42-year-old star claims he was punished by Vince McMahon for bizarre reason involving former WWE Chairman's brother

A former WWE superstar recently claimed that Vince McMahon punished him after a bizarre interaction with the former chairman. Ryback shared that it involved McMahon's brother, Roderick James McMahon III.

On a recent episode of Ryback TV, the former Intercontinental Champion revealed he met Rod McMahon before a show in Houston, Texas. The 42-year-old apparently told Vince that he found similarities between him and his brother, which infuriated the boss.

The former champion's conversation with Vince McMahon led to him getting pinned in the WWE Tag Team Title Fatal Four-Way Elimination Match, involving Goldust and Cody Rhodes, The Real Americans, Rey Mysterio and Big Show, and RybAxel. Curtis Axel was supposed to take the pin, but Vince was so mad at Ryback that he changed the finish.

"I was walking in the hallway when I go, 'Vince!' And he came over, and I go, 'I met your brother today. 'Oh, you met Rod? I go, 'Yeah! And I go, 'I saw the similarities between the two of you. You guys look just alike!' and Vince [McMahon] gets dead red in the face. 'We're nothing alike!' And like he gets beet red in the face, and no joke, he storms away from me. He just leaves. I go, and then then the finish gets changed,'' he said.

Ryback added:

''In the match, I had to take a pinfall from f**king Goldust. Vince was so pissed at me that he made me take the pinfall that night. Curtis [Axel] always took the pinfall. The agent goes, 'Ryback, you're taking the pinfall tonight!' and I go, 'F**k! It was from Vince!'" [0:42 - 1:22]

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Vince McMahon's brother Rod passed away in 2021

The former WWE Chairman's only sibling, his elder brother, Roderick McMahon III, passed away at the age of 77 on January 20, 2021. He was not involved in the wrestling business but was a regular member of the audience whenever the Stamford-based promotion staged an event in Texas.

Roderick was about two years older than Vince and was born in Long Island, New York. He grew up with their father, Vincent J. McMahon Sr., while Vince was with their mother, Victoria, till the age of 12.

Vince McMahon was fascinated by the business side of pro wrestling, while Roderick McMahon went to Memphis State University to earn a degree in business. Rod also joined the US Air Force before establishing his own steel company, North American Metals Inc.