WWE News: Recently Released Superstar Opens Up On Lack Of ‘Working Relationship’ With Vince McMahon

In a recent interview, former WWE superstar Konnor — best known for teaming up with Viktor as one-half of The Ascension until their December 2019 release — discussed various topics regarding his time with the company, including what he described as a lack of a working relationship with chairman and CEO Vince McMahon.

On Wednesday’s edition of The Wrestling Inc. Daily podcast, Konnor sat down with the publication’s Justin LaBar, starting out by saying that he and Viktor already knew in advance that they were going to be let go by WWE. He suggested that their release may not have gotten too much attention from the wrestling press because both members of The Ascension are known for keeping to themselves on social media and refraining from airing their issues with WWE in public.

Discussing how The Ascension was barely used on television last year ahead of their release, Konnor told LaBar that there was no specific reason why this was the case. He recalled feeling frustrated when he and Viktor were told by a company official that WWE’s creative team had nothing for them despite all the pitches that were made on their behalf. The former Monday Night Raw tag team wrestler then reflected on why he feels he and his teammate didn’t have much of a “working relationship” with McMahon during their time working for him.

“We always said hello and stuff like that, but we would try to get meetings with him. You just never know around that place. Some guys would just knock on the door, but for the majority of the time, Vince was either busy with writers. It just seemed like, at the time, it was always something. We threw pitches out.”

Despite mostly competing in WWE’s lower card after a dominant run on NXT, The Ascension’s storyline with Breezango (Tyler Breeze and Fandango) was singled out by Konnor as one of his favorite angles as a WWE superstar. He recalled having fun showing fans a side of The Ascension that they hadn’t seen before, adding that he “always knew” the duo had it in them to take part in comedic segments. On the other hand, the 40-year-old also suggested that WWE abruptly ended this storyline because McMahon “wasn’t quite buying it.”

Following their program with Breezango, The Ascension returned to their usual role as seldom-used lower-card heels. As Konnor stated earlier in the interview, this lack of exposure didn’t make his and Viktor’s relationship with WWE toxic, but things got to a point where they knew they weren’t going to sign new deals with the promotion when their contracts came up.

“There was no intention of re-signing, and that’s nothing against WWE,” he explained. “It was more along the effects of the situation and the circumstances as far as them not really having anything for us just keeping us around.”