Former WWE star and current AEW star Mansoor recently appeared on Talk Is Jericho. There, he discussed several topics, including how former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon told him that the Saudi Arabia deal was dependent on his 2019 Crown Jewel Match.
Mansoor said, “I think he just didn’t want the Saudis to get hot. I honestly think that he believed if the Saudis saw me in a compromising position, that they would perhaps jeopardize the deal. I had a match with Claudio, it was Crown Jewel, I don’t remember the year. But, apparently the deal was in jeopardy. Vince was telling our producer Shane Helms that this has to be a WrestleMania level match, the fate of this deal depends on it. Vince believed that if this match didn’t go well, it was going to ruin the whole thing. He needed the Saudi boy to have this amazing and spectacular performance and what a better wrestler to [face] than Claudio, 100%.”
On being praised by Vince after the match:
“So, I came out and there’s like fireworks and pyro, and this pomp and circumstance. By the way, I’m like an 180 pound schlump, okay? I got in pretty good shape later in my career. I go out there with Claudio and he carries me to what was probably the best performance of my life and my career at the time. I get to the back and Vince gets up and he’s like, ‘Wow.’ Shakes my hand, gives me the hug and says, ‘Oh, you have tremendous facials.’ Thanks, Vince. [laughs] It went really well but once I got home, that was kind of it for me.”
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(H/T to Fightful for transcribing the above quotes)
