Vince McMahon had a "contentious" relationship with former WWE personality, according to Jim Ross

Vince McMahon was in charge of WWE between 1982 and 2022.
Vince McMahon was in charge of WWE between 1982 and 2022

Jim Ross has provided details on the tumultuous relationship that former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon had with Jim Cornette.

Cornette worked for WWE in various roles in the 1990s and 2000s, including on-screen manager and creative team member. He was also the lead booker of the company's Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) developmental system between 1999 and 2005.

Ross, who worked with Cornette and McMahon behind the scenes, spoke on his Grilling JR podcast about the animosity between the two men:

"Contentious. I don't know that Corny's relationship with Vince has ever changed. They never got along great, but I think Corny had respect for the business, therefore Vince got some of that respect as well for what he had built in WWE, creating an environment where a lot of people, like Cornette, myself, and others, could make a living in the things we loved to do, and that was work in pro wrestling." [1:06:19 – 1:06:47]
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Cornette was released by WWE in 2005 after he slapped Santino Marella backstage. The incident occurred after Marella infuriated the former WWE personality by laughing during an OVW match with The Boogeyman.


Jim Ross on Jim Cornette and Vince McMahon's similarities

Despite their apparent dislike for one another, Jim Cornette and Vince McMahon share the same view on how young wrestlers should be booked.

Jim Ross said Cornette and McMahon both wanted up-and-coming talents to work with more experienced performers:

"They never really got along. I think Bruce [long-time WWE creative team member Bruce Prichard] will probably sign off on that deal as well. They just didn't. They had different philosophies, but they had a lot of similarities in some of the fundamental things as far as they both agreed that we can't get better if we don't have our talents working with other talents that are better than the rookies and are getting plenty of work." [1:06:49 – 1:07:15]

Ross added that the OVW incident between Cornette and Marella should never have happened.

What do you make of the WWE product now that Vince McMahon is no longer in charge? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.


Please credit Grilling JR and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.

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