What’s the story?
Former WWE Superstar Mordecai, also known as Kevin Thorne and by his real name Kevin Fertig, recently gave an interview to Sports Illustrated. During the interview, Fertig said that his “Mordecai” character was initially scheduled to receive a big push in the WWE.
In case you didn’t know...
Kevin Fertig started off his career by wrestling on the Independent circuit before being signed on to the WWE’s Ohio Valley Wrestling developmental territory in 2002.
Fertig subsequently debuted on SmackDown in April 2004 with his “Mordecai” gimmick. The gimmick was then dropped, and Fertig was sent back to OVW after he got into some legal troubles outside the WWE. Fertig was eventually released in July 2005.
Fertig then returns to the WWE in June 2006 with his “Kevin Thorn” vampire gimmick and stayed with the company till 2009. He has since wrestled exclusively on the Independent circuit.
The heart of the matter
During the interview, Fertig drew parallels between the Mordecai character and Bray Wyatt. He stated that “Mordecai” had the sign of approval from Vince McMahon himself.
Fertig then recalled a meeting that he had been in with Stephanie McMahon, Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis, where Fertig had told Vince about his idea for the Mordecai character. He was quoted as saying:
“I told Vince my idea of a religious zealot who was enraged by sin. I laid out my idea of long coats and a cross, almost Pope-ish and even vignettes with a confessional where I punch through the confessional booth and choke out the sinner.
Vince’s eyes blew up and he looked at me and said, ‘Holy s**t.’ Laurinaitis grabbed me when I walked out and said, ‘Son, you’re about to make a million dollars.’”
The next day, Fertig says, he auditioned the character in front of Vince McMahon and The Undertaker and got an approval from both. Fertig added that the “God” in his storyline was supposed to be Vince McMahon himself and that he was expected to be in a program with The Undertaker that would culminate in a match at WrestleMania 21.
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Fertig then talked about his bar fight in Louisville, Kentucky, which happened around the time. Fertig said that the fight happened to lead to a lawsuit and enraged Vince McMahon to the point that the character was dropped completely and Fertig was sent back to Ohio Valley Wrestling, from where he was subsequently released.
What’s next?
Kevin Fertig still wrestles on the Independent circuit as both Mordecai and Kevin Thorn. The next wrestling appearance that he has been scheduled for is the 23rd September 2017 Black Label Pro event which will be taking place at the Square Sports Academy in Crown Point, Indiana.
Author’s take
Mordecai will always remain one of my favourite characters in the WWE. He just had everything that was required to become the arch nemesis of The Undertaker and had Fertig not ruined everything with his bar fight debacle, Mordecai could have gone on to become a special character.
Alas, some things just aren’t meant to be.
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