5 WWE Superstars who busted open Vince McMahon (and if it was scripted)

In the PG era, we don’t see nearly as much blood in WWE as there used to be. Several WWE Superstars were open to having their respective encounters highlighted with the crimson mark, time and again.

But what to do when the opponent is your boss?

WWE Chairman & CEO, Vince McMahon has a long history with bloody encounters. As unfortunate as it may seem, sometimes his employees were angry enough to drown their boss in a pool of blood.

Over the course of WWE’s history, Vince has never shied away from taking brutal hits that would leave him bleeding uncontrollably. Some were a part of the kayfabe, while others were simply an accident. Although Vince is open to putting his neck on the line, he doesn't do it for everyone.

It’s evident that he takes such risks only for individuals that he truly believes in. In this list, we take a look at five WWE Superstars who busted open Vince McMahon and if it was scripted.

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#5 Kevin Owens

"Boss, are you okay?"

Two years ago, Shane acted as a special guest referee in a match between KO and AJ Styles with the latter’s United States Championship on the line. Baron Corbin was initially supposed to act as the guest referee for this match but he was replaced by Shane, who went on to officiate this bout at SummerSlam 2017.

Shane relied on his tactics to distract KO and ultimately, cost him his only chance at the Championship rematch. He lost via pinfall and could no longer challenge Styles for as long as 'The Phenomenal One' had the title.

Following that, Owens went on to ask for a rematch once again on SmackDown Live, which was refused. An agitated KO then insulted Shane’s family, particularly his kids. Shane responded by attacking KO and the two were engaged in a brawl, following which Shane was suspended.

Next week, we saw Vince McMahon inside the squared circle addressing the feud as he announced a Hell in a Cell bout between Shane and KO.

Owens, who wanted to know if there’s a catch, asked Vince if he will face any consequences for assaulting a ‘McMahon’. Vince assured him that he will not face any music for ‘laying his hands on a McMahon’.

KO saw the opportunity and delivered a brutal headbutt to his boss and Vince immediately fell on the mat. However, KO was not done yet. He subjected Vince to extended punishment by landing vicious punches and kicks until the other officials rushed to separate him from Vince.

In an interview with Chris Jericho, KO later revealed that Vince wanted him to deliver an efficient headbutt which is why he continued to instigate Owens off the mic.

"Vince talking so much s**t off mic, I was legitimately taken aback. So many swear words. (People ask) "Did he tell you to get him good? In a way, but not in those words. It's his company. If he wants to take a headbutt, he takes it. No one can accuse me of taking it easy on the boss.

You can watch the video below:

#4 Zach Gowen

This was never supposed to happen but...

WWE Superstar Zach Gowen is one of most inspiring pro-wrestlers of all time. The one-legged wrestler gained a lot of attention from fans across the world for his sheer dedication to compete inside the squared circle.

Zach was hired by the WWE when he was only 18. In one of the biggest moments of his career, he faced Vince McMahon in a one-on-one match at Vengeance, 2003.

In an interview long after the incident, Gowen opened up about the entire planning that went behind their match. He recalled the event and said,

“They flew me in, like a week or two before, to the headquarters in New York and they have a ring set up there. This match was the most scripted match I'd ever been apart of in my life. Literally, we went over it, step by step by step in the ring multiple times. They even flew me out a day early, to Denver, where the pay-per-view was and set up a ring in a small college arena. They had me and Vince go over it with the agents, over and over and over.”

During this encounter, there was a spot wherein Gowen had to dropkick a steel chair to Vince McMahon’s head. Although they had rehearsed it multiple times, what unfolded at the pay-per-view left everyone surprised.

Gowen’s spring heel kick on the chair that hit Vince left the latter’s face covered in blood. This wasn’t planned and it quickly left Gowen worried about the consequences.

I did bust him open and that wasn't planned before hand. I got kinda scared at that point. He's the boss, he's Vince McMahon, and blood is shooting out of his head. I'm thinking my career is over but I guess after the match he loved it, he thought it added to the match.”

Fortunately, Vince liked the spot and it was included in the match.

#3 Hulk Hogan

When things got personal...

Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan made their feud appear extremely personal heading into WrestleMania, 2004.

In the weeks leading up to the pay-per-view, Vince belittled Hogan and lashed out at him for several reasons. He held Hogan accountable for testifying against his boss in a steroid trial. He also went on to say that Hulkamania was dead and that he is not a fan of ‘Hulkster’. Lastly, he said that Hogan betrayed WWE for WCW.

The two were set to meet in a Singles match with the added speculation that if Vince wins, Hogan can never come back to the company. Both of them agreed to the terms and proceeded to sign the contracts.

During the contract signing, Vince attacked Hogan with a steel chair that caused the latter to bleed profusely. He then went on to use Hogan’s blood for signing the contract. Come WrestleMania, Hogan settled his dues.

In the match, Vince once again tried to attack Hulk Hogan with a steel chair. This time, however, Hogan was prepared and he immediately turned the match in his favor by counter-attacking Vince with multiple chair shots.

There were bloodstains all over the ring and even Hogan’s hair turned red after being soaked in blood. It was probably one of the most brutal shots that Vince had ever taken. They visualized a poetic ending to this storyline which was brilliantly executed.

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#2 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin

When the 'Texas Rattlesnake' asks you to donate blood, you do it!

Vince McMahon and ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin engaged in an iconic feud that lasted over two decades. Considering the intensity in their rivalry, it’s no surprise that the 'Texas Rattlesnake' is listed here.

Vince and Steve Austin locked horns inside the steel cage at St. Valentine's Day Massacre: In Your House, 1999. The latter was adamant to punish his boss, but Vince relied on tricks to avoid the deadly confrontation. Unfortunately for him, Vince could not escape his opponent’s wrath for long.

During the match, Steve Austin rammed Vince’s face onto the cage which left him covered in blood. Back then, multiple clashes against the cage made it seem like Vince was genuinely wounded and it added a lot of emotions in his feud with Austin.

In another incident that transpired on RAW, Austin made Vince bleed in the name of 'blood donation'. Irony?

Vince McMahon was on a wheelchair, comfortable by the ringside when the sound of shattering glass fetched a deafening pop from the crowd. He was joined by The Rock, and together, they took down The Undertaker and Triple H, who were inside the ring.

Following that, Austin went on to manhandle Vince. He slammed him on the floor along with his wheelchair. When Vince lifted his head, the spectators gasped at the sight of ridiculous amount of blood that was covering Vince’s face.

Although this appeared to be the case when he used a blade, his blood-smeared face and red patches on the ground left the spectators in shock. The wound looked brutal and several were seriously concerned about his injury, while others blamed it on the blade.

#1 Shawn Michales

Breaking the heart, bone, teeth, and spirit ...

WrestleMania 22 saw Vince McMahon engage in one of the most brutal matches of his entire WWE career. He locked horns with Shawn Michaels in a No Holds Barred encounter, which proved to be his detriment.

In the weeks leading up to this match, Vince used every weapon in his arsenal to take down the 'Heart Break Kid'. Michaels, on the other hand, was waiting for an opportunity to gain an advantage over his opponent.

And finally, the day arrived, From putting Vince through the table to using a trash can for manhandling his opponents, he did not hold back.

Michaels delivered multiple shots on Vince’s head which left him in a pool of blood. Then, he delivered a diving elbow drop from the top of a ladder to put Vince through the table.

To end the match, Shawn Michaels hit Vince with the Sweet Chin Music. Upon impact, the superkick led to the former losing his teeth as he tried to make sense of what just happened, while his mouth gradually filled with blood.

Back then, WWE did not have a lot of regulations on plausible concussion-inducing shots. Therefore, such moves, including multiple hard-hitting steel chair shots on the head, were allowed. Both Vince and Michaels took advantage of weaker guidelines and made this feud as personal as it could get.

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