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Former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon has been in control of the company for several decades. This gives him the ability to determine the talent that gets pushed all the way to the top.
It's well-known that he wasn't a huge John Cena fan when he debuted. However, there are several other stars that the former CEO wasn't keen on and even reportedly "hated" at some point in their careers.
With McMahon now stepping back from his main roles within the company, there are several stars who may benefit from this change, especially ones who were once blackballed.
#4. Mustafa Ali
Mustafa Ali recently returned to TV after requesting his release from the company earlier this year. Ali is still under contract for another two years but was able to negotiate a return following WrestleMania.
Ahead of his release request, it was reported by Fightful Select that Ali and Vince McMahon had a heated argument backstage. The star was then shunned by the company for several months.
"As Ali revealed weeks ago, there was a vignette filmed for a Mustafa Ali “New America” gimmick that looked promising for the star. According to those in the know, initially the character was accepted, before those in power in WWE changed their mind. We’re told that in its place, there was a pitch from Vince McMahon for “something Mustafa Ali would never have done,” and it led to a heated argument between the two. Ali hasn’t been around since." (via RingsideNews.)
Whilst many stars would have been released following an altercation with the boss, Ali was able to turn his career around and is now back to being featured on-screen.
#3. Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar is considered to be one of the biggest box office stars in the company and someone that can be recalled at any point. Lesnar's last appearance saw The Beast Incarnate main event WrestleMania alongside Roman Reigns, but it's no secret that his relationship with Vince McMahon has been a rocky one.
Back in 2002 when Lesnar faced Goldberg at the biggest show of the year, there was a lot of hatred towards the former World Champion. Goldberg spoke to Inside The Ropes back in 2020 about the match and noted that because both stars were leaving, McMahon hated and wanted to kill them:
"Here's the thing though. If you are presented with that scenario and you are Vince McMahon, what the hell do you do? Who do you let win, who do you hate less? I just wonder how he came to that decision. I really do because he wanted to kill me. I know he wanted to kill Brock. So, I guess he wanted to kill Brock more and that is why I won." (via RepublicWorld.)
#2. Vince McMahon didn't want to sign Randy Orton
Randy Orton was signed to WWE based off his father's legacy, but he has since been able to forge his own. The Viper has created one of the most illustrious careers in recent memory. The former 14-time world champion is one of the company's biggest stars, but was once someone that Vince McMahon was not even open to signing.
Jim Ross revealed on his Grilling with JR podcast that McMahon didn't want to sign Orton because of his dismissal from the military.
“Every recruiting story is different,” Ross mentioned. “I had a hard sell to get Randy Orton hired because of his negative exit from the Marines, and Vince, being a strong patriot, didn’t like how that worked out with Randy in the military. I said, ‘Didn’t you get a second chance, [Vince]? Well, what’s the difference with this kid? He’s third generation. If he hits, look what we have. If he doesn’t hit, I can get rid of him in 90 days notice. What do we have to lose?'” (via WrestlingInc.)
#1. Cedric Alexander
Cedric Alexander is currently part of WWE's main roster and has been pushed into a feud with Omos. The former member of The Hurt Business has been engaged in some interesting bookings over the past few months, Hall of Famer Kurt Angle revealed on his podcast that this was because he ignored advice from the former chairman.
“You look at what they have been doing with Alexander, the Hurt Business. You know, he got in a little trouble last year. He didn’t do something that Vince wanted him to do, and you know, if you don’t listen to your boss, things could get a little bit, you know, depressing for you, and he didn’t listen the one night, and they scolded him for a good half-year before they started using him again, and rightfully so, he should have listened," (via WrestlingHeadlines.)
It'll be interesting to see if any stars who have been neglected will come to the forefront of the company now.
