin by Michael P Hayes.
Given that Stone Cold was one of the best icons of The Attitude Era, the credit for a large portion of his success goes to Michael P Hayes. Hayes approached Austin during one of his workout sessions before shows and suggested the sit-down version of the “Ace Crusher” as a finisher. Austin palpably loved the idea and did justice with the move making it one of the most iconic wrestling finishing moves ever.
In 2016, Hayes was inducted into the Hall of Fame with his wrestling stable, The Fabulous Freebirds.
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