Dutch Mantell on why Vince McMahon didn't rehire one of his favorite WWE stars
Legendary wrestling booker Dutch Mantell recently gave his thoughts on why WWE Executive Chairman Vince McMahon did not rehire Sid Eudy in 2001.
Eudy, better known to fans as Sid Justice, Sid Vicious, and Sycho Sid, was one of McMahon's favorite wrestlers in the 1990s. The towering superstar worked for WWE in 1991 and 1992 before returning for another short run with the company between 1995 and 1997. During that time, he won the WWE Championship twice and headlined WrestleMania events against Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker.
Mantell discussed McMahon's 2001 purchase of WCW on the latest episode of his Story Time with Dutch Mantell podcast. The 73-year-old speculated that Eudy's attitude might have frustrated McMahon:
"Sid had a little bit of a hot streak in him," Mantell said. "Vince loved him at the start, but then again I think he started trying to have it his own way, and Vince didn't like that." [0:24 – 0:50]
In 2018, Eudy said on Prime Time with Sean Mooney that McMahon once promised to make him the next Hulk Hogan. However, he decided to leave WWE to join WCW after receiving a $750,000-per-year offer.
Another possible reason why Vince McMahon did not rehire Sid Eudy
On January 14, 2001, Eudy faced Jeff Jarrett, Road Warrior Animal, and Scott Steiner at WCW Sin. The former WWE star famously broke his leg during the match after attempting a big boot on Steiner from the second rope.
Dutch Mantell thinks Eudy's subsequent lawsuit with WCW and three-year recovery from the injury impacted his chances of Vince McMahon rehiring him:
"He's probably sacking away that insurance money that he got paid in a settlement when he broke his leg. I saw that – I wasn't there – but I saw clips of him breaking that leg. It is brutal. It went from here [straight leg] to like a 90-degree angle. It is even hard to watch, and I don't know how much money he got out of that (...) I heard five million [dollars]." [1:29 – 2:03]
Eudy revealed in a 2019 interview with Inside the Ropes that former WWE talent relations executive John Laurinaitis came up with the big boot idea.
Do you think Vince McMahon should have rehired Sid Eudy? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit Story Time with Dutch Mantell and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.