'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Over the years, there have been rumors regarding why Marc Mero decided to leave WCW in 1996, following which he signed with WWE.
Some rumors had stated religious reasons related to being paired on TV with DDP's then-wife Kimberly. However, in a recent appearance on James' Wrestling Shoot Interviews, Marc Mero, who wrestled in WCW as Johnny B. Badd, cleared the air about this rumor.
Mero stated that the real reason behind his WCW departure had to do with his daughter.
"I'd love to straighten that out. First of all, I was making really good money with WCW at the time. I was on a guaranteed contract and they treated me really good there. They gave me a great deal and at that time it was amazing. What happened was, Kimberly was a sweetheart, I enjoyed working with her. What happened was, at that time my daughter was eight or nine years old. It was very difficult for her to see me on television with another woman. She'd be crying at night when I came home and she'd say I was leaving her mommy and stuff like that," said Marc Mero.
The former WWE Superstar further stated that he felt he didn't need a valet at the time and left WCW because he did not want to upset his daughter.
"All I said was, I didn't really need a valet," added Mero. "I mean, Johnny B. Badd didn't necessarily need a valet, didn't have to have someone walking them to the ring and I brought it up that it may be better if I didn't have one. Then it became this whole religious thing and stuff. It was not that at all. It's just that it was really more about my daughter being hurt and seeing her so upset. It got blown out of proportion. Maybe someone has their own version or whatever but that's from my point of view. I just remember that being the reason."
Marc Mero on signing with WWE
Marc Mero ended up signing with WWE once his contract with WCW expired. Mero signed the first guaranteed deal in WWE history, which he said opened the door for others too.
Speaking about his decision to sign with WWE, Mero also said that he felt that WrestleMania was wrestling's equivalent to the Super Bowl. He also said that he had always wanted to end his career in WWE.
"I always felt that, to make it in wrestling or to look back on your career was to go to the dance, and the dance was WrestleMania. I think that anyone that's been at WrestleMania understands thar that is the Super Bowl, that is the world cup or wrestling so I always wanted to end my career at the WWF or WWE," said Mero.
If any quotes are used from this interview, please add a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling and credit the WSI - Wrestling Shoot Interviews.
Dear reader, could you take a quick 30-second survey to help us provide you with better content on SK Wrestling. Here's the link for it.
