Why Vince McMahon Fired WWE Hall Of Famer On The Spot
Vince McMahon has long been known for his rash decision making and one WWE Hall of Famer felt the brunt of that when they were fired.
Despite coming to WWE as a megastar in Japan and a former WCW World Champion, Vader never set the world on fire in Vince McMahon’s company. By the time 1998 rolled around, the star was on borrowed time that apparently ran out after he failed to help out rising star Mark Henry in the ring.
Speaking on the debut episode of Huge Pop, Mark Henry revealed he witnessed Vince McMahon firing Vader after The Mastodon failed to help out Henry in the ring:
Brother, go back and look at me and Vader. Vader was 417 pounds and they listed him at 450. He felt like he was 450. Brother, that was rough. Moving weight. It’s not a barbell. It was awkward.
No. No (Vader was not helping me out when it came to press slamming him). He didn’t wanna do it, God rest his soul, and… I feel bad because he’s not here to defend himself and I would say this even if he was alive, because I know he would understand. But he didn’t want me to press slam him.
So he intentionally dead-assed me, and then Vince McMahon told him, ‘We’re gonna do it again tomorrow and if you don’t go up tomorrow, you’re fired,’ and we were in San Diego and I pressed him and then when I put him down, I came to the back, walked through Gorilla, ‘Thank you Mark. Good job. Leon, come here.’ I see him crying.
Vince fired him anyway on the spot. Because he sabotaged the show the day before. He just wanted him to come back the next day and do what he wanted him to do. Don’t mess with the old guy… and the thing is I don’t blame him, but he did hire him back. It was a punishment.
What Happened To Vader After Vince McMahon Firing?
Vader did spend two more months in WWE before eventually leaving the company. He returned to Vince McMahon’s company in 2005 to help Jonathan Coachman of all people in his Taboo Tuesday match with Batista. Vader had his final match in WWE in 2012 when he destroyed Heath Slater on Raw.
A three-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, and two-time AJPW Triple Crown Champion, Vader was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2022, four years after his death at the age of 63.