Vince McMahon quote regarding Lashley's push back in 2006

[CMPUNKFAN]

This is the day after the ECW PPV December to dismember

The next day, December 4, Heyman and McMahon among those flying to Charleston, South Carolina, Heyman pitched opening the December 5 ECW show with Ariel and Kelly in a match, telling viewers interviews with Lashley, Van Dam, and Punk were going on right then and would be seen later in the show. McMahon didn’t like the idea, fearing fans in the arena would chant for Punk. Heyman asked why that was a bad thing, as it showed the fans cared about someone on the flagging ECW show. McMahon reportedly threw his glasses on the floor and shouted, “Get this through your thick fucking head—my focus is on Bobby Lashley and only Bobby Lashley! That man is the brand's icon, the brand's superhero. He is ECW and he will be, at the expense of Rob Van Dam, CM Punk, Test, and everyone else, and you can hit the door if don't like it!”

TL;DR: McMahon wanted Lashley as the ECW Main star regardless of all the negative feedback he was getting from the crowd and people backstage.“

Source: Hardcore History: The Extremely Unauthorized Story of ECW

[Hanley!]

Some things just don't change.

[Viazon]

Sounds about right.

[SlightlyJames]

That is the most Vince McMahon quote ever.

[KaiserGlider]

I remember the push Lashley got back then. Won the ECW title in the chamber, won the battle of the billionaires at Wrestlemania 23 which was the most hyped up match on the card, had a feud with Vince for a couple months and then wrestled Cena for the WWE title in a PPV main event. I wonder just how far Lashley would have gotten if he had stuck around. That could have turned into a Roman Reigns situation. He did find his calling in TNA years later as a heel with MVP as his mouthpiece.

[Viazon]

What happened with Lashley anyway? If Vince had such a boner for him, why did he end up not doing much?

[DBSoT]

What happened with Lashley anyway? If Vince had such a boner for him, why did he end up not doing much?

This is just a guess, but Lashley probably didn't live up to the hype in terms of merchandise sales. Vince is stubborn to a point, the point is when his projects stopping making money. Cena gets a lot of slack, but Vince has never had an incentive to change his character. Money talks.

[SlightlyJames]

What happened with Lashley anyway? If Vince had such a boner for him, why did he end up not doing much?

This is just a guess, but Lashley probably didn't live up to the hype in terms of merchandise sales. Vince is stubborn to a point, the point is when his projects stopping making money. Cena gets a lot of slack, but Vince has never had an incentive to change his character. Money talks.

No, even with merch it is a vanity thing. Historically whenever anyone outsells Cena they get shit on for it. He's not so in love with his bottom line that he won't cut holes in his pockets to make a point. My guess is he just got tired of Lashley and moved on to his next pet project.

[Hanley!]

I'm pretty sure Lashley's wife got released, so he quit.