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Arn Anderson's first stint in Vince McMahon's WWE happened in 1988 when the company signed him along with Tully Blanchard. The duo, known as the Brain Busters, was already a popular tag team before arriving in WWE.
During 'Ask Arn Anything' on AdFreeShows, Anderson was asked whether there were ever discussions about changing their name in the WWE.
Arn Anderson revealed that Vince McMahon didn't interfere with their tag team act as McMahon had no plans of changing their names or costumes. Arn Anderson also added that Vince McMahon never attempted to dumb them down or make the Brain Busters look like clowns on WWE TV.
"He didn't mess with us much. I mean, you look at our costume, he didn't say, 'Change your gear.' Brain Busters, to me, was not a 'ha-ha cartoon name.' Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan, he was our manager. Brain Busters were fine with me. He didn't make an effort to dumb us down or make clowns out of us or any of that stuff. And, you know, he spoke the truth the one time after we had been there six months or something."
Anderson would then reveal what Vince Mcmahon told him and Tully Blanchard backstage after one of their matches. Vince McMahon called Blanchard and Anderson aside and credited them for bringing legitimacy and credibility to the WWE.
Anderson claimed that Vince McMahon's compliment came out of nowhere, and it was then when he realized why the WWE boss didn't 'mess with them.'
"We might have discussed this in a previous episode, but we came back from working with, it might have been Demolition, or it might have been one of the Rocker matches, I don't know. But he pulled us aside and went, just out of the blue, he went, 'You know guys, you lend credibility to my company.'
It was a huge compliment, and it came out of nowhere, and I, at that moment, went, 'Oh, that's why he hasn't messed with us.'
They were all scripted: Arn Anderson on Vince McMahon not allowing them to cut their promos
Anderson also stated that Vince McMahon never gave him or Tully the chance to do their promos. The wrestlers back then were also handed out scripts, and Anderson wished he received the opportunity to cut his promos.
"You know, he didn't let us have the opportunity to do any promos of our own. They were all scripted, and it was one or two lines, and that was it. You know, I would have loved to be able to cut one of those two-minute 'four horsemen were coming to get your a**' promos, and all that Tully had a minute and a half to do his. It just never happened, but, all in all, I wasn't disappointed, and they never said anything about changing our names or anything. My god, why would they. They had already had worldwide recognition."
The Brain Busters was a top tag team during its stint in the WWE. Vince McMahon's compliment was thoroughly justified as Blanchard and Anderson were amongst the most believable in-ring workers in the business at the time.
If any quotes are used from this article, please credit 'Ask Arn Anything' and give a H/T to SK Wrestling
