That Time Vince McMahon ACTUALLY Stopped Booking WWE

Michael Hayes
WWE.com

He tried at once to sell the plight of Shawn Michaels and reassure the audience that their hero wasn't on death's door, or anything: he had collapsed, but Hendrix reckoned he'd probably be OK later! As for Big Daddy Cool Diesel, he had lost his cool, he was that angry! The Undertaker, however, seemed to have taken the "worst of the brunt of the blows". This sounded serious.

"Quite frankly," said Hendrix, "it looks like the wind's been taken out of his sails!"

Not the wind!

They were OK, folks, and that big heat angle, resistant to an old Vince edict, was not allowed to register, to provoke dread and anguish, to mean anything.

What's stunning to consider is that, despite the very much substantiated notion that he books for an audience of one, Vince McMahon does actually want to put smiles on people's faces, irrespective of whether he is any good at it or not.

Watts harboured no ill will. He empathised with Vince's innate need for control, and left amicably. It was never something could let go, and that was for the best, as it turned out.

In a crazed sentence that is suitably pro wrestling, the WWF fared better three years on, through that control, with the man who would become the worst booker ever than they would have with the man once considered the best.

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!