Vince McMahon was furious and embarrassed at Daniel Bryan’s 2016 retirement ceremony on Raw after Titus O’Neil grabbed him, according to Arn Anderson on The Arn Show.
“I tell you what I think happened. Daniel Bryan is beloved by pretty much everybody that loves him and everybody that knows him. He is just one of those guys that endears himself to you as being a legitimate guy. I don’t know anybody that doesn’t respect and speak highly of Daniel Bryan.
I think the timing of him legitimately having to retire because of health issues and you saw how it affected him backstage and you saw how it affected the other talent who really cared about the guy. I think it being such a somber, real moment, that any other day it might not have been as bad.
When Titus grabbed Vince by the wrist as he was starting to exit, he caught him off guard. He almost fell down. I think that embarrassed him. I think it embarrassed him more than anyone else looked at it as being a comedic moment or something, but I think in Vince’s mind, it made him look bad because he almost fell. It pissed him off right away. I think it probably, in his mind, that was a big moment that one of the talents’ careers ended because Daniel was retiring.”
I’m thinking he probably thought to himself that this was not a time to be goofing and it got out of control really quick and it flamed up really quick. I don’t think there was any ill intention. I just don’t think Titus was thinking properly when he did it. That’s the only thing I can figure out sorting through the facts.”
