10 Times Vince McMahon Screwed His Own Talent
6. Heads Will Roll
Last month, following the controversial Crown Jewel event, close to 200 wrestlers and crew were held back from leaving Saudi Arabia and missed that week's SmackDown event.
Although WWE's official statement blamed mechanical trouble, the Saudi state owed WWE a lot of money. Since the only reason Vince nibbles the toes of the authoritarian, murderous Saudi regime is to line his pockets, this must have rankled. The story goes that, in retaliation, he withheld Crown Jewel's live feed. Remember, for Vince it's all about control: and when he's dealing with someone he has no power over, he gets petty.
Supposedly, grounding the plane was crown prince Mohammad bin Salman's response. The thing is, Vince and his staff got out early on the private jet - and reportedly he arranged for twenty top talent booked for SmackDown to charter a separate flight back, leaving the rest in Saudi Arabia under the thumb of a state that beheads and dismembers people that irritate it.
This casual abandonment of his people caused multiple wrestlers to voice their frustration, especially when WWE's official line on the chartered flight - that the talent themselves booked it to make it to SmackDown - implied that the people left behind were stuck through laziness.
Did Vince just roll the dice on whether the remaining WWE personnel would get home quickly (or at all)? Or did Vince know in advance that bin Salman was furious with him and got out quick to avoid repercussions? Knowing McMahon, either is possible - and neither paints him in a good light.