10 Times Shane McMahon's Ego Ran Wild In WWE
Being the boss' son certainly has its benefits.
Whatever you think of Shane McMahon, it would be fair to say that he’s given a lot to the wrestling business. Build a tall structure and he’ll happily hurl himself off it. Show him a pane of glass and he’ll allow Kurt Angle to chuck him through it. A glorified stuntman he may be, but he has put his body on the line for some unforgettable spots and surprisingly great matches.
And then there are the less commendable parts of his career. The times when being the boss’ son has clearly paid off, and he has clearly shucked and jived to find himself in some positions he has had no right to be in.
It’s genetic - Vince and Stephanie have similarly gold-laden careers - but no one seems to lack self awareness quite like Shane. He has a tendency to let his ego run wild, and fails to countenance the idea that audiences don’t want to see more Shane.
For all the good he’s done, these are the times he has gotten carried away, let the power go to his head, and basically used the family business to live out his fantasies.
10. AJ Styles At WrestleMania
It’s worth noting up top here that Shane McMahon vs. AJ Styles at WrestleMania 33 was actually a really decent match. Shane turns up with a point to prove and gives perhaps his best in-ring performance. While much of the quality is down to a superstar of Styles’ incredible skill shepherding the lesser McMahon through the bout, it’s one of the better matches on the card.
What’s less easy to swallow is the booking. Shane pretty much goes hold for hold with Styles, even taking control for decent portions of the match. He has been studying MMA holds and is as eager as a kid at show and tell to demonstrate them.
The lead up to the match was pretty flimsy, too, with the “beef” between Styles and the then-Smackdown commissioner difficult to believe. It’s pretty obvious that McMahon wanted a match against someone as reliably great as AJ to ride that wave of acclaim.
And the thing is, it worked! Judging the match on its own merits, it’s good, fun pro wrestling. Really it’s only the behind the scenes stuff that can leave a bit of a bad taste.