Jonathan Coachman was once part of WWE. During his time there, he wrestled a handful of matches. He was also a commentator, an in-ring, and backstage interviewer as well. Coachman also played the role of a general manager for a short period of time.
The former ESPN Sports Analyst was a special guest on Insight with Chris Van Vliet. During the podcast, Jonathan Coachman mentioned that there was a time when he garnered actual heat from Vince McMahon.
“Real trouble? Yeah, there’s one story that still kind of rubs me the wrong way to this day. And back between, you know, after 9/11. Unfortunately, there obviously was a war. And we started going to Afghanistan in the Middle East or Iraq and, and it was supposed to be a volunteer trip. So I went. I actually wrestled Ric Flair in Afghanistan, one particular trip. And again, I was right next to Vince. It was three groups of six and man I never said no, I took pride. I never say no, I’m the ultimate team player.
“So I get married and my wife is pregnant with our first child. And yeah, they said, ‘Hey, if you don’t feel comfortable going, there’s no pressure whatsoever.’ Like do you believe that? So they didn’t believe it. So I told them from the jump. I never said I was going. I said, ‘No.’ I show up the day and they take your bags, and because it has to go through screening at the Pentagon or whatever, and they’re like, ‘Where’s your bag?’
“And I was like, ‘I told you’. ‘We thought you were kidding.’ I said, ‘at what point did you ever think I was kidding? Did I ever laugh? Did I ever not look you in the eye I say, I’m not going.’ They’re like, ‘you’ve never told us no before’, [because my wife’s pregnant]. Thank you. And she didn’t feel comfortable. Yeah. So they had to scramble at the last minute,” Jonathan Coachman said.
Jonathan Coachman on the consequences he faced after saying ‘NO’ to Vince McMahon
Coachman carried on by mentioning that he knew then and there that things were not going to be the same between him and the Chairman of the board. He mentioned that he was punished for saying ‘no’.
“Fast forward a week. And at that time, I was out doing commentary, and the show ends and the Undertaker ends the show, and he’s getting ready to walk up the ramp, and the referee comes over and the music’s playing. He’s like, go hit Taker from the back I’m like, why would I do that? That makes no sense. They’re like Vince’s is telling you. There it is. So he was angry that I told him no, and that I went against you know, God forbid you say no to anybody, especially Vince.
“And so like the team player that I am, I go over and attack the Undertaker he turns around apologises to me and says, I’m sorry, I don’t want to do it throws me for Batista to beat me up. And as he gets done, but Batista’s, music hits, down comes Batista. He does the same thing. Does his 3 finishes, I was so irate, you know that few times in life where you get so angry, you start to cry, like it’s just your emotions are just overwhelming. That was one of those moments,”
What irritated Jonathan Coachman the most
Coach mentioned that he was extremely unhappy that he did not even sell any of the finishers.
“And I didn’t sell. I mean, I just took like five finishes from the two of the biggest stars of all time. I got up and walked to the back, like just in like completely disrespecting them. But I wasn’t thinking about that. At the time, I was thinking, how could I get beat up? When for all these years? I was completely loyal. But yeah, that was that was one of the times where I was so angry because I didn’t deserve it. I didn’t deserve it.”
What is your reaction to this story? Do you think it was fair the way Coachman was treated?
