Matt Hardy Recalls Backstage Altercation Between WWE's Vince McMahon & Paul Heyman

Vince McMahon and Paul Heyman were on opposing ends in the wrestling industry during the '90s, when Heyman ran his ECW promotion and was the second competitor to WWE behind WCW. While their rivalry was legitimate, the two men ultimately were on the same side when Heyman signed with WWE in 2001, becoming a renowned manager. 

Things, though, weren't rosy between the two wrestling promoters, according to former WWE star Matt Hardy. In his "The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy" podcast, he claimed McMahon and Heyman once had a blowout backstage during ECW's December to Dismember pay-per-view in 2006. 

"We heard there was a big dust-up between Paul Heyman and Vince. And I guess, as the show was going on, there was big arguments and I guess the show, as it was going down, Vince wasn't happy with it," Hardy claimed. "There had always been a lot of tension between VKM and Paul Heyman, and I think a lot of that just comes from professional pride." 

He further suggested that McMahon sees himself as the greatest promoter while Heyman sees himself as a "breakthrough promoter" and that these two ideologies would naturally clash, especially during an infamous PPV, like December to Dismember. 

"I feel like there was probably a little, you know, personal pride in the matter as well, and then, you know, Vince, like, made him eat the bullet for the show not being good," said Hardy.

Heyman eventually left WWE at the end of December 2006, but returned six years later and has played a prominent role on WWE television since.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.