Vince McMahon was allegedly set to fire two former WWE stars if unscripted segment went wrong
Former WWE star Doug Basham felt like his job with the company was at risk following a conversation with Vince McMahon in 2004.
As part of the $1,000,000 Tough Enough series, contestants from the reality show participated in weekly challenges on WWE SmackDown. The November 18, 2004 episode of SmackDown saw five Tough Enough contestants taking turns to capture a flag from the top turnbuckle. With The Basham Brothers standing in their way, all five men failed to retrieve the flag within the 30-second time limit.
Basham, who worked for WWE between 2002 and 2007, appeared on the latest episode of the Cheap Heat Productions Podcast. He said Vince McMahon warned him and Danny Basham before the show that they must not let anyone from Tough Enough capture the flag.
“Vince McMahon comes up to me and Danny,” Basham said. “He goes, ‘Now, boys, you see that flag’s gonna be hanging over there underneath that turnbuckle? You see what’s on that turnbuckle, right?’ You know, the WWE symbol. He goes, ‘That’s what you’re representing tonight. Short of killing anybody, make sure nobody gets that flag.’ And he hit me on the shoulder and walked off. And I went to Danny, ‘We’ve just been put on notice. If anybody gets past us, we’re fired.’ Short of not hurting anybody, nobody got that flag.”
The eventual winner of the $1,000,000 Tough Enough series, Daniel Puder, came closest to capturing the flag. Mike Mizanin, now known as The Miz, also participated in the segment.
Doug Basham on Vince McMahon’s unscripted Tough Enough challenges
Two weeks before The Bashams’ segment, Daniel Puder famously put Kurt Angle in a kimura lock during a controversial Tough Enough challenge on WWE SmackDown.
Much like the moment involving Angle and Puder, Doug Basham confirmed that his challenge with the Tough Enough contestants was not scripted.
“And that was straight up, that was about as real as real can get,” Basham added. “If people go back and YouTube it or watch it or whatever, there was nothing sports entertainment about that. That was straight up.”
Sportskeeda Wrestling’s Dr. Chris Featherstone spoke to Doug Basham last year about various wrestling topics, including working for Vince McMahon and his role with OVW. Watch the full interview in the video above.
Please credit the Cheap Heat Productions Podcast and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.