10 Times Vince McMahon Screwed His Own Talent
2. The Union Of The Snake
Unlike other wrestling promotions, WWE has made it clear that for every new star, there are a hundred talented performers ready to make their dreams come true by stepping into their shoes. Its wrestlers are, for the most part, interchangeable and replaceable, all of which amplifies the naturally competitive instincts in wrestlers and adds a healthy dose of paranoia. The 'brotherhood' isn't as close as you'd think.
This is the primary reason why unionisation in the WWE will never happen. It would require collective bargaining in an industry notorious for its backstabbing.
The other reason? Vincent Kennedy McMahon. In 1986, a fortnight before WrestleMania II, veteran WWF talent Jesse 'the Body' Ventura led a locker room meeting in which he raised the idea of organising a union. Convinced it would be fairly easy to attract support, he gave his speech, sowed a seed and went home.
The following night, Ventura received a call from Vince McMahon, who tore strips off him over it and threatened to fire him if he ever raised the idea again. Ventura, a canny operator, worked WrestleMania II and then left the WWF to shoot Predator with Arnold Schwarzenegger, joining the Screen Actor's Guild and guaranteeing himself a pension and healthcare.
And who dobbed 'the Body' in to the boss? Hulk Hogan - because unionisation and workers' rights would threaten his spot at the top of the food chain. Yeah, wrestling's a brotherhood.