Former WWE champion returning to the company for the first time in nearly 27 years was planned before Vince McMahon's retirement
Mace and Mansoor revealed they attempted to bring back Rick Martel to WWE before Vince McMahon's retirement changed their plans.
The 67-year-old Canadian star had two runs in the Stamford-based company. He held the WWE Tag Team Championship three times alongside Tony Garea and Tito Santana. However, The Model last wrestled in the promotion in 1995 when he participated in the Royal Rumble match.
Speaking on Cafe de Rene, Mansoor and Mace disclosed that they had plans to bring back Martel.
"We tried to get a hold of him. We wanted him to come to a show. We were like trying to get him for Survivor Series or something," Mansoor said. "When things were really good and we felt like we could actually get stuff, we were like, 'Absolutely.' We're like, 'For sure, let's get Rick Martel. Like, if we can find him, let's get him and get him on' because that would be huge for us and him, I'm sure. But stuff stopped happening for us, so...," Mace added.
The Saudi star pointed out that Vince McMahon's retirement delivered a significant blow to their plans and status in the company.
"I mean once Vince retired, it was like the writing was clearly on the wall. Like, we were probably not gonna be treated well. Not treated well per se but anything special that anybody was gonna get, we were not a priority, that's for sure." [0:12 - 0:49]
Mace and Mansoor revealed a surprise about Maxxine Dupri; another WWE Superstar was considered for the gimmick. Check out the details here.
Mansoor says he wasn't allowed to lose in WWE by orders of Vince McMahon
During his interview with Rene Dupree on Cafe de Rene, Mansoor opened up about his stint in WWE. He claimed he was forbidden to lose or get pinned by direct orders of Vince McMahon.
The 28-year-old disclosed that the stipulation prevented him from having a proper run in NXT.
"I was the Saudi guy. I actually, literally, wasn't allowed to lose a match. So much so that I wasn't even allowed to be in a tag team match or a multi-man match where I didn't get pinned. I had to win every match I was in. That was straight from Vince. So, I couldn't be, I was on NXT maybe, and this happened after the Cesaro match (at the 2019 Crown Jewel). I think I was on NXT one or two times where I won and there was never any follow-up on anything. But I couldn't never really be a part of NXT in a meaningful consistant way because of that stipulation," he said.
"I would have slapped him in the face" - Mace and Mansoor on if they have real-life heat with LA Knight. Check out the details here.
Please credit Cafe de Rene and give an H/T to Sportskeeda if you use the above transcription.