WWE Legend Shoots On Vince McMahon

Whether you remember him as the 450lb One Man Gang, or as the controversial Akeem ‘The African Dream’, most fans of 1980s wrestling have some recollection of the giant born George Gray.

While the former UWF Heavyweight Champion never quite achieved main event status in WWF, we now know that it wasn’t just the lackluster mid-card booking that inspired Gray to abruptly ditch the top promotion in 1990.

Appearing on the most recent episode of the Prime Time with Sean Mooney podcast, Gray opened up about the heyday of his career, the reasons why he joined the WWF in 1987, as well as the falling out with Vince McMahon that cued his exit from the company only three years later.

Speaking on the tiring travel schedule and the infamous incident in 1990 when he intentionally missed a flight, the former Twin Tower had this to say:

“That was the biggest adjustment I had to do, the travel. The matches themselves weren’t that hard on me, it was the time away from home that was the hard part. You were away from your family 30, 40, 50 days in a row before you get back to your house. That was the hardest thing for me. That almost killed me… You wouldn’t make more money anywhere else, but they should have paid you really well for the time you were away from home. It was all on me. It got to be a strain on my home life.”

Following this, Gray had a dispute with both Vince McMahon and Pat Patterson which lead to his departure from the company. Though the head-honcho was supposedly ready to use him as a main talent, after a lecture about his attitude being bad for business, Gray decided that he was done with the company.

Though he would continue competing through the 90s, a heart attack in 2000 forced him to significantly reduced his in-ring appearances and he began working a day job as a prison guard.

You can check out the full George Gray interview via the Prime Time with Sean Mooney podcast where he further details his career, those who were difficult to work with, and the conditions that contributed to his exit from the WWF.

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Do you think One Man Gang, AKA Akeem, could have been booked better by the WWE? Do you think George Gray belongs in the WWE Hall of Fame? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, on Twitter or Discord. 

 

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• George Gray
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• wwe legend
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• pat patterson
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