Shane McMahon Explains Why He Returned To WWE In 2016 And The Mysterious Lockbox

After being a staple on WWE television for years, Shane McMahon left the company in 2009 to pursue other ventures.

In February 2016, Shane returned to interrupt his father Vince as he was receiving the "Vincent J. McMahon Legacy of Excellence" award. Shane's returned helped set up the WrestleMania 32 match against The Undertaker.

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Speaking to Corey Graves on WWE After The Bell, Shane explained it was a call from Undertaker that brought him back.

"I got a call...Undertaker needed an opponent for WrestleMania and it needed to be special," he said. "There was talk, even back then with WrestleMania being in Texas, that was going to be it (for Undertaker). I got the call from Undertaker to say, 'Hey, would you consider this?' I was like, 'Well, let me think about it.' Ten minutes later, I get a call from my dad, 'Well, congratulations, this is what we're doing. What do you think?' Typically Vince fashion. Then we started coming up with the creative and then I wondered if we could do Hell in a Cell. We had to make sure the storyline was right. In any match I've ever done, there has been crazy stuff that will happen, but it's really the emotional story. What got us there and then telling the physical story."

Shane said that having his kids watch him a wrestle was a big reason for him wanting to return. It's also why his sons were part of his entrance at WrestleMania 32.

Graves followed up by asking, what was the mysterious lockbox Shane referred to in his return promo?

"It was leverage I had on him. If I wanted, I could have kept everything, but being a person of my word, I handed him the key. I may have a copy of it," he explained.

Since returning in 2016, Shane remained a feature star on television until he lost to Kevin Owens in a ladder match in October 2019 when he was "fired." Shane is currently on Raw as the host of Raw Underground.

Elsewhere during the interview, Shane discussed his role in putting together the Firefly Fun House match. You can find his full comments by clicking here.

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