Ex-WWE Star Recalls Why Vince McMahon REFUSED To Turn Him Heel

WWE boss Vince McMahon just wouldn't turn this wrestler heel - here's why.

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Vince McMahon point blank refused to turn Eugene heel during his peak 2004-2007 run.

The WWE boss told Nick Dinsmore that it just wasn't going to happen. Why? Nick told 'Talk Is Jericho' that McMahon was worried about "compromising any gimmicks or wrestlers going forward". That was it - that was all he said.

It's all rather cryptic. Did Vince mean that he had grand plans for the Eugene character that didn't pan out? Well, yes. Dinsmore also revealed that a lot of the material later recycled for Big Show's movie 'Knucklehead' was originally for him.

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In fact, WWE writer Brian Gewirtz was busy whipping up draft scripts for a movie centred around Eugene in the background. Perhaps those tentative plans are why McMahon was so dead set against turning the gimmick heel. Dinsmore was game for going rogue though.

He told Jericho that he regrets never pitching "multiple personalities", because he reckons that would've been interesting to explore. Dinsmore also wishes he'd been more vocal with McMahon, and admits he "probably didn’t put [his] face in front of him enough".

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Do you think a heel Eugene could've worked? Or, do you think the gimmick was just a bad idea from day one?

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.