In 1989 Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson were highly regarded by Vince McMahon. Still, the duo believed he was underpaying them, and they’d hand their notice in so they could return to the NWA. Infuriated by this, McMahon would schedule drug tests, and Blanchard failed because, according to him, he had licked a bag of an illegal substance to impress a woman. This failed test meant he was suspended and missed the Survivor Series pay-per-view and the substantial payoff. In addition, once the news became public, Blanchard’s offer to rejoin the NWA was withdrawn, and McMahon had his revenge.
Twenty-three years later, it appeared any ill-feeling McMahon had towards Blanchard was gone due to inducting Blanchard into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of Four Horsemen. However, speaking on longtime tag partner Arn Anderson’s podcast, Blanchard revealed he believes McMahon still had animosity towards him based on a comment he made that night.
I can remember we were standing in the hallway. Vince was addressing, I think all of us. He said, “Some of you guys, absorb all of this that is going on because you won’t ever be back.” I took it that he was talking to me because everybody else has gone back.Tully Blanchard
Blanchard never did return to WWE after the Hall of Fame induction, but has since become a highly regarded part of the AEW family, where he is the on-screen manager of Shawn Spears and FTR.
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