4 WWE nicknames and catchphrases that Vince McMahon disliked

#1 Brock Lesnar’s first nickname

Brock Lesnar burst onto the WWE scene in 2002 and immediately established himself as one of the company’s top Superstars, aka “The Next Big Thing”, by defeating The Rock for the Undisputed Championship within five months of his debut at SummerSlam.

Lesnar’s nickname was often mentioned by commentators and in video packages early on in his WWE career, but little did fans know at the time that Vince McMahon “hated” his new moniker.

Paul Heyman, Lesnar’s long-time advocate, wrote on Twitter in 2011:

"It's funny. Vince McMahon hated when I called Brock Lesnar 'The Next Big Thing!' HATED IT. WANTED ME TO STOP CALLING BROCK THAT NAME! Brock comments on it in his book, too. It was a real war to get Vince to let me keep calling Brock 'The Next Big Thing!'"

Lesnar has since gone on to be known as "The Beast Incarnate" and "The Conqueror" during his second run with WWE, but he was synoymous with "The Next Big Thing" from 2002-2004.

It's funny. Vince McMahon hated when I called Brock Lesnar "The Next Big Thing!" HATED IT. WANTED ME TO STOP CALLING BROCK THAT NAME!

— Paul Heyman (@HeymanHustle) February 6, 2011

Brock comments on it in his book, too. It was a real war to get Vince to let me keep calling Brock "The Next Big Thing!"

— Paul Heyman (@HeymanHustle) February 6, 2011