Did Vince McMahon punish former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion? Exploring the backstory
Vince McMahon is among the most influential figures in the world of pro wrestling. As the former CEO and Chairman of WWE, he has revolutionized the business. While he may be a revolutionary, there have been times when his decisions have not sat well with his employees.
Former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Tyrus even felt he was punished by McMahon, simply for being funny. However, the veteran promoter didn't intend to punish him.
Tyrus worked in WWE from 2010 to 2014. In that time, he joined forces with Alberto Del Rio and more. Towards the end of 2011, he was getting ready for a big move to the main roster as a monstrous heel. Vignettes were made, and the hype surrounding him was through the roof. But, Vince McMahon had other ideas after seeing the 6 ft 7 in, 375 lbs star crack jokes in the locker room.
On an episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Tyrus revealed he used to regularly crack jokes in the locker room, and on one occasion, he targeted Yoshi Tatsu. His ribbing caught the attention of Mark Henry, who took a video and showed it to Vince McMahon.
The 78-year-old found the video funny and later witnessed Tyrus joking himself. This convinced him that the star should debut as a funny babyface on the main roster. As is usually the case, he got his way, leading to the birth of Funkasaurus. It's safe to say that McMahon simply had a different vision for Tyrus' character, but as the latter has said time and time again, it certainly felt like a punishment.
Unfortunately, McMahon's decision to repackage Tyrus didn't work out and Funkasaurus never got over with the WWE Universe. In 2014, Tyrus left the company, but he is seemingly still dissatisfied with how he was booked.
Vince McMahon has completely cut ties with WWE and TKO Group
Vince McMahon has been through the wringer in the last few months. Amid several lawsuits and allegations, the 78-year-old has also seemingly cut ties with both WWE and TKO Group. He is no longer associated with the company or its product, leading to the dawn of a new era. In fact, he recently started selling his shares in TKO.
As per numerous reports, McMahon has now completely left both WWE and TKO. According to Brendan Coffey of Sportico, McMahon has sold the last of his remaining shares in TKO Group Holdings, Inc. It's a huge move that truly marks the end of an era both in World Wrestling Entertainment and the pro wrestling industry as a whole.
Now, with McMahon gone, it will be interesting to see what is in store for WWE. The new era, led by Triple H, is off to a great start. If that is anything to go by, there are only bigger and better things to come.