"It was a little bit of sense of a betrayal" - Shawn Stasiak reveals his relationship with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon [Exclusive]
Shawn Stasiak recently commented on his time in WWE and talked about his relationship with the WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. Stasiak explained that he felt somewhat betrayed by the WWE Chairman, as he had been close to him at one point in time.
Shawn Stasiak wrestled in both WWE and WCW back in the late 1990s and early 2000s. While he found some success in WCW, his WWE run did not go very well. He ultimately left WWE in 2002.
During an interview with Ryan Boman of Sportskeeda, Shawn Stasiak opened up on wanting to feel like he belonged in WWE. He mentioned Vince McMahon and other wrestlers. He said that it felt like they were father figures to him due to the era in which his father had wrestled. He also talked about the relationship he had with the WWE Chairman.
"It's weird, I always felt like a gravitation towards him. He almost felt like a father figure, you know? Hearing these stories about your dad, and these are grown men about your dad's age. Maybe a little older, maybe a little younger, but right around that era."
"I think for me, I just wanted to feel accepted and be brought into the WWE family quote-unquote, if there's such a thing. I think that exists for just a very small percentage of people, a very select group. Deep down in my heart of hearts, that's probably why I had a piece of it that I had such a hard time letting go of. It was a little bit of sense of a betrayal honestly. Again, I don't want to sound like a sad story. I'm not. I'm grateful that I had the opportunity that I did have. "
Readers can see the whole video here and read about how the process of his father's induction into the WWE Hall of Fame hurt Shawn Stasiak. As the son of a legendary star, Stasiak had a compelling journey in the wrestling business. As he explained in the interview, it's a somewhat sad story because he felt betrayed by people who he viewed as his family members.
Shawn Stasiak on how social media has helped him since he left WWE
Stasiak went on to reveal that he was thankful for social media. Even though he retired from wrestling a long time ago, it has helped stay relevant, as fans still remember his contributions as a wrestler.
"Thank God for social media I guess, in a positive sense. It's kept me somewhat relevant, my name has not fallen out. You think about 20-30 years ago, if you were out of the business for 15-18 years, you'd be pretty much forgotten about unless you showed up once in a while."
Shawn Stasiak has managed to find success after leaving wrestling. He is currently a chiropractor, and he inspires others to benefit from fitness and general wellness.