Shane McMahon made his surprise return to WWE at WrestleMania 39 in April 2023 for what looked set to be an impromptu match with The Miz. However, moments after the bell rang, he crumpled to the floor after performing a leapfrog.
Shane was then pulled out of the ring, and The Miz and Snoop Dog were left to improvise. Later, we learned that he'd torn his quad, a serious injury which has put even full-time pro wrestlers on the shelf for several months.
WWE largely pretended Shane didn't return in the months following, not mentioning him or showing what happened in video packages recapping the show. Many have wondered whether it might mark the end of his in-ring career, as we haven't seen him in a WWE ring since.
In a new interview, The Miz reflected on that awkward moment when it was apparent Shane couldn't wrestle. "I know when he goes down, I’m like, All right, he’s injured,'" he said. "The camera’s going to be on me because we don’t like showing real injuries on there. So, the red light is on me. Now, I have to basically relay to a referee kind of what to do to the truck."
Explaining that he was trying to tell the referee to get a new opponent out there, it was then that the hip-hop legend took matters into his own hands.
"All of a sudden I turn around and Snoop Dogg sucker punches me. And I’m like, 'That’s even better,'" he recalled. "Snoop Dogg isn’t a professional wrestler. He doesn’t do this for a living, but he’s the consummate pro. I mean, if there is a celebrity that I would trust to do something like that that has no prior training, it is Snoop Dogg."
Last year, speculation ran rampant that Shane might decide to sign a contract with AEW. He and Tony Khan were spotted meeting, with the implication being that a McMahon could end up being "All Elite."
"Tony and I were connected through a mutual friend and we had a great meeting," Shane later said. "We talked about many things, but mostly about our shared love for the business and the rewards and challenges of working with family. I congratulated him on the five-year anniversary of AEW and look forward to see how he evolves the business moving forward."
You can watch the full interview with The Miz in the player below.