“How Mad He Was…”: Vince McMahon Was Livid When His First Choice to Be the Face of WWE Left Abruptly

Vince McMahon is deservedly credited for bringing wrestling into the mainstream. It’s a well-known fact that sports entertainment existed in territories back in the 70s. McMahon, breaking away from the NWA and going into uncharted waters was certainly a brave move. He found his household name in the form of ‘The Immortal’ Hulk Hogan. The owner-performer duo found splendid success in the business. However, not many know, Hogan was not the first choice of the former boss.

Hulkamania gripped the entire wrestling community in the 80s. It is unfathomable to even think of any other athlete enjoying immense popularity other than Hogan. However, McMahon had another future Hall of Famer in sight as the face of the promotion. ‘The American Nightmare’ Cody Rhodes recently opened up on the matter at the Cheap Heat With Peter Rosenburg podcast. He revealed his late great-father Dusty Rhodes could have been the top guy in the WWE.

Cody Rhodes opens up on Vince McMahon’s initial choice as WWE’s face

The 2023 men’s Royal Rumble match winner said, “One of the things that I was told as a kid was that right after these Garden Shows with ‘Superstar’ Billy Graham, is that Vince McMahon wanted to use Dusty and ‘Superstar’ for his expansion, the expansion that would become what we know and where we work and the biggest global sports entertainment wrestling entity on the planet, by far“.

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“Come to find out, one day I’m sitting by the ring. This is before I left. I’m still doing Stardust, Vince told me the exact story. How mad he was that Dad left, and he was gonna give him the whole world and he wanted him to be the Hogan and all this.” added Rhodes.

The entire landscape of wrestling would have materialized differently if McMahon would have had his way. Him discussing the story with Rhodes’ son so many years later, one can only imagine how disappointed the former boss was. If the second-generation wrestler is to be believed, Hogan wasn’t even the second choice to be the face of the company. Eventually, though, he ended up being the chosen one who ended up getting fame and glory.

Dusty Rhodes has left a lasting impression on the wrestling world

‘The American Dream’ is one of the most decorated wrestlers to step foot into the squared circle. The masses still remember fondly his time in Championship Wrestling and Jim Crockett Promotions. Apart from this, he also worked for the Vince-McMahon Sr led WWWF.

Dusty Rhodes also had a two-year stint in the WWE in the late 80s before leaving for WCW. He worked with the company in the 2000s as well, where he worked in the capacity of a mentor.

Rhodes played an important part in WWE Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns’ development. As fate would have it, his son will end up facing Reigns at WrestleMania 39. This is barring any heroics by Sami Zayn in the fast-approaching Elimination Chamber PLE.

Vince McMahon went ahead with his long-term vision for the wrestling industry. While there would have been many detractors of the idea, he certainly stuck to the task. McMahon might have had different notions about the face of the company. Particularly with iconic performers like Dusty Rhodes around. But ultimately Hulk Hogan ended up taking the mantle well.

How do you think the history of wrestling would have been affected if Rhodes were the face of the company? Let us know in the comments below.

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