At WWE WrestleMania 23 in 2007, future president of the United States Donald Trump and then-WWE Chairman Vince McMahon took part in the famed Battle of the Billionaires that saw Bobby Lashley compete on behalf of Trump against Umaga, who was fighting for Vince McMahon. Steve Austin served as the special guest referee for the bout.
In the end, Bobby Lashley‘s victory meant that a disgraced Vince McMahon had to shave his head bald.
Elsewhere on the show, Mr. Kennedy defeated Matt Hardy, CM Punk, Randy Orton, King Booker, Jeff Hardy, and Edge in a Money in the Bank ladder match, earning himself a contract for a championship match of his choice.
“How can you guys walk after you jump off that ladder?” – Donald Trump To Matt Hardy After MITB Match
According to Matt Hardy on a recent episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, Donald Trump was amazed after seeing the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania 23.
“I do remember when we came back after the Money in the Bank matches he said ‘Oh my god. How can you guys walk after you jump off that ladder? Geez.’ I do remember a comment about that. It was just he was very shocked that we were jumping off ladders and landing on one another and hitting each other with ladders, he was amazed by that.”
Hardy also spoke about Vince McMahon getting his head shaved, saying the then-Chairman was “totally committed.”
“I mean, Vince was totally committed. He’s like, yes, shave it all the ring. I mean, Vince would always say that like, and you’d hear that expression about Vince all the time. Like, he never asked a talent to do something that he wouldn’t do, and I think he really tried to make an example of that, if it came to, like, I’m having this hair versus hair match.
You know, this deal with Donald Trump. Like, if you’re gonna shave my head, you’re gonna shave it all the way down, and we’re going all the way bald, I’m fully committed, you know? So he was, he was big on setting an example, as far as like doing something that may be embarrassing or something that you have to step out of your comfort zone to do, he would be the first one to volunteer to do it.”
Elsewhere on the podcast, Matt Hardy recalled a ladder match that didn’t go to plan, causing Joey Mercury to need 30 stitches after suffering an injury.
If you use any quotes from this transcription, please credit Extreme Life of Matt Hardy and link back to this article with a h/t to Inside the Ropes.