‘This is insane’ – Baffling Vince McMahon backstage WWE order slated by AEW boss
A former WWE commentator has revealed that a bizarre instruction by Vince McMahon was behind the most infamous call of his career.
Ex-WWE Chairman McMahon was renowned for micromanaging his employees but one incident inadvertently sabotaged Christian.
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The 50-year-old, now known as Christian Cage in AEW, was a two-time World Heavyweight and nine-time tag-team champion in WWE.
His success came in spite of continued speculation that then-owner McMahon had a strong dislike of the Canadian grappler.
Former WWE commentator Todd Grisham has now thrown fuel on the fire by detailing Christian's return to the company in 2009.
The American DAZN reporter is forever linked to Christian's career having been on ECW announcing duty during his comeback.
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The Patriarchy stable leader, who enjoyed a seven-year stint in WWE after making his debut in 1998, was making his first appearance for the company in four years.
His return wasn't held back for a PPV event and was even relegated to their third brand ECW, only a year before it was dissolved.
If that wasn't insult enough, commentator Grisham kept the atmosphere a home low-key by flatly saying, 'It's Christian'.
Over 15 years later, the man himself has admitted he was instructed by WWE boss McMahon to sound also underwhelmed as possible.
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Grisham wrote on X: “Right before I walked out of the Gorillia position before the show. Vince McMahon called me over and said “When Christian walks out..don’t get excited at all simply say ‘it’s Christian’ and that’s it. Understand me?” Me: “Yes sir”.”
His eye-opening explanation baffled fans and also caught the attention of AEW President Tony Khan.
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The American businessman, son of Fulham owner Shahid Khan, was equally as confused as to why McMahon wanted a subdued reaction.
He replied to Grisham's post: "This is insane."
Watch the brand new trailer for Netflix's documentary about WWE owner Vince McMahon, which also stars the Rock, John Cena, Hulk Hogan and Triple H
The story reignited the long-standing debate around McMahon's supposed dislike of Christian.
The latter was once one-half of his most profitable tag-team stable with Edge, but following their diversion into single competitors, the former 'Captain Charisma' was never treated as a prized asset.
Former WWE star Lance Storm confirmed the official WWE program incorrectly billed Christian at 5’ 10” when the man whose real name is William Reso is 3-4 inches taller.
McMahon's old WWE lead writer Alex Greenfield later revealed the billionaire once pitched to have Christian's face covered by a blue dot.
He said, as reported by : "Right before I started, there was a big show, I think it might have been in Toronto. Christian was just so completely over, and everybody thought he was going to get a push at, I think it was the World Heavyweight Championship at that point.
"We were on the plane one time shortly after I started, and Vince was just like 'God damn, I just don't like his face. His face really bothers me.'
"I was like, 'He's ugly, Vince?' 'No, it's not that he's ugly, it's just, I don't know, it's ratty!"
WWE executive Bruce Pritchard even waded in on the theory, by explaining McMahon was never a major fan.
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Speaking on , Prichard said: "[Vince] didn’t feel that [Christian] had the personality to connect with the audience in a big way.
"He didn’t think he was larger than life and at that time Vince wanted the top guys needed to be larger than life. You needed to be The Rock, needed to be Stone Cold, you needed to be Undertaker.”
Prichard added: "Every time you would come up with an idea for Edge or Christian it would be like okay, there is a lot excitement there with Edge.
"‘Oh by God, we could do this with him. We could do this with him, a big good-looking b****** and then we’d get to Christian and it would just be, ‘Ugh, God, do we have to shoot him? Do we have to see that face? The f***’s he gonna say?!’"
Even after winning his first World Heavyweight Championship, Christian ended up losing the belt within five days.
He inducted long-term partner Edge into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012 but is conspicuous by his own absence in the list over a decade later.
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The veteran wasn't offered a new WWE contract following a separate return at the Royal Rumble in 2021.
He has since found a home in AEW under Khan's leadership, who reacted to Grisham's story further in an additional post that read: "Christian Cage is the man."
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