On a recent edition of “The Ten Count” podcast, former WWE Superstar Mace (Mason Madden) of RETRIBUTION and the Maximum Male Models discussed MMM’s downfall after Vince McMahon stepped down as the CEO of WWE in July 2022.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On learning Vince McMahon was retiring: “We go to SmackDown. I do a dark match and we talked to Vince. He explains, ‘Hey listen. You guys are two good looking guys. I want you to do this male model thing and if you commit to it, then it’s really gonna work out for you.’ We’re like, ‘Great, we will commit to anything.’ It was a very avant-garde presentation. I think the first couple of weeks, which was the only time I had been pushed in my entire life where they tell everybody to clear the ring. We need to work on these model segments. Money in the Bank was happening. It was like the go home show for Money in the Bank and there’s Money in the Bank ladders all over the entrance way. Vince comes out and he’s like, ‘Get this crap out of here. We need to work on the Runway show.’ Me and Manny looked at each other. We were like, ‘This is it. This is it for us’. Two weeks later, text message. ‘I’m retiring.’”
On how things transitioned under Triple H: “At some point Hunter said this was when Hunter was in charge that, ‘Hey you want to move in the direction of going backto LA Knight?,’ because there was a pretty quick storyline of him just switching back. And when he was gone we were like, ‘Oh we’re done,’ like that. They just cut him off from us so that we could, which we did essentially for a couple months we were kind of off, which led to our — me and Manny, we refuse not to do anything right so if we’re sitting at home we’re always thinking of ideas, we’re always trying to come up with stuff, and we wanted to make them know we’re very happy to work together. We wanted to make this thing work cuz we were like, ‘Hey this has legs. This is fun. People like it. If we can present it in the way that we can present it I think we can we have a spot on this show. It’s the three-hour variety show. You have time for Zoolander on the three-hour variety. Show so that’s when we kind of batten down the hatches, and we were like, ‘Hey, let’s film our own YouTube show.”
Mace and Mansoor were released from their WWE contracts in September 2023.
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Vince McMahon’s Retirement and the Downfall of Maximum Male Models
The retirement of Vince McMahon as the CEO of WWE in July 2022 had a significant impact on the careers of many wrestlers, including Mason Madden, also known as Mace from RETRIBUTION, and his partner Manny, who formed the Maximum Male Models. In a recent episode of “The Ten Count” podcast, Mace discussed how their plans took a turn for the worse after McMahon’s departure.
Mace revealed that McMahon had approached them with an idea to capitalize on their good looks and create a male model gimmick. McMahon believed that if they committed to this concept, it would work out well for them. Excited about the opportunity, Mace and Manny agreed to give it their all. However, things quickly changed.
During the initial weeks of their push as male models, McMahon decided to prioritize a runway show segment over the Money in the Bank event. This sudden shift in focus left Mace and Manny feeling uncertain about their future. Two weeks later, they received a text message from McMahon announcing his retirement. This news came as a blow to their aspirations as Maximum Male Models.
With McMahon’s departure, Triple H took charge of WWE. Under Triple H’s leadership, there was a suggestion to revert Mace and Manny back to their previous personas, particularly LA Knight. This implied that their male model gimmick was no longer a priority. Feeling abandoned, Mace and Manny were left in limbo for a couple of months.
However, their determination to succeed never wavered. Despite being off television, they continued brainstorming ideas and creating content. Recognizing the potential of their male model characters, they decided to film their own YouTube show to showcase their talents and keep their presence alive.
Unfortunately, despite their efforts, Mace and Manny were released from their WWE contracts in September 2023. Their journey as Maximum Male Models came to an abrupt end, leaving fans disappointed and wondering what could have been.
The story of Mace and Manny highlights the unpredictable nature of the wrestling industry. Even with promising opportunities and initial support from Vince McMahon, circumstances can change rapidly, leading to unforeseen consequences. It serves as a reminder that success in the wrestling world is never guaranteed, and wrestlers must be adaptable and resilient to navigate the ever-changing landscape.
In conclusion, the retirement of Vince McMahon had a detrimental effect on the aspirations of Maximum Male Models, Mace and Manny. Despite McMahon’s initial belief in their male model gimmick, his departure and subsequent changes in direction under Triple H led to their downfall. Their story serves as a cautionary tale about the uncertainties of the wrestling industry and the need for wrestlers to adapt and persevere in the face of adversity.