Matt Hardy Says Vince McMahon Mentality Kept Billy Gunn From Getting Over In WWE

Vince McMahon's booking decisions in WWE were arbitrary for his own personal desires. Neglecting fan interest and responses over the years, McMahon's decisions also came off as spontaneous as he would attempt to get a superstar more popular but would hinder their momentum. 

On "The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy," Matt Hardy looked back on the WWE run of Billy Gunn and how McMahon kept him down.

"I don't think Vince perceived him as being a larger-than-life personality, and I think if Billy Gunn in his prime came along now, like at AEW, with just his work rate, it would change because they kind of have a different mindset nowadays there," Hardy said. "Much like Jerry Lynn — I feel like Jerry Lynn was kind of in the same boat where Vince didn't see a larger-than-life personality in him, and maybe even Lance Storm in some capacities."

Hardy acknowledged that wrestlers like Lynn and Storm, who had personalities more on the conservative side, were great athletes and great wrestlers. Despite their in-ring abilities, Hardy believes their personalities held them back with McMahon. That drew the question of how this was possible with Gunn who is well-known as having a loud and outgoing personality. Hardy was then asked if any other performers had trouble exuding their real-life personalities onto their on-screen characters. 

"You know who is one of the greatest examples of that? Dean Malenko," Hardy answered. "This guy's a riot backstage, non-stop, got a ton a personality. Then he would go out there and then he's 'The Iceman,' he's a very serious wrestler."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy" with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.