Current WWE Superstar reveals Vince McMahon and Triple H rejected him at first
One of the biggest signings for WWE in 2019 was that of former UFC Superstar Cain Velasquez, who had an intense rivalry with Brock Lesnar which was reignited in WWE.
While promoting WWE's move to BT Sport in UK, several WWE Superstars, including Velasquez, were interviewed by media. In an interview with Cultaholic, Velasquez revealed that he was keen to join WWE, but Vince McMahon and Triple H turned him down.
“So when I did AAA, I called the WWE first. I called them, me, my people, my agent called the WWE. And I was interested from that match that I saw at Elimination Chamber. You know, this is obviously where the best guys are, this is the top. So Triple H and Vince McMahon weren’t going to give me a shot right away, that was clear. So I said, ‘Okay, let’s do something else.’ I’ve always loved lucha. Lucha was my first love of wrestling. I watched that as — that was my first time watching any kind of pro wrestling. (H/T EWrestlingNews)
Velasquez then revealed that his wife suggested that he do a lucha match, and that he wanted to wear a mask "to pay homage to the people who have done it in the past". Velasquez wrestled a few matches in Mexico's AAA, including partnering with AEW's Cody Rhodes.
The former UFC fighter made his WWE debut against Brock Lesnar at Crown Jewel, where he lost his match in quick fashion. He has been out of action for a while due to injury, but has revealed that he will be in the Royal Rumble later this month.