WWE Hall of Famer ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan believes Vince McMahon could explore the possibility of establishing another professional wrestling promotion rather than attempting to return to WWE.
McMahon departed WWE in early 2024 following a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him by former employee Janel Grant. Although speculation about his future in the wrestling business has continued, Duggan does not believe a return to WWE is particularly likely, considering the controversies surrounding the former company chairman.
Speaking during a recent interview with BetVictor Online Casino, Duggan suggested that McMahon could potentially establish a rival promotion and compete against WWE. However, he admitted that he would not be surprised if McMahon chose a different direction altogether.
“I don’t know if he’d actually come back. I wouldn’t be surprised if he started his own company up or something. I don’t know; he might run up a competition; he might. But yeah, I don’t see him coming back, all the baggage he’s carrying.”
Duggan also discussed the nature of his professional relationship with McMahon, explaining that he never considered the former WWE boss a personal friend. Having worked under McMahon during different periods of his wrestling career, Duggan said their association remained strictly business-related.
“I always looked at Vince as my boss. He wasn’t my friend. I never went over to his house to have something to eat. I never invited him to my house.”
Duggan competed in WWE between 1987 and 1993 before returning for another run in 2005. His contributions to professional wrestling were eventually recognised with an induction into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2011.
Jim Duggan Recalls His Difficult Final Days in WCW
During the same conversation, Duggan revisited his experience in WCW, particularly the creative decisions that saw him involved in the janitor and Team Canada storylines.
According to the veteran wrestler, his initial experience with the promotion was positive. However, things reportedly changed after Vince Russo joined the creative team, with Duggan claiming that efforts were made to move him out of his contract to create financial room for younger talent.
He recalled being summoned to Atlanta for meetings, where officials proposed transforming his character into a janitor.
“When we first get down there, things were great. But then Vince Russo came in, and he wanted to push me out of my contract to clear up some money for some younger kids. So they first fly me up to Atlanta, big meetings, the CNN Tower, and they’re gonna make me the janitor of WCW. But I took the janitor gimmick and took it off, and the janitor gimmick got off.”
Duggan further explained that the promotion subsequently considered changing his character into an anti-American figure by making him part of Team Canada. However, he was not interested in abandoning his contractual obligations simply because he disagreed with the creative direction.
“They wanted me to quit. ‘We’re gonna turn you against America.’ I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, Iraq, Iran.’ ‘You’re gonna be part of Team Canada!’ No, it was fun to do, but the fans, I don’t even think they bought it. They were like, ‘Come on, Hacksaw.’ And I was just fulfilling my contract, because the bottom line, this is the way I feed my family. I wasn’t gonna quit.”
Jimmy Hart Encouraged Duggan to Remain With WCW
Duggan also credited fellow wrestling personality Jimmy Hart for encouraging him to remain with WCW for as long as possible, despite the company’s increasingly difficult circumstances.
He remembered Hart using the sinking Titanic as an example when discussing their situation, suggesting that they should continue working while the opportunity remained available.
“Jimmy Hart used to tell me, ‘Hang on as long as you can. It’s like the Titanic.’ You know the ship’s going down, but we hung on to WCW as long as we could.”
Reflecting on WCW’s eventual downfall, Duggan identified Russo’s arrival as a significant turning point. He also drew comparisons with the territorial wrestling era, arguing that a booker placing himself in the position of world champion was often a troubling indication of a promotion’s direction.
“I think when Vince Russo took over, that was kind of the kiss of death for WCW. Even back in the territory days, when the booker makes himself world champion, something’s wrong. You know the company’s going down.”
Duggan Opens Up About WWE’s Scripted Promos
The veteran wrestler also shared his experience with WWE’s more structured approach to television programming during his 2005 return.
Duggan recalled being surprised when a young staff member handed him prepared dialogue for an interview segment, something that contrasted sharply with the freedom he had enjoyed earlier in his career.
His initial reaction reflected his frustration with having someone else determine what he should say while performing as Hacksaw Jim Duggan.
“I went back to the WWE, and this young kid comes up to me and goes, ‘Mr. Duggan, here’s your verbiage for your interview.’ I said, ‘My verbiage for my interview? How’s some punk kid gonna tell Hacksaw Jim Duggan how to cut his interview?’ And they’re like, ‘Well, this is what we want you to say.’ I’m like, ‘Well, send me my check.’ But I’ve got a whole new respect for actors. It’s very hard to deliver lines and stuff. I lost all my mannerisms, I lost Hacksaw, but I got the lines down straight, buddy.”
Despite his reservations, Duggan acknowledged that delivering scripted material required a different set of skills and gave him a greater appreciation for actors who regularly perform written dialogue.
Duggan Reflects Positively on His Wrestling Career
Unlike several former wrestlers who have spoken publicly about the negative experiences they encountered in the industry, Duggan maintained that his overall journey in professional wrestling was a rewarding one.
He pointed to his long-lasting marriage and personal happiness as examples of the positive experiences that can come from a career in wrestling, adding that successful stories do not always receive the same attention as controversial ones.
“I had a fun time in the business. I see so many guys on Dark Side of the Ring, they’re crying and whining about wrestling. It’s been a great business for me. I’ve been with my wife for 43 years… There’s other success stories in wrestling, you just don’t hear about them. Tito Santana.”
Hacksaw Jim Duggan Compares Wrestling’s Past and Present
Duggan also offered his perspective on how professional wrestling has evolved in terms of presentation, particularly the transition from arena-focused performances to television-driven entertainment.
He explained that wrestlers in his generation benefited from the atmosphere of live arena shows, where their physical presence and larger-than-life appearances played a significant role in connecting with audiences.
Using legendary acts such as Demolition and Nikolai Volkoff as examples, Duggan suggested that seeing wrestlers up close created a different experience for fans.
“Back in my day, it was an arena show. So if you’re sitting in the arena and Demolition walks by, or Nikolai Volkoff walks by, you’re like, ‘Holy shit, man, they’re big, impressive men.’ Now it’s kind of the pendulum has swung, whereas television — and we joke — it’s almost like Cirque du Soleil. But it’s popular. It’s hard to argue with success. But yeah, it’s a different show. It’s a television show now.”
When comparing wrestlers from his generation with today’s performers, Duggan highlighted creativity as one of the major strengths of the older generation, while acknowledging the superior athleticism displayed by many modern competitors.
“I think my generation of guys were much more creative, because we all came up with our own gimmick. I think this generation of guys are much more athletic.”
Duggan Praises Kevin Owens’ Wrestling Style
Although Duggan admitted that he no longer follows professional wrestling regularly after spending four decades in the business, he singled out Kevin Owens as someone whose in-ring approach appeals to him.
Duggan explained that watching wrestling during his personal time is not particularly appealing after so many years working in the industry. Nevertheless, he appreciates Owens’ physical and straightforward brawling style, which reminds him of his own approach to performing.
“I really don’t watch it too much anymore. After 40 years, the last thing I want to watch when I’m off is wrestling. That’d be like a cop watching Cops. The little bit I’ve seen, Kevin Owens — I guess now he’s starting to be an old-timer, though — but Kevin, I kind of like his kind of brawling style. People say, ‘Hacksaw, what was your favourite move?’ I said, ‘I kick and punch.’”
Duggan’s comments provide an interesting perspective on the evolution of professional wrestling, his experiences working under Vince McMahon, and the challenges he encountered during the final years of WCW.
