Braun Strowman Recalls Conversation With Vince McMahon After Becoming Frustrated With His WWE Status

Every once in a while Vince McMahon makes a current WWE Superstar his pet project and the latest example is Braun Strowman. McMahon has been more hands-on with Strowman than with any other Superstar in recent memory and Strowman talked about that on the Not Sam Wrestling podcast.

"Vince McMahon and I have had a really close relationship. He has been hands on with Braun Strowman since Braun Strowman was invented. I'm part of one of his brain child's and what I do, and how passionate I am about it and that is why he continues to invest me in the way he does," said Strowman. "It literally blows my mind on a day to day basis; I haven't even been doing this for four years and look what I've done in the short amount of time I've been here. I am very grateful for it. Don't get me wrong, I've been put into positions and had opportunities that not everybody gets, but everybody in this company, whether they think they do or complain, but everybody gets an opportunity to do something, it's what you do with it."

Strowman noted that he first got noticed as was one of Adam Rose's Rosebuds. He cited that as an example of him making the most out of an opportunity.

"I gave it everything that I had, I was over the top and it probably stuck out. It's crazy, it dawned on me recently talking while we're on the Rosebud gimmick talk, how many Rosebuds are killing it now in the industry. There's a picture of me, Becky Lynch, Carmella, Dana Brooke, Tucker Knight, Chad Gable, Simon Gotch," said Strowman. "I'm thinking about people that are currently on the roster."

Every WWE Superstar reaches a point where they become frustrated with their character or the storylines they are put into, and Strowman reached his point after Royal Rumble. He wasn't thrilled with the direction of his character and needed to have a face-to-face talk with McMahon.

"I got to a point where I got really frustrated with everything that was going on," said Strowman. "I called Vince McMahon and asked him what is going on because I am miserable, and he talked me off the ledge. He was like, 'look big man, I want you for the long-haul. It doesn't matter what you are doing now, I care about what you are doing 10 years from now. I've invested in you. You are one of my guys, don't worry, you're fine.'

"And just hearing that coming from that man, I don't know, it's just something I legitimately walked into a production meeting one day and I was like I've had enough and was mad about everything. He kicked everybody out of the production meeting two hours before Raw was about to start, the show was about to start and he talked to me for 45 minutes a heart to heart, man to man conversation and it opened my eyes to the picture of wow, why am I worrying about this? Vince doesn't get the credit that is due to him and if he hears this, he's going to get pissed off at me putting him over, but he's unbelievable and I am very fortunate to not only work for him but to call him a fan...

"Everybody thinks he's lost touch with the fans, but he's so far ahead of what is going on it's not even funny. We're two years ahead of what you guys think we are at I promise you."

One of the most memorable segments featuring Strowman was when he and Bobby Lashley crashed through the LED boards during a Falls Count Anywhere match on Raw. Strowman sold the spot on Raw and sold it afterwards with his social media activity.

"It worked. It was unbelievable the feedback I got from my fans. When we did it, I ghosted on social media and everything. A lot of people know my Instagram, me, goofy 6-year old giant Adam, so I ghosted off of that and everything. I had people so worried because I disappeared for two weeks where I'm getting text messages from my family asking if I'm okay. My mom and dad they played into it and were telling my fans and people I grew up with that they hadn't heard from me; they knew I was in the hospital so it was great," stated Strowman.

"We got so much mileage out of that little spot and exactly spark that fire like, oh my God, this is real. That wasn't supposed to happen. People were freaking out saying that it wasn't supposed to happen. That is what I love about this business. It is my job to suspend your disbelief, to take you on an emotional roller coaster. In the back of your mind you know what we do isn't 'real', but we have those moments where it's all about those moments where for one second you go, that's real. That is what makes this so special."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Not Sam Wrestling with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Peter Bahi contributed to this article.