10 Things We Learned From Vince Russo's WWE 1998 Timeline Kayfabe Commentaries Shoot

2. Russo Thought Vince McMahon Wanted To Manage Mike Tyson's Career

The agreement reached with Mike Tyson and his representatives during 'WrestleMania Season' in 1998 was huge for the WWF. A lifelong fan of the industry and the company, the boxer was thrilled to earn some cash and appear on WWF television. At the time, he was blackballed from his profession due to a controversial incident involving Evander Holyfield. Having appeared to bite part of Holyfield's ear off during a fight, Tyson's name was mud in boxing. Simultaneously, he was also a huge attraction due to the ongoing media storm surrounding his bad boy image. Vince McMahon loved the idea of booking him to confront his own renegade, Steve Austin. As most fans know, that's exactly what happened. In Vince Russo's mind, McMahon had an ulterior motive when it came to Tyson. He hoped that by showing the boxer the success he had under the promotion of the WWF, the man would agree to let McMahon manage his affairs going forward one he did return to boxing. This is a guess from Russo more than anything, but it's a fascinating piece of insight from somebody who was around McMahon regularly.