"You better not f***ing deal with this guy" - Hulk Hogan allegedly told Vince McMahon not to sign former WWE Superstar

Maxx Payne recently claimed that Hulk Hogan advised WWE Chairman Vince McMahon not to hire him.

Payne competed in his final WCW match in May 1994, two months after Hogan joined the company. Around that time, Mick Foley’s former tag team partner came under scrutiny due to claims that he deliberately injured Brian Knobbs’ shoulder during a match.

Speaking on the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast, Payne dismissed speculation that he caused the injury on purpose. He also alleged that Hogan told McMahon not to do business with him:

“A lot of it was really untrue, just like the Knobbs thing. For him to blame me for him being a f***ing a**hole on that throw… well, Hogan bought it, so what did Hogan do? Went straight to f***ing Vince and said, ‘You better not f***ing deal with this guy.’ Vince did ignore that in the end and let me go there,” said Payne. [1:33:48-1:34:07]

Mick Foley and Maxx Payne defeated The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags) at WCW SuperBrawl IV in 1994. At the start of the match, Knobbs suffered a shoulder injury after he failed to rotate his body following a suplex from Payne.

Knobbs blamed Payne for the incident, but the former WCW star maintains to this day that the injury was not his fault.

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Maxx Payne walked away from Vince McMahon’s WWE in 1995

Despite Hulk Hogan’s alleged advice, Vince McMahon decided to sign Maxx Payne and repackage him as Man Mountain Rock. Payne debuted on WWE television in February 1995 and left the company in October 1995.

He ultimately chose to depart WWE due to his unhappiness with several backstage decisions, including McMahon’s vision for his character:

“I got there and one thing after another just kept falling through," added Payne. "That’s when I just decided sometimes, once again, the man in the mirror says, ‘You better be saying no, it’s time to walk away.’” [1:34:07-1:34:22]

Payne also said in the interview that McMahon changed his gimmick because the latter thought he looked too much like The Undertaker.

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