Wrestling Fans Angered By Vince McMahon's Comment On 'RAW'
By Jason Hall
December 21, 2021
WWE chairman Vince McMahon angered wrestling fans with an in-character comment that hit too close to home during the December 20 episode of Monday Night RAW.
McMahon, who is currently involved in a hesitant mentorship angle with rising star Austin Theory, credited Theory for attacking Finn Balor backstage, but chastised him for losing his match against Balor and threatened to fire him.
"I enjoy firing people," McMahon said. "I especially enjoy firing people just before the holidays. It gives me a warm feeling in my stomach like I just had a really good meal."
The "I enjoy firing people" line stood out to numerous wrestling fans who shared their displeasure on social media amid WWE's decision to release more than 80 in-ring competitors in 2021, leading to "Vince McMahon" trending on Twitter through the Tuesday (December 21) morning after RAW aired.
"I should fire you. I enjoy firing people." - Vince McMahon
— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) December 21, 2021
Woof. #WWERAW pic.twitter.com/TBQClFW5ex
All those wrestlers Vince McMahon fired hearing Vince saying "I enjoy firing people"#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/uxQJHwKE1C
— Wrestling Banana 🍌 (@WrestleBanana) December 21, 2021
🗣 VINCE MCMAHON 🗣
— WrestlingShouldBeFun (@WSBFun) December 21, 2021
"I enjoy firing people. It gives me a warm feeling." pic.twitter.com/0wyezwfbyK
Vince McMahon: “I Enjoy Firing people”
— Adam Carl (@AdamCarl2005) December 21, 2021
Yes, tell that to the 83 wrestlers you fired this year alone about that one Vincent#WWERaw
I get one of Vince McMahon’s character lines was about firing talent, but saying that line when you’ve released 80 wrestlers this year wasn’t a smart move at all. Bad taste. #WWERaw
— Louis Dangoor (@TheLouisDangoor) December 21, 2021
Several others, however, defended McMahon for portraying an on-screen character in the way he's negatively perceived, noting that he's done so for decades.
Vince McMahon is literally known to casuals as Mr you are fired
— Bernardomayne 💯☝🏾 (@bernardomayne) December 21, 2021
His whole heel existence was based of firing people,
He says I enjoy firing people on raw and the iwc goes mad, lol, gtfoh
Yall claim u love attitude era but when WWE gives glimpse y'all mad no wonder wwe is pg
So MJF can literally say anything to be a Heel,
— Unpaid Critic (@Unpaid__Critic) December 21, 2021
But Vince Mcmahon Should not ?
These kids could never handle Attitude era 😂 😂 #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/KokYhEeoOg
WWE's last round of multiple releases came in November when eight wrestlers were released, bringing the total for 2021 to 83.
Former WWE Champion Jeff Hardy was also recently released earlier this month after reports that he refused to attend rehab, which Hardy and family members have publicly denied.
Since February, WWE has released on-screen talent from its RAW, SmackDown and/or NXT shows during every month of 2021 excluding September.
Taya Valkyrie, who competed for WWE's NXT brand as 'Frankie Monet' prior to being included in an earlier round of releases, bashed the company following the release of her husband, John Morrison, in November.
"Stop supporting a company that has ZERO respect for their talent," Valkyrie tweeted. "You love pro wrestling, spending your money on the hundreds of other alternatives. This is wrong. Ethically, as employers they don't care about us. Talent or fans."
Stop supporting a company that has ZERO respect for their talent. You love pro wrestling, spend your money on the hundreds of other alternatives. This is wrong. Ethically, as employers they don’t care about us. Talent or fans.
— TAYA VALKYRIE (@thetayavalkyrie) November 19, 2021
Former NXT champion Samoa Joe was among an early round of post-WrestleMania releases in April before eventually behind rehired in June.
Several other notable releases included former WWE Universal Champions Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman, as well as former NXT Champions Aleister Black (now Malakai Black), Keith Lee and Andrade (now Andrade El Idolo) -- who was granted his requested release -- and Ruby Riott (now Ruby Soho)
Black, El Idolo and Soho have all since been signed and featured in prominent roles for competitor All Elite Wrestling.
A full list of released WWE talent (prior to Hardy's release) can be found at WrestlingInc.com here.