Vince McMahon Jr bought the World Wrestling Federation from his father, Vince McMahon Sr, in 1982. Throughout the late 1970s, McMahon had acquired more power within his father's company and as McMahon Sr's health began to fail in the early 1980s, his son took full control.

Within months of purchasing the WWF, McMahon was putting his vision of national expansion into practice. He broke down the invisible fences that regional promoters had around their territories and created the first national wrestling company. McMahon has made plenty of enemies since taking over the company nearly 40 years ago. Promoters, wrestlers and managers have all come up against McMahon to wage war. Fortunately for the WWE, McMahon has won all of his battles to made the company the No. 1 wrestling promotion in the world.

Due to the various problems McMahon has had with wrestlers that didn't see eye to eye with him, there is a long list of grapplers he no longer speaks to. With new lawsuits over CTE popping up all the time, the list is bound to get longer.

However, there are those wrestlers that McMahon remains friendly with, and often times, loyal to. McMahon may have had his issues with these grapplers, but at the end of the day, he still speaks to them.

20 Surprisingly Still Speaks To: Lex Luger

Lex Luger walked out of the WWE without telling anyone in 1995 and re-joined WCW just as the Monday Night Wars were beginning. Luger had been poised to win the WWE World Heavyweight title from Yokozuna in 1993 until Vince McMahon got cold feet over the switch at SummerSlam– possibly due to Jerry Jarrett convincing him not to do it. Luger went on to work against Yokozuna at WrestleMania X in a losing effort. He was then pushed down the card and into tag team action with the British Bulldog. According to Luger, he was working without a contract and was reluctant to sign a new one. There was confusion within the WWE's ranks and when "The Total Package" had the chance to go back to WCW, he took it along with a pay cut.

Luger appeared on The Ross Report in 2016 and stated he regrets the way in which he left the WWE.

The grappler and McMahon had a close relationship at one time, but Luger's departure caused a wound that cannot be closed. Although Luger has said McMahon has been cordial when the two have run into each other, Luger isn't on the WWE's good side. Don't expect Luger to go into the WWE Hall of Fame soon, if he ever does.

19 No Longer Speaks To: Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes asked to leave the WWE, which is typically a no-no in Vince McMahon's book. The WWE owner doesn't like letting his wrestlers out of their contracts and usually only lets them go when he is finished. From the moment Cody left, he has had problems with the WWE. The most notable issue was the WWE's lawsuit that forced Rhodes to drop his family's kayfabe name and shorten his wrestling persona to simply, Cody. However, "The American Nightmare" hasn't let that get him down. Cody has become one of the elite indie wrestlers on the circuit and has made a name for himself working for Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Cody's success shows wrestlers don't need the WWE to make it to the top. It also proves top indie wrestlers can make a healthy salary without working the WWE's ridiculous road schedule. According to a question and answer session on Twitter, Cody explained he makes triple the money per match now than when he worked for the WWE. He also got double his WWE downside guarantee from ROH. McMahon and the WWE won't be happy that Cody has had so much success away from the company, nor will they be smiling about his financial fortune.

18 Surprisingly Still Speaks To: Chris Jericho

Chris Jericho is one of the biggest names to grace a WWE ring over the last 15 years. The wrestler's WWE career may not have started well, and Vince McMahon may have had buyer's remorse, but since then, Jericho's name has become synonymous with the company. Jericho has not only been a successful wrestler, but he has been able to take time off to tour and record new albums with his band Fozzy. The wrestler has also created one of the most downloaded podcasts in the world, which isn't just about wrestling but touches on music, movies and pop culture. McMahon has watched Jericho grow his career and it hasn't stopped the WWE boss from wanting to work with him more.

In January 2018, Jericho appeared on New Japan Pro Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 12 card. It was an interesting moment as one of the WWE's biggest part-time stars featured on the company's biggest rival's show. Despite working with NJPW in January, and most likely in the summer of 2018 as well, Jericho returned to the WWE for Raw 25 Years and at the April Greatest Royal Rumble show in Saudi Arabia. In interviews, Jericho has described McMahon as a friend and their relationship taking years to develop. That must be why McMahon continues to bring Jericho back to the WWE despite him being 47.

17 No Longer Speaks To: CM Punk

CM Punk was one of the WWE's most popular wrestlers during his time with the company. However, Punk's ill advised, tell all interview on Colt Cabana's Art of Wrestling podcast in 2014, shattered the fragile relationship he had with the WWE. In the interview, Punk made wild accusations about Vince McMahon, Triple H, WWE doctor Chris Amann and the company as a whole. Even if the alleged accusations were true, Punk slammed the WWE without realizing there could be repercussions. Punk is now being sued, along with Cabana, by Amann for his accusations.

Some believe the WWE and McMahon are fuelling the suit due to a personal vendetta against the wrestler.

Regardless, Punk had initially won his battle against the WWE, gaining a large settlement for wrongful termination. Instead of backing off or treading far more carefully when talking about his WWE departure, he laid into the company, giving the WWE the opportunity to sue him. Amann's lawsuit against Punk is set for trial soon. It was believed the suit would be settled out of court, however, that has proved not to be the case. If Amann wins, it could change podcasts forever and shows could be held more accountable for the content they release.

16 Surprisingly Still Speaks To: Jim Cornette

In 1992, Jim Cornette opened the criminally underrated Smoky Mountain Pro Wrestling company. Cornette had experienced life in WCW post-Jim Crockett Promotions and couldn't stand the cartoonish way wrestling was going. SMW was a way to bring back real wrestling with real grudges and believable storylines. During the early days of SMW, Cornette and others railed against the WWE and its cartoon image. The manager wasn't short of his disdain for Vince McMahon's company and took every shot against it he could.

After growing fed up with the WWE, travel and constant McMahon BS, Cornette moved back home to Louisville, Kentucky and worked with Danny Davis on Ohio Valley Wrestling. The company was a developmental for WWE and produced John Cena, Randy Orton and Batista to name just three. Cornette would get fired, however, thanks to Santino Marella contacting WWE human resources over an incident the wrestler had had. After more than a decade away from the WWE, Cornette was brought back in 2017. He inducted the Rock 'n' Roll Express into the WWE Hall of Fame and even appeared on Table for 3. Hopefully, it won't be too long until Cornette and The Midnight Express are inducted into the Hall of Fame.

15 No Longer Speaks To: Bret Hart

Bret Hart has had an on again, off again relationship with Vince McMahon and the WWE. It all started with the Montreal Screw Job and McMahon taking the belt off of Hart. It later escalated with the passing of Bret's little brother Owen Hart in a completely avoidable accident. Those two may be the biggest issues, but there are other smaller ones that have also caused tension, including McMahon never paying Bret's father, Stu Hart, for the Calgary territory in the 1980s. In 2017, the two sides were once again at odds as jabs about Bret and the Hart family were scripted into WWE programming. The jabs were unnecessary and pointless, but they riled up "The Hitman" as expected.

It is believed the McMahon family and Triple H wanted these scripted jabs put into the show as retaliation for Bret's comments about the company's wrestlers. Over the last few years, Bret hasn't been bashful about criticizing the WWE, its wrestlers and writers. "The Hitman" has also been vocal about Triple H, and the WWE decided it would fire back at Bret. The WWE is also angry over the forced removal of content from the Network that was actually owned by Bret. Due to McMahon never paying Stu for the Stampede Pro Wrestling company, the WWE doesn't own the content. Bret was given all rights to the content by his father when Stu passed in 2003.

14 Surprisingly Still Speaks To: Steve Austin

Steve Austin did what so many WWE wrestlers dream of doing. He challenged Vince McMahon and the WWE owner's idea of what his gimmick should be. He also got over as a speaker when McMahon stated the grappler needed a mouthpiece. McMahon hated Austin's Texas accent, and according to Bruce Prichard, never wanted him to speak on camera. However, that all changed when Austin broke from the mold that had been cast for him. Austin's anti-corporation, working man gimmick got him over with the WWE's audience and gave fans something completely different to cheer for. In a way, Austin was a throwback to the pre-Hulkamania wrestlers, but turned up to 11. The WWE made millions on the back of Austin and so did the grappler.

In 2002, Austin walked out on the WWE.

McMahon wanted Austin to lose to Brock Lesnar on Raw, and the "Texas Rattlesnake" wasn't interested in doing business. Austin has since stated he was living and drinking hard to get through the WWE's grind. It took its toll and it made him difficult to work with. The two sides patched things up shortly thereafter, although McMahon fined Austin $250,000 for walking out. Despite their differences at the time, the two have worked together on numerous occasions since.

13 No Longer Speaks To: Scott Steiner

Scott Steiner has had two runs in the WWE end prematurely. In 1992, Scott and his brother Rick joined the WWE as a tag team. The duo had been the top team in WCW and the No. 1 foreign tag team in Japan between 1989 and 1991, and now the WWE had them under contract. According to Bruce Prichard, he pitched the idea of Scott winning the 1993 Royal Rumble as a surprise entrant. However, the move was blocked by Vince McMahon, who wanted The Steiner Brothers to be his all-American babyface tag team. By 1994, however, the duo was gone from the company and Scott wouldn't return for eight years.

When he made his re-debut in the WWE, Scott was more muscular and far from the tag team wrestler he once was. However, the WWE ended "Big Poppa Pump's" push as he had two awful matches with Triple H in 2002. According to Scott, he believes Triple H sabotaged the matches and then politicked behind the scenes to stall his push. In December 2017, Scott continued to bad mouth Triple H in interviews and even brought up the rumor of Stephanie McMahon and the late "Macho Man" Randy Savage having a possible relationship in the early 1990s. If Triple H and Scott have a shoot, my money is on the former Michigan wrestler.

12 Surprisingly Still Speaks To: Lanny Poffo

When "Macho Man" Randy Savage defected to WCW in 1994, it ended a long relationship with Vince McMahon and the WWE. Rumors persist that Savage was to have a prominent role in the company as a possible booker and creative member. However, McMahon's stance against Savage wrestling once more caused the grappler to find a new way to get into the ring. The "Macho Man" quickly joined on again, off again friend Hulk Hogan in WCW, and wrestled for a further 10 years. He became a superstar in WCW and found another way to prolong a career that started after leaving the Cincinnati Reds' farm system in 1974.

Lanny Poffo, the real-life brother of Savage, paid for the "Macho Man's" crimes against the WWE. For years,Poffo was blackballed along with Savage. McMahon took Savage's departure as a direct attack. He had already lost the man that made the WWE in Hogan. Savage was always his No. 2 and losing him could have sent McMahon into a state of depression. In 2014, Poffo was brought back to the WWE as part of the company's posthumous DVD on Savage. Less than six months after the DVD's release, Savage was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

11 No Longer Speaks To: Ryback

Ryback left the WWE in 2016 citing a lack of direction being given to him as his main reason for departing. The powerful wrestler had been a pet project for Vince McMahon and the WWE owner often paired Ryback with wrestlers who could get the best out of him. It didn't always work as CM Punk states he complained to McMahon about Ryback constantly hurting him. Punk once said Ryback took 20 years off of his life due to the physical punishment he endured in matches. But Punk wasn't the only WWE employee to complain about Ryback's inability to work. Dolph Ziggler allegedly received a concussion from the power man.

After leaving the WWE, the wrestler legally changed his name from Ryan Reeves to Ryback.

It prevented the WWE from stopping him from using the persona, and it allowed Ryback to continue working the indies. In late 2017, Ryback stated he hasn't spoken to McMahon since leaving the WWE. The wrestler not only left the company on his own terms, but he now owns the name Ryback, which the WWE doesn't possess. It is one of the few times in modern wrestling that McMahon hasn't had control over a worker or trademark. The WWE owner won't forget it either.

10 Surprisingly Still Speaks To: Jeff Jarrett

Jeff Jarrett allegedly held the WWE ransom for $300,000 to drop the Intercontinental Championship in 1999. Jarrett was out of contract, something Head of Talent Relations employee Jim Ross neglected to realize at the time. With his contract coming up, Vince McMahon was afraid Jarrett would go to WCW with the belt. To get it off "Double J", the WWE was forced to pay him to lose, which he did eventually. Jarrett has stated he never held the company ransom and all of his negotiations were positive. In addition, Jarrett has stated the WWE paid him the money he was owed and gave him company stock options to lose. Despite claims of holding the WWE ransom, it makes more sense that talks were cordial, especially with "Double J's" father, Jerry, being a former WWE employee and friend of the McMahon family.

But there are still the rumors Jarrett colluded with Vince Russo. The duo turned up in WCW not long after the belt was dropped and Russo was Jarrett's right-hand man in TNA. Due to the circumstances around the belt and Jarrett's departure, it was believed the wrestler would never work for the WWE again. That is one reason he created TNA after WCW's closure. Despite the past problems between the two sides and Jarrett running an opposition company, the former Intercontinental Champion was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018. It was a shocking move due to say the least.

9 No Longer Speaks To: Rob Van Dam

In December 2017, Rob Van Dam confessed he will never wrestle for the WWE again. According to Van Dam, he has suffered too many concussions to pass the company's medical tests. The former ECW and WWE star made the announcement during his divorce proceedings from longtime wife Sonia as he stated he shouldn't be forced into a financial settlement he cannot afford. Van Dam isn't on good terms with the WWE, and even if he wasn't "aged out" of the company, it is unlikely the company would offer him a position. Van Dam's problems with the WWE date back to his 2006 issues. At the time, Van Dam had just received his biggest push in the business and was the WWE World Heavyweight Champion and ECW Champion.

However, the issues ended his main event status and he quickly dropped the titles. Van Dam was gone from the company within the next 12 months. Van Dam then spent the better part of three years in TNA before returning to the WWE in 2013. However, the former champion wasn't happy as the WWE didn't push him as a once top performer in the company. Van Dam has stated he was unhappy with putting everyone over, which seemed to be punishment for his past crimes with the WWE and for working with TNA. It was with the Nashville-based company that he was world champion, and it appeared Vince McMahon wanted to bury his rival's former title holder.

8 Surprisingly Still Speaks To: Daniel Bryan

Vince McMahon fired Daniel Bryan from the WWE in 2010 after being "too violent" during a segment on Raw. According to a Bryan interview on Talk is Jericho, he spoke to McMahon days later and stated his short WWE run would allow him to make more money than ever on the indies. The statement influenced the WWE to re-hired Bryan, and he joined the company once more. Despite bringing him back, McMahon never understood just why fans loved Bryan so much. Obviously, for wrestling fans it is easy to see as Bryan is down-to-earth, casual and looks no different than many of the fans watching the product.

Bryan has publicly stated McMahon never saw him as "the guy" to build the WWE around.

It was blatantly obviously as the WWE attempted to bury the wrestler whenever it could. When Bryan was forced into retirement, the McMahon received a "free pass" card, as he could focus on the grapplers he wanted to push. According to reports, McMahon and Bryan have held face-to-face talks in 2018 about the wrestler's future. Those talks haven't gone well for the former champion. Bryan wants to return to the ring, but McMahon is allegedly offering him big money to stay with the WWE as a general manager and trainer.

7 No Longer Speaks To: Dynamite Kid

The Dynamite Kid was one of the most innovative wrestlers of his era. Strong, fast and full of incredibly fast-paced moves, Dynamite Kid revolutionized wrestling and created a place for junior heavyweights and cruiserweights to work in the business. However, Dynamite Kid had a dark side that didn't sit well with many of the other wrestlers. The Englishman loved to rib his colleagues, but many of his jokes were mean, cruel and vicious.

He was also tough and Randy Savage used Dynamite Kid as his real-life bodyguard when he frequented bars. In 1988, Dynamite Kid and Davey Boy Smith left the WWE after the former got into a fist fight with Jacques Rougeau in the locker room. The fight stemmed from a rib that Dynamite played on the Rougeau Brothers in which he cut the legs of their trousers off. After leaving the WWE, Dynamite worked in Japan, but in 1997, his injuries, and performance enhancer use caught up with him. For the past 21 years, Dynamite has had numerous health issues. In 2015, he suffered a stroke, and according to reports, was still living in a hospital in 2017. The WWE has not attempted to help the former wrestling great.

6 Surprisingly Still Speaks To: Harley Race

In 1991, Vince McMahon finally got his hands on the NWA/WCW World Heavyweight Championship. It was an unforgettable moment when Ric Flair showed up on WWE television wearing the belt and being proclaimed as the "real" world champion. It wasn't the first time McMahon had attempted to get the NWA title, however. An often-overlooked story in Harley Race's book, "King of the Ring", details McMahon's 1983 dinner meeting with Race two days before the first Starrcade. McMahon offered Race $250,000 to no-show Starrcade and bring the belt to New York.

Had Race accepted, it would have killed Starrcade and the NWA as McMahon pressed forward with his national expansion. After turning McMahon down, Race alleges that the WWE owner attacked him and attempted to fight the grappler in a restaurant parking lot. Race would later join the WWE in 1986 as McMahon put the embarrassment of three years behind him. Now known as the "King", Race had a respectable WWE run although he joined WCW after leaving the WWE due to injury. Race would go on to run his on small wrestling company and training center in Missouri. He has trained some top wrestlers in the business today and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004.

5 No Longer Speaks To: Nailz

Some wrestling historians have credited Kevin Wacholz, a.k.a. Nailz, with saving the WWE. In 1994, Wacholz testified that Vince McMahon pressured him into using performance enhancers during the WWE owner's trial. Wacholz had a major axe to grind with McMahon and due to coming off as vindictive and angry during his testimony, many feel the wrestler helped the WWE owner beat the charges he was up against. Wacholz problems with McMahon stemmed over his SummerSlam 1992 payoff. The brawler defeated perennial jobber Virgil in less than four minutes in front of 80,000-plus people at Wembley Stadium in London. Wacholz's pay for the show was an estimated $8,000 to $9,000 – which was good pay for what was basically a squash match. The wrestler wasn't satisfied with it, however. When McMahon paid him, Wacholz snapped and attacked his boss.

The subsequent lawsuits were ugly, and Wacholz actually helped McMahon and WWE more than he hindered them. Wacholz never worked for the WWE again and was out of wrestling by the end of the decade. No wrestling company wanted to hire Wacho'z after his problems with McMahon despite a short run in WCW. Had Wacholz stayed, he was getting ready for a main event push with The Undertaker, which would have netted him a large paycheque.

4 Surprisingly Still Speaks To: Ted DiBiase

Ted DiBiase left the WWE just as the Monday Night Wars were heating up. As Eric Bischoff spent Ted Turner's money to buy up every former WWE star, DiBiase was just another to move to Atlanta and join WCW. "The Million Dollar Man" gimmick is one of the most remembered in wrestling history. It was a child-friendly version of Ric Flair in the mid-1980s with a dash of Vince McMahon on top. It worked during the height of the Wall Street, money and greed over everything else days of the decade. However, DiBiase's time with the company ended in such a way, it was like he wasn't as important of a past player as he truly was.

Despite leaving the company for WCW in 1996, time healed the wounds between DiBiase and McMahon.

In 2010, "The Million Dollar Man" was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. His son, Ted Jr, also became as WWE superstar for a short time. Although DiBiase's other son, Brett, didn't make it to the main roster, he did have some success in Florida Championship Wrestling. DiBiase also worked for the WWE again as part of the creative team, but according to MLW's Court Bauer, quickly resigned due to the stress and workload.

3 No Longer Speaks To: John Nord

John Nord was a big, burly, brawling wrestler in the mold of Bruiser Brody. The two even tag teamed in AWA in 1986 to take on Greg Gagne and Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka in a cage match at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. Brody taught Nord a lot of what he knew and it may have shown in the way the latter worked with promoters. After working the territories and always being a wrestler tipped for great things, but never fulfilling his potential, Nord signed with the WWE in 1991. He joined the company during a transition period. The company was moving from Hulkamania and into a less kid-friendly product. However, the WWE wasn't quite there and McMahon continued to trot out wrestlers with bizarre gimmicks. Nord was given the Berzerker gimmick, which in actuality was a WWE cartoon version of Brody.

The Berzerker was actually a clever gimmick as he would throw his opponents over the top rope to the floor and win by count out. It was different and unique, despite the lame sword and Viking helmet he wore to the ring. Nord's days were numbered as he stood watch over the door for Kevin Wacholz when he attacked McMahon in December 1992. Although Nord stuck around a few weeks more, he was released in February 1993.

2 Surprisingly Still Speaks To: Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon have had a love-hate relationship for around 25 years. Hogan made McMahon and the WWE; and conversely, McMahon and the WWE made Hogan into a megastar. In 1994, after more than 10 years with the WWE, Hogan joined McMahon's biggest rival WCW. The Hulkster did the unthinkable as he became the first big money player to sign with Ted Turner's wrestling company. It must have been a surreal moment for McMahon, who wasn't just Hogan's boss, but a friend. The two needed each other to achieve success, and according to a King Kong Bundy shoot interview, McMahon was always willing to pay Hogan what the grappler believed he deserved.

The two were so close at one time, they allegedly wrote the film script to No Holds Barred during a weekend writing session. McMahon and Hogan were also neighbours for a decade and worked out together. Looking more into their relationship, it seems that Eric Bischoff tried to emulate it when he lured Hogan to Atlanta. Despite the ups and downs Hogan and McMahon have had, the two have been instrumental with the other's career. It won't be long until we see Hogan back in the WWE.

1 Surprisingly Still Speaks To: "Superstar" Billy Graham

"Superstar" Billy Graham was one of the most unique wrestlers of his era. It was Graham that helped influence Vince McMahon's transition of the WWE into a more "show business" orientated product rather than traditional wrestling. Some wrestling historians say Graham came 20 years too early, and if he had been in his prime in the 1980s or 1990s, he would have been even bigger an attraction. By the mid-1980s, as the WWE was expanding across the United States and Canada, Graham's physical problems prevented him from being a major part of McMahon's plans. Graham's performance enhancer use and wrestling in rock-hard rings during the 1970s had taken their toll on his body.

In 1986, after two previous spells in the WWE, Graham returned once more.

He was a shell of his former self and just over a year later, Graham was forced into retirement due to injury. McMahon paid for Graham's subsequent surgeries and employed him as a commentator. However, Graham would come out against the WWE in the early 1990s and even blackmail the company. He was blacklisted for awhile but came back in 2004 and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. More recently, the outspoken former WWWF World Heavyweight Champion criticized Ronda Rousey as a UFC failure and an insult to "Rowdy" Roddy Piper.