Vince McMahon described WWE match as 'worst thing I have seen in 60 years'
Michael Cole revealed on the latest episode of Corey Graves’ After The Bell podcast that Vince McMahon was not happy with his match against Jerry Lawler at WrestleMania 27.
Following the match, which Cole won via disqualification, the SmackDown commentator returned to the backstage area, where McMahon informed him that he had just watched “the worst thing I have ever witnessed in sixty years” in the wrestling business.
“I got carried out of there a bloody mess. As I go to the back, I walked to the back, and I’m like, ‘Man, I thought that went pretty good.’ I go to the back and I look at Vince, and Vince looks at me and he goes, ‘That is the worst thing I have ever witnessed in sixty years.’ So, that was my WrestleMania match, but the check cleared and I’m still undefeated!”
Why did Michael Cole face Jerry Lawler?
At the time, Michael Cole was a heel announcer and he had been involved in back-and-forth disagreements with his fellow commentator, Jerry Lawler, for several months.
Despite his legendary status in the wrestling industry, Lawler had never competed in a match at WrestleMania, so WWE’s decision-makers wanted him to have his in-ring ‘Mania debut in 2011.
Needless to say, the quality was not up to the usual standards of a Lawler match, as non-wrestler Cole used Jack Swagger to assist him from ringside for much of the 13-minute encounter.
In the end, special guest referee Steve Austin awarded the win to Lawler via submission, but the Anonymous RAW General Manager reversed the decision due to Austin being biased.