Dan Severn made his WWE debut as a color commentator during a match between Ken Shamrock and Billy Gunn in June 1997. Severn continued to wrestle for the NWA the following year while making his WWE debut.
As WWE tried to lock him in for a deal, Severn learned that WWE Chairman Vince McMahon was interested in signing younger talent to long-term contracts, and he kept a secret, his age.
Wrestling Inc recently spoke with Severn about his time in WWE.
“Vince wants someone in their early-to-mid-30s, maybe at the latest, knowing that they got a decade or more that they’re going to be working with them,” Severn explained.
He was already past that age at the time and tried his best to hide it, but the truth would soon come to light during a contract negotiation with McMahon and then-head of talent relations Jim Ross. The negotiation was ultimately successful, and Severn received a “very unique contract.”
“My terms was, I did not want to be a full-time wrestler,” he said. “I didn’t want to work 187 dates. I think that was the average contract at that time was working 187 dates.”
