On a recent episode of Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, WWE commentator Michael Cole opened up about his experiences working under Vince McMahon.
Cole shared his gratitude for McMahon’s role in his career, stating:
“I think one of the things about the old regime, and listen, I will never, ever disparage Vince McMahon. Yeah, he’s got his personal issues and whatnot, but from a professional standpoint, I’ll never disparage man. I would not be here today without Vince…he gave me everything. Stuck with me when I was learning to be a wrestling guy. Wasn’t a wrestling guy when I came here.”
When asked why he believed McMahon had so much faith in him, Cole reflected on the qualities that set him apart:
“I think a lot of it really had…I think there were two things. You know, Jim Ross, obviously, was the man, I still think, the greatest ever. I think Vince was ready to understood that Jr was getting older, and he needed to bring in somebody younger. And so I just think because of my background, and I was a good announcer at the time, I just think he….Jr had, who came to the WWE already a wrestling guy, and I think me being new and fresh and not a wrestling guy, Vince was able to mold me how he wanted me to be an announcer, interesting, and he stuck with it. And even when I sucked in the beginning and everything else, the fans freaking hated me. Vince stuck with me.”
Cole also addressed the long-standing narrative about McMahon’s intense style behind the commentary desk:
“I talked to Michael Hayes about this all the time. It’s amazing that I’ve lasted in this company this long because of Vince, there are certain things that would set that man off, right? And he would just go, he would just like, ‘Okay, you’re done. Fired. See ya.’ Like, for sometimes, for no reason. But he stuck with me 100% of the time. And so I’ll never disparage the man, but Vince was very, you know, very heavy handed, controlled. It was his company, his sandbox. Did whatever you want, so I never was really able to break out and be myself, with the exception of a little bit of a heel run I had, you know, over a decade ago.”
Cole concluded by highlighting how things changed after McMahon’s departure and Triple H’s leadership:
“When Vince left and Paul came and was in charge Triple H, he really changed things. And then we brought in Lee Fitting, who came from ESPN.”
