Upon further recalling his original run in WWE, Fertig noted that he also had a meeting with Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and Stephanie McMahon. “I remember during that time, [they had a] dress code,” he recalled. “And [Vince] is literally staring a hole through me, and I’m like: ‘Holy f**k. Okay, it’s time to put your big boy pants on!’ And I was like: I am not going to unlock eyes with this soulless devil!”

Fertig further claimed that the meeting was so intense that he wasn’t sure if he was getting fired or if they were sizing him up for a push. “It seems like he was really into it, but you don’t know!” he noted, further recalling that his character was actually meant to worship McMahon and punish the sins of the wrestlers on screen. Thorn also claimed that it was McMahon’s idea for him to go bleached blonde, and that the former WWE Chairman ended up being very into the character.

Unfortunately, the Mordecai character didn’t last long after a fateful clash with Bob “Hardcore” Holly. “[WWE] were still giving me the ball 100%,” he admitted. “I think Bob kind of changed the mood a little bit. Me and Bob are pretty good friends! … But I feel in that match, Bob was out for Bob.” Fertig expressed that Holly invertedly ruined the mystique behind his character, but admitted that he was too green to know the difference back then.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the “Talk’N Shop Podcast” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.