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A former WWE star recently recalled refusing to travel to Iraq to take part in a Tribute to the Troops show. He claimed Vince McMahon punished him for his actions.
Jonathan Coachman initially joined the Stamford-based company as a backstage interviewer nearly 25 years ago. However, he later played other roles, including becoming an occasional in-ring competitor. While the 51-year-old traveled to Afghanistan to wrestle Ric Flair for Tribute to the Troops in 2005, he refused to go to Iraq in 2007 for personal reasons. Although participating in the show was supposedly optional considering it was a war zone at the time, the wrestling veteran claimed Vince McMahon punished him for his decision.
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In a recent interview with Wrestling Then And Now, Coachman claimed he was taken off the commentary desk the following week. Former WWE referee Earl Hebner then approached and told him to head to the ring and attack The Undertaker.
"I knew what was going on. And it was Vince's way of punishing me, which was complete bullsh*t because at that point, we're now talking seven years of blind loyalty. So, I went and hit The Undertaker, which made no sense whatsoever. But we were off the air and you always wanted to send the crowd home happy and I was kind of a heel at that time," he said.
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The former Interim RAW General Manager disclosed that The Undertaker apologized to him while he beat him up in the ring. He also stated that this was the moment when he realized that he had to leave WWE.
"So, I knew, okay, he's gonna be able to stand behind the, 'Wait a second, I was trying to let them go home happy' when the truth of the matter was that he was just angry and wanted to make me pay. And Undertaker even apologized to me as he was beating me up. [...] So, I took it and I took a couple other finishes from other guys. But that was the moment that I knew I can't be here anymore if this is what's gonna happen after I have children or after I have a family," he added. [3:11 - 4:09]
Check out Coachman's comments in the video below:
Jonathan Coachman reflected on working with ex-WWE Chairman Vince McMahon
Last year, Netflix released a six-episode docuseries on Vince McMahon's life and career titled Mr. McMahon. In an interview with Piers Morgan Uncensored, Jonathan Coachman reflected on the documentary, claiming it was accurate.
The 51-year-old said no one in the company felt they could turn down an order from the former WWE Chairman.
"I think the overriding sentiment that came out of that was the fact that none of us, at least not with me, did I ever feel like I could say 'No.' And I only said no one time in my entire 13 years with Vince. When I look back on it now, that's one of the things I regret the most, but as far as accuracy, I think it was accurate but I certainly don't think they went far enough as far as all the things that he made a lot of us do," he said.
Coachman left WWE in 2008. Although he returned a decade later, he left again four years ago.
If you use the quotes from the first part of this article, please credit Wrestling Then And Now and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.
