10 Wrestlers You Won't Believe Got The Better Of Vince McMahon
5. The Young Bucks
The Young Bucks were first offered a WWE tryout in the late 2000s after Marty Jannetty vouched for them.
"These Bucks, Shawn...their work is f*ckin' HOTT!"
Shawn Michaels listened to his old friend, and was very nice and supportive. The courtesy ended there; an unnamed high-ranking wrestler referred to them as "f*ggots," genuine mistakes were pounced on as serious transgressions, and they were rudely ignored by John Laurinaitis.
WWE expressed zero interest in the Bucks after a second tryout. They were adjudged to have tried too hard with their gear and their facials - you know, in a bid to get signed - and cultivated a reputation in TNA as obnoxious pissants with no respect for the business. Matt and Nick Jackson then leaned into this rep and became hyperactively annoying by loading up the high spots and telling their opponents to suck it a million times per match.
Worst of all...there were two of them!
The Bucks, simply, were not WWE guys. But, when they effectively monetised their brand, grew business in dead territories and matured their style in NJPW to incorporate timeless elements, WWE came calling with a monstrous offer of $500,000 per annum. Monstrous isn't even accurate, much less hyperbole: they in 2018 were offered creative control and an out after three months. This was unprecedented.
So was the rejection; the Bucks instead formed AEW and challenged WWE's monopoly for the first time in two decades.