WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon was a guest on the Pat McAfee Show yesterday afternoon and conducted his first live interview in 15 years, an interview which lasted almost 90 minutes.

McMahon, who was fashionably late, entered the studio with no prep and straight from the private jet after he landed in Indianapolis. McMahon made the flight just for this specific interview and should, on its own, tell you how much WWE values Pat McAfee.

Vince was dressed casual and the interview veered from a PG status quick with both Pat and Vince dropping several f-bombs throughout the interview.

WRESTLEMANIA

Vince said that the first WrestleMania remains his favorite moment because he gambled everything to get it done. Asked how did they came up with Stupendous to describe this year’s show, Vince said it took a few minutes to think of an adjective that is not used much and thought Stupendous was a nice word.

WWE NETWORK

Pat McAfee brought up the Network subject and how WWE was ahead of everyone else in this department and now everyone wants in on the streaming game. McMahon said that they originally were going to partner up with Comcast to launch the Network back in 2014 but that would have sacrificed their creative control and limit their ownership so they went all out and launched it by themselves.

WRESTLING VS SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT

McMahon hilariously explained how he didn’t know the World Wildlife Fund existed before and the WWF vs WWF lawsuit was going to be expensive since it was in England. He eventually gave up on that fight and decided to “get the F out.” He said everyone does wrestling and wanted to be different so he started using sports entertainment because at the end of the day that’s what they do. McMahon said that if his late father knew what he was going to turn the WWF into, he probably would have never agreed to sell it to him. He also said that WWE Superstars sounds much cooler than WWE wrestlers so that’s why they use that term to describe their talent.

TALENT RELEASES

Speaking of talent, McMahon said that he has the unfortunate job of cutting people and stressed that it’s nothing personal, but it’s just business. He said that when something doesn’t work for the audience then they have to make way for something else and can’t keep everyone employed. He said that he never shuts the door on anyone and keeps his personal feelings aside when having Superstars return after they’ve been long gone. McMahon jokes that he still has a heart and he’s not as evil as people make him to be. With that said, McMahon noted that if the media thinks he’s an asshole, there’s nothing he can do to change their minds and he’ll accept the criticism that he’s an asshole. He said before WWE went public, he made decisions with his heart, but now he has a responsibility towards stockholders and has to make decisions that are best for business.

COMPETITION

Pat McAfee brought up Impact Wrestling and All Elite Wrestling and mentioned that Tony Khan just bought Ring of Honor. McMahon no sold the comment and didn’t react and said competition is good because he likes confrontation, especially physical ones. He said when he was a kid, he learned that if you live though a beating then you’re a winner. He did note that he’s “just wired differently” and probably not many think the way he does.

WORKING 24/7

McMahon said that he’s always working and doesn’t sleep much. He said he starts working out at around 1 or 2 in the morning and ends at around 3:30AM. He said that this is not work for him because he loves what he does. Asked if he’s a robot and he’s going to live forever, McMahon smiled and said that his mother died at 101, so “that’s the benchmark.” He said that if he gets hit by a bus today or tomorrow or when it’s time to kick, he just wants one second before he dies to say “thank you” for everything he was allowed to do and present to fans.

SAUDI ARABIA

Vince put over the Saudi Arabian fans and said that they are no different than any other fans around the world. He said that they had a presence there for a long time and added that just because Western culture dictates one thing, doesn’t mean it’s the only way and we have to respect every culture. He said that people around the world love Western culture and their form of entertainment so they fit in every corner of the globe.

COVID-19 PANDEMIC

McMahon was determined to never miss one show during the pandemic and did everything in his power for WWE to continue on, even with no fans around. He said it was harder to gage the audience feedback with no live fans and the feedback online is usually “biased” so he doesn’t really listen to them.

ATTITUDE ERA

Vince called the late 90s the Wild West and remembered fondly the times they went crazy during the Attitude Era. He recounted some stories from the time, including the bedpan smash to the head with Austin and Foley and said that’s what live television is for because it’s exciting and while there’s big pressure, there are moments you can’t have when you pre-tape.

ROYAL RUMBLE 2005

McMahon famously tore both his quads at the Royal Rumble when he ran down to navigate a botched finish. After entering the ring, McMahon went right back on his ass and couldn’t walk. “Not too many people can sever both their quad tendons at the same time… that takes talent,” McMahon joked. He said he had to learn how to walk again during several months of rehab and also listed the countless surgeries he had done over the years.

You can check out the full interview below.