In a recent appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Jesse Ventura opened up about his past issues with former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. Reflecting on his time in the industry, Ventura shared how, despite his success in the iconic movie Predator, McMahon was less than pleased about it. According to Ventura, McMahon has always had a strong desire to maintain full control over how his talent is marketed, and Ventura’s rise in Hollywood didn’t align with McMahon’s vision. This led to tension between the two, as McMahon’s need for control clashed with Ventura’s growing outside ventures.
Ventura further explained that McMahon was particularly displeased because he preferred his talent to be part of the WWE machine, without branching out into other industries. McMahon’s philosophy was always about keeping his wrestlers under the WWE umbrella, where their image and career could be tightly managed. Ventura’s success outside of wrestling, especially in Predator, didn’t fit into that mold, causing a rift in their relationship. Below are more highlights from the interview (via Fightful).
Jesse Ventura on Vince McMahon’s Displeasure with His Success in Predator:
“That ain’t what it’s about with [Vince]. With people like him, and power people with money like that, it’s control. It ain’t got nothing to do with doing deals and doing the right thing and promoting the correct way. It’s all about control. I was the horse that got out of the corral. I wouldn’t let him market me.”
Jesse Ventura on owning the copyright of his name and gimmick:
“That’s the final straw. I was going to do my own video game, and Vince said, ‘You can’t do it.’ I said, ‘I own my rights, I’m registered with the government. Jesse The Body Ventura, I own the copyright with the government. How can you tell me I can’t do it?’ That was the final straw. That’s when he fired me. I never did get the video game. I think some hanky pank went on there, too. I don’t know. I have no evidence.”
