Tommy Dreamer recalled how Vince McMahon essentially ended the momentum of Sub by insisting he speak on camera, which clashed with the mystique that made the character special. Trained by the original Shake, Sub drew inspiration from his mentor, particularly in maintaining silence during promos—a choice that contributed significantly to his early success in wrestling.
During a recent episode of Talk with Brie Ray and Chris Jericho, Dreamer reminisced about Sub’s early WWE stint. He explained that while Sub initially thrived, things changed when Vince McMahon pressured him to start cutting promos. Dreamer described how Paul Heyman was optimistic about Sub’s potential push but clashed with Vince over the requirement for Sub to speak. Vince believed that being a good speaker was essential, despite Heyman’s objections and assurances that he would manage Sub’s character carefully.
Dreamer recounted Vince’s famous line about needing to learn how to speak and how this directive “killed the mystique” of Sub. After that shift, Sub’s character lost its uniqueness and ultimately joined the cluster of other former ECW stars. Sub seemed poised for a major push around 2006, wrestling notable wrestlers like Rhyno, Rey Mysterio, and John Cena early on. Unfortunately, once he started doing promos, his momentum slowed and he was released less than two years into his WWE contract.
Additionally, Dreamer shared some lesser-known details about Sub’s early life, encouraging him to pursue wrestling. For more details, check out the full story.
Fan Take: This story highlights the delicate balance between character mystique and promotional expectations in wrestling, showing how creative decisions can make or break a wrestler’s career. For WWE fans, it’s a reminder of how behind-the-scenes choices by Vince McMahon have shaped the paths of many talents, impacting the evolution of the sport.
