Triple H Signed WWE Star Behind Vince McMahon’s Back
One former WWE star has revealed that they were snuck back into the company by Triple H after Vince McMahon refused to hire them.
Rhyno was a star in ECW before he made his way to WWE in 2001 where he spent four years as a notable member of the roster. Known for his vicious Gore, Rhyno captured the US and Hardcore Titles before leaving the company in 2005.
But his story in the company was not done. Speaking to Chris Van Vliet, Rhyno explained that Triple H wanted to bring him back into the WWE fold after his stint in TNA but Vince McMahon was against ever having the star in the company again:
Hunter wanted to hire me back after TNA. Vince told Hunter. Hunter didn’t tell me this, but Vince told Hunter I like Terry as a person but he’s never going to work for us again, never. I heard that in 2013. Terry Taylor actually told me, I’m not sure if he was supposed to tell me or if Hunter told him. Hunter was a big fan of my work and he knows the importance of veterans working with younger talent in the ring. He said It’s not a battle I can win. I’ve seen Pat Patterson, who has always been a fan of mine in Montreal, I was working with him in 2014.
When you hear that [comment] it’s like ugh, but I know I can change minds. Never doesn’t mean never. So Pat goes right to Vince, Steve Lombardi tells me I’m going to get a call. So, no call. [Lombardi said] Pat went to Vince, I was there, [Pat said] you gotta hire this guy, looks great, the crowd loves him, and we need him on our roster. Nothing. So Triple H, everything was going great in NXT, it was the hottest show.
Triple H Defied Vince McMahon To Bring Rhyno Back
Ignoring McMahon’s wishes, Triple H brought Rhyno into the mix anyway in NXT in early 2015. That led to a successful run for The Manbeast on the brand where he even made it to the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic with Baron Corbin:
Vince likes everything ran through him because if something fails he has no one to blame but him. Which is totally respectable, I get it, but he likes ideas. Hunter booked me for NXT [in 2015] and I worked with Elias before he came up with that character. I was like please let them remember me.
Hunter knew it would work, he knows how to book stuff and how to run wrestling and how to run a company. If something worked, what’s gonna happen? Vince would be like ok, you don’t have to run stuff by me. So that worked. I’m not saying I opened the door for Samoa Joe and the other guys, they were all important for NXT. But if he had someone come out and it was a dud then it wouldn’t have gotten the leeway.
Rhyno then explained how his stint with NXT led to him getting a three-year deal with WWE and it was indeed Vince McMahon who picked him for a contract:
A year later, I work with NXT for 9 or 10 months and I do the PPV in December. In January we figure out a legends contract and in June they break up the brands. Vince asked for every person that worked for WWE. Mark Carranno called me and said ‘Hey, we want to give you a 3-year deal. We gave Vince 159 names, you were one of 5 that he picked.’ So 3 years later I was one of 5 who he handpicked, and it was all because of Hunter.
Rhyno is best remembered in his second stint in WWE for winning the SmackDown Tag Team Championship in a memorable team alongside Heath Slater. Now known as Rhino once again, the star is back in TNA Wrestling where he continues to compete.
There won’t be any more hiring or firing done by Vince McMahon as he has quit TKO and WWE in the wake of horrifying allegations made against him in a new lawsuit. His resignation came hours after a major WWE sponsor pulled their advertising from the Royal Rumble in response to the claims.