Diamond Dallas Page, known more for his achievements in WCW than his WWE career, reflected on his WWE run, particularly during the Invasion storyline. Despite being a multi-time World Heavyweight Champion in WCW, his WWE tenure was seen as underwhelming, including by himself. On “The Major Wrestling Figure Podcast,” DDP shared that he had hoped to face The Rock, as both wrestlers called themselves “The People’s Champion.” However, Vince McMahon had different plans for him.
DDP explained that, in trying to be cooperative with McMahon, he ended up sacrificing his own interests and accepted a storyline that was destined to fail. This storyline involved DDP debuting by stalking The Undertaker’s wife, which sparked a one-sided feud ultimately won by The Undertaker. DDP criticized the angle, questioning the motivation behind his character using The Undertaker to gain fame, especially since DDP was already a recognized star and was portrayed as cowardly multiple times. He believes the storyline’s failure played a major role in WCW fans losing interest and tuning out during the Invasion angle.
He admitted that he reluctantly went along with the role, but it angered many WCW supporters, causing them to stop watching wrestling altogether.
If quoting this article, credit “The Major Wrestling Figure Podcast” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
Fan Take: This insight from Diamond Dallas Page highlights how creative missteps can alienate entire fanbases, which is crucial for wrestling promotions to remember when handling talent transitions. For fighting fans, it serves as a reminder that booking decisions impact not only individual careers but also broader fan engagement and the health of the sport.
Source: www.wrestlinginc.com
