Buff Bagwell Says WWE Turned Him Down For Rehab
WCW wrestling legend Buff Bagwell joined the Who The Fook Are These Guys?! podcast recently to talk about his career, including his short but eventful run with WWE during the beginning stages of the Invasion angle in 2001. Buff Bagwell has no love lost for the promotion, and reflected on being the only person to be fired from WWE within a week, as well as, according to him, being turned down for rehab by the company.
"I got turned down to go to rehab by the WWF (WWE)," Bagwell said. "Think about that bro. I mean, that's not just crazy, that's humiliation. It is, flat out. Any way you want to put it. I'm the only wrestler in the history of time for two things, to main event the first week and then the next week your fired, and I'm the only person in the history of time to be turned down to go around for rehab.
"So many good friends of mine went several times and it helped them. And to be honest with you, I'm not bad. I'm not. But it's kind of like the little boy who cried wolf a little bit. My friends think that I'm worse than I am. And I'm really not. But still, at the same time, I want them to feel good, and I want the fans to see that I'm going to put 60 day in."
Buff Bagwell continued, claiming that he chose to lose $80,000 from his WCW deal in order to take a shot with WWE, whereas other WCW stars chose to ride out their pre-existing deals. His reward was being let go a week later, and Bagwell did not mince words when describing WWE owner and chairman Vince McMahon.
"The only reason you saw Dallas, Booker and me was because our contracts were up," Bagwell said. "That's it. The rest of them, your Lex's, your Flairs, all your other big stars were because they had a big contract and could sit at home and get that money. But I chose to lose $80 grand and say 'look, I'll tell you what. Vince, with all the heat that's on me, I said forget the $80 grand. You don't owe it to me. I'm letting you know I'm coming to you, because I'm going to cancel the heat, cancel everything you've heard about me, and show you by losing $80 grand that I was on the team.' I was fired in a week. That's f*cked up bro. I just wanted to prove to them that I wasn't the bad villain that they thought. And it was worth it to me, and keep in mind I was making a million in a year, losing $80 grand is nothing. Right now I think I'd kill my own dad and my own family for that (laugh). As soon as I told my manager, he said 'Mark, that's fucking brilliant. They're going to be all over this.'
"And they fired me in a fucking week. In Atlanta. He's a piece of shit dude. Don't get me wrong; Vince McMahon is one of the best promoters, for a long time. But in my situation, giving him $80 grand to say 'hey, I'm giving you my heart and soul to show you on the team.' And for him to use me as a sacrificial name to get the locker room to get together, and I lose $80 grand. I got fired and I go 'can I get my $80 grand back?' I f*cking asked. I was like 'f*ck, that was part of the deal. That $80 grand, that deal was for you to take me in and for us to be cool. Now I've lost $80 thousand over a deal I thought was smart.' I didn't get my $80 grand back, and had to sue him to get my f*cking top hat back."
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