Mike Bennett says Vince McMahon "runs his business through fear and games and politics"
WWE Chairman Vince McMahon is quite a controversial character, one that has rubbed people the wrong way over the years. Plenty of wrestlers and backstage personnel that he has worked with have some unique stories about McMahon.
Over the last year or so, several of his former employees have attacked him and the way that he runs WWE. The latest former WWE Superstar to take a shot at Vince McMahon is Mike Bennett, who was released by WWE earlier this year, along with his wife Maria Kanellis, and several other Superstars.
Mike Bennett attacks Vince McMahon and WWE's relationship with Saudi Arabia
Mike Bennett, in a recent appearance on the Battleground Podcast, spoke about several things, including WWE's relationship with Saudi Arabia and took a shot at WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. He stated that his values and that of WWE did not mesh well together.
"I don’t agree with and I did the shows but I don’t agree with their relationship with Saudi Arabia. Their values don’t line up with my values. Just doing business with that, that just doesn’t align with my values as a human with the way they treat women and the way they treat homosexuals. It doesn’t line up. I don’t agree with that. So doing shows for them, that’s hard for me to deal with. The way Vince [McMahon] runs his business through fear and games and politics, I’m a 35-year-old man with kids. If you have a problem with me, just tell me. I’ll deal with it, I don’t play games. That’s one of the reasons I butted heads there. I don’t do that.” (H/T Post Wrestling)
WWE have been critcized for hosting shows in Saudi Arabia as the current regime has been accused of human rights violations, as well as unfairly treating marginalized groups. The company has so far held five WWE pay-per-view shows in the Middle Eastern country, and more are set to follow in the years to come.
Mike Bennett was one of the many Superstars to be released by WWE earlier this year as part of their COVID-19 budget cuts.