10 Things Learned From Bruce Prichard's Something To Wrestle With Podcast On Owen Hart
7. The Blue Blazer Was Vince McMahon's Original "Mighty Mouse"
That mask and cape, however, would have a long history in WWE with Vince McMahon constantly recycling the idea of presenting a small, superhero-type character similar to Mighty Mouse. On several episodes of Something To Wrestle, the former Brother Love has discussed McMahon's infatuation with a Mighty Mouse character, or a smaller, quicker, high-flier that wore a cape and personified the cartoon.
According to Prichard, 1988's Blue Blazer was the first incarnation of that character. Obviously, the Blue Blazer didn't work out and the mask and cape were replaced with a taxicab checkered headband and parachute pants when Owen Hart debuted in 1991. McMahon decided to shelve the Mighty Mouse gimmick for a while but would dust it off and bring it back from time-to-time.
There were rumors that Vince wanted the 125 lb. Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo to adopt the role when WWE was negotiating with the amateur wrestler back in 2014, but Cejudo opted to sign with UFC instead. With Cejudo no longer an option, Vince McMahon turned to Neville, the former NXT Champion, to take up the mantle that was initially held by Owen Hart.