WWE Rumors: Origins of Vince McMahon Death Angle

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that the recent "Vince McMahon is dead" storyline has roots that stem back to 2005.

According to the report, the idea was first presented in February 2005. It called for Carlito, who was using his "underworld connections" to make Theodore Long's life miserable and have a bomb planted in Long's car. Similar to Monday's RAW angle with McMahon, Long was to walk to the car, open the door and presumably die in the explosion.

WWE writer Tom Chehak supported the Dave Lagana-penned idea, but Brian Gewirtz dismissed the angle as being too far-fetched. Stephanie McMahon agreed with Gewirtz; the proposal never even reached Vince McMahon's desk.

Interestingly, under pressure from Bonnie Hammer to increase WWE RAW ratings, a version of the angle took place in 2007... on the show for which Gewirtz serves as lead writer.