"I remember asking" - Shawn Michaels says WWE Legend didn't let him join WCW
WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels said Vince McMahon didn't let him get out of his contract to join WCW.
Shawn Michaels was one of the biggest attractions in the mid-90s as he was a popular face and adored by fans. Apart from backstage problems, Michaels was a big asset to any wrestling company and McMahon was aware of his stardom.
When Scott Hall and Kevin Nash left the company, they wanted the Heartbreak Kid to join them in WCW. Speaking to the New York Post, Michaels spoke about how his friends wanted him to come, but McMahon denied his request to get out of his contract:
“I can’t say that I was ever offered a job by Eric Bischoff,” Michaels said. “Obviously, Scott and Kevin would say, ‘Hey buddy, you get out of your contract, you could come here.’ There was never any real serious offers or plans for me to go there. I remember asking Vince once to let me go. He said, ‘No,’ and that was the end of it.” [H/T - New York Post]
Getting ready for a big night for #WWENXT…
Excited for #NXTWarGames TONIGHT on @PeacockTV and want to thank the men and women (in front of and behind the camera) before what will be a great night!! #WeAreNXT https://t.co/lEquB6vD65
Since then, Michaels has always been an integral part of the company. After McMahon's departure, he was promoted to Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative.
Eric Bischoff says he had no interest to sign Shawn Michaels to WCW
In 1993, Shawn Michaels was one of the biggest stars in WWE. WCW, which was a rival promotion, was often looking to sign big Superstars to compete against WWE or who left the company due to various reasons.
After signing several names like Hogan, Nash, and Hall, fans expected Michaels, who was a close friend of Hall and Nash, to jump ship with his buddies. Speaking on 83 Weeks podcast, Eric Bischoff revealed why he didn't want to sign the Heartbreak Kid:
"None," Bischoff said regarding interest in bringing Shawn Michaels to WCW. "Shawn had a reputation as being difficult to work with and a little bit like Chris Jericho: a prima donna. When you reach a certain level of success, there's a tendency to become prima donna-esc and I think that was Shawn Michaels reputation. I don't remember anybody even suggesting for a minute to bring Shawn in."
Prepare for @ShawnMichaels' @WWE #RAW appearance with one of his most SHOCKING returns to date! #NWO @RealKevinNash https://t.co/1yCmaMApSJ
It would have been interesting to see Michaels jump ship as fans would have had several dream matches from the promotion.
Are you happy to see Michaels in his current role on NXT? Sound off in the comment section.