Vince Russo Discussed WWE Return With Vince McMahon In 2022

It would seem that there was a possibility Vince Russo would have made an unexpected return to WWE last year, but the talks stalled on one crucial point.

Vince Russo is credited for his work as a producer in WWE, helping to launch the Attitude Era which would go on to shape the nature of the industry. However, after that a number of his projects had less than glittering outcomes, in particular after he made the switch to WCW in 1999 and stayed there until the company’s demise.

Having only returned to WWE for two weeks in 2002, it would seem that two decades later he discussed the possibility of returning with Vince McMahon.

In a discussion with Chris Van Vliet, Vince Russo opened up on the exchange he had with the WWE Chairman, and the crucial point where the discussions collapsed.

I had a conversation with Vince McMahon, not a conversation, I don’t ever want [a conversation]. [It was] A text exchange text and an email, bro, literally months before the FDA’s came out. And I offered my consulting services, because I would never go back to wrestling on a full time basis. Never go out on the road. Never be with those politicians, never.

[What year are we talking about?] 2022. Yeah 2022. So I offer my consulting services, I will sit here, I will look at your show, I will tell you why people aren’t watching it. If perhaps you want me to work on a particular character, I’ll be happy to do that. I’m not coming to TV, I’ve got no interest in making this my job, right? So Vince wrote back and said, ‘Okay, I want you to watch Raw the next couple of weeks and send me your notes.’

I said, ‘Okay, what are you paying me for that?’ And he said, ‘Oh no, I’m not paying you for nothing. You know, you have to prove yourself.’ And I’m like, achieving the highest ratings in the history of your company wasn’t me proving myself? Vince, you know, things have changed, the audience has changed. And I just said Vince with all due respect. I don’t work for free, bro. Like, I’m in my 60s bro. I’m doing well on my own. I don’t have anything to prove to you. Because you know what I did. So I’m not doing this for free.

Continuing on, Vince Russo said he then received a scathing email from Vince McMahon for not taking the opportunity, which he never responded to.

He sent me back this scathing email. ‘How dare you?! I would have jumped at the opportunity…’ And I didn’t even answer it. I didn’t even answer it. Because I’m like, Bro that’s ego like that. That is ego and I’m like bro, I’m not going to work for free in hopes of you taking me on as a consultant when your product absolutely sucks.

I was doing it because I hate having to watch the product, so if I could help improve the product, great. I wanted to do it on my terms where I’m not interested in working full time, and bro at the end of the day I could have helped you. I could have helped make that show better but I’m not doing it for free. And that was it. Like I said, bro, he wrote me a real nasty email that I didn’t even answer. I don’t have any interest in even consulting now, none.

Vince Russo also spent an extended period with TNA/IMPACT Wrestling. In a recent interview, Rob Van Dam discussed having a disagreement with Russo during that time.

With thanks to Inside The Ropes for the transcription.