Ex-WWE Star Says “Removal Of Vince Killed My Career”
A released WWE star claims Vince McMahon’s short-lived retirement killed their career in the company.
WWE has undergone the first round of cuts to its roster since Vince McMahon temporarily stepped away from the company in July 2022. McMahon’s short-lived retirement came amid an investigation into sexual misconduct and hush money allegations and at the time it stopped the cycle that had seen dozens of stars cut from the company’s roster over the previous two years.
However, Vince McMahon was back in January 2023 and although claims have been made that he is not “in the weeds” on creative in the company, he is believed to be making major changes albeit remotely every week. McMahon’s power was consolidated when the Endeavor takeover of WWE was completed and just days after that happened, cuts to the roster returned.
Stars such as Dolph Ziggler, Shelton Benjamin, Dana Brooke, and Matt Riddle among several others were released by WWE and one of the stars let go has been outspoken regarding their departure.
Vince McMahon’s exit proved disastrous for released WWE star
Rick Boogs took to his YouTube channel where he claimed his release was down to a “backstage political power play” but has now also commented that Vince McMahon leaving WWE in 2022 “killed” his career:
“I can say with 100% certainty, the removal of Vince killed my career”
Boogs also claimed that there was an unnamed person in the company who had some kind of grudge against him:
“Pretty much everyone in the corporate side of the company agreed (about him being the “ideal” WWE star due to his size, look and personality) which is why I was always the third party guy doing commercials for Old Spice, Snickers, Mikes Hard Lemonade, and Toyota however, one person clearly has some weird grudge against me.”
Rick Boogs joined WWE’s main roster in August 2021 and formed a popular team with Shinsuke Nakamura. The two men unsuccessfully challenged The Usos for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania 38 but Boogs then missed several months of action through injury.
When Boogs returned to the ring, he was restricted to just seven appearances on TV in the months that followed before his release from the company.