WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash recalls when Vince McMahon was rebuked by a major talent for not allowing him to hang out with his fellow wrestler friend.
While there are many revered talents in WWE, Shawn Michaels was conspicuously one of Vince’s favorites. However, their relationship wasn’t always pleasant. The years from the mid-90s to the late 90s for Micheals were rather tumultuous. In the ring, Michaels was loved and hated for his work but when he was left to his own devices, nobody could rein him in.
WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash, also a very close friend of Michaels, revealed on “Kliq THIS” that Shawn Micheals once exploded on the then Chairman Vince McMahon for not allowing him and his then on-screen rival Scott Hall to travel together.
Back in those days, WWE was strict with its commitment to Kayfabe. The company believed that breaking of character could cost an ongoing feud its true authenticity. Vince ran a tight ship by imposing rules that would prevent the superstars from breaking kayfabe.
Sometimes, the wrestlers who worked together as rivals were very close friends in real life. This was the case with Hall and Michaels. According to Nash, when The Heartbreak Kid was told to stake out some distance from Hall by Vince McMahon, Michaels rudely showed defiance and shouted out obscenities. To everybody’s surprise, the boss conceded to Michaels by not talking back.
“They told Shawn[Michaels] that Scott [Hall] couldn’t ride with us, because they were working the matches together. And Shawn, I mean just zero to one hundred went to ‘Mother f***er! You got me on the road 300 days a year and you’re going to tell me who I can spend my time with?!’
“And Vince just went like [raises hands] ‘Woah. I didn’t realize it was that. Okay. If it’s that much of a deal to you three, jeez. Do what you want to do.’”
On being asked why Vince McMahon, known as a control freak, backed down to Michaels, Nash replied: “The match was so good. What are they going to do?”
The rivalry between Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels was just too powerful for Vince to argue back with Shawn Michaels. It was more like the company needed them more than they needed the company at that point.
Was Vince McMahon a doting or a draconian boss?
Despite the disagreements, Vince McMahon was a doting boss to Michaels. The four-time World Champion was allowed to sit home for four years and get paid until he returned to action in 2002 for his second stint. Although Vince’s ulterior motive was to prevent Michaels from leaving WWE, the former champion made $750,000 a year for four years without any contribution in the ring.
During the same conversation on “Kliq THIS”, Nash recalled Vince McMahon trying to keep him and The Undertaker from visiting strip clubs as they were both babyfaces at the time.
“Me and ‘Taker got called into the office. Principal McMahon told me and Taker that he didn’t want to see or hear of us being in strip clubs. He said it wasn’t a good image for Mark [Calaway] and me because we were both babyfaces at the time.”
Both men eventually broke the rule and spotted each other at a club and had a reunion.
“I look straight across from me in the room, I see this long flicking hair, I see a bandana. I look over and I f**king just see ‘Taker. We’re not gonna sit with each other, we’re just like, ‘Oh, so you didn’t listen either.’ It was just acknowledged, like, ‘F**k that, right, man?’”
