10 WWE Stars Who Escaped Vince McMahon's Doghouse
Triple H, Daniel Bryan, Riddle, and other superstars who've survived the boss' bark and bite.
WWE is a microcosm of the dog eat dog world, with the sport's competitive nature ensuring that for every British Bulldog at the top of the pyramid, there'll be a Kennel From Hell near the bottom.
WWE became the dreamland for many a wrestler looking to strike big in North America when Vince McMahon took his company national, conquering the territories. Despite this, there is one enclave of the McMahon monopoly where all fear to tread: the boss’ doghouse, an imaginary area of disappointment and dejection. The opposite of the Hall of Fame.
The latest name carved above the figurative kennel door appears to be Keith Lee. McMahon reportedly doesn’t get him, reserving particular criticism for his promo skills. He also suggested the renowned athlete be sent back to the Performance Center for training.
It is evident that Lee’s initial hot streak when he arrived on Raw is now merely embers kept alive by the fan’s mass enthusiasm.
Though, it is too early for Lee to abandon hope. That said, there are plenty of wrestlers who have broken loose from the chains, buffed off their tarnish, and have fought back to the chairman’s good graces...
10. Cedric Alexander
In a recent episode of his podcast, Kurt Angle divulged that Cedric Alexander had a six-month stay in the McMahon doghouse. The situation was bad enough Angle believed that Alexander’s career was over. While the Olympian was light on details, he referred to an incident when the WWE chairman asked something of the young star, and he declined.
Vince is not accustomed to hearing “no”, let alone known to tolerate such acts from midcarders. That one night of rebellion against the boss’ wishes grounded the up-and-comer for half a year – a significant time period in the often-precarious careers of professional wrestlers. Angle referred to such stays as “depressing” for those outcast by the chairman.
The boss eventually cooled down and gave Cedric another shot. Currently, Alexander is killing it as a member of WWE’s hottest stable The Hurt Business. He is the current Raw Tag Team Champion along with Shelton Benjamin, another overlooked athlete who can pass on his veteran experience.
Though the tag team scene is a little patchy, when you’re on the top, does it really matter how many people you look down on?