WWE Star Reveals Vince McMahon Change to His Gimmick "Nearly Killed [His] Career"
Pete Dunne looks back on the Butch days with anger.
Pete Dunne is beginning to find his footing on WWE's main roster. The Bruiserweight defeated both Xavier Woods and The Miz this past Monday on WWE Monday Night Raw to advance in the WWE Intercontinental Title No.1 Contender's Tournament, joining Jey Uso and two other competitors to be determined in an eventual fatal four-way contest to determine titleholder Bron Breakker's next challenger. Dunne's singles run comes largely due to his tag partner, Tyler Bate, being out of action for the foreseeable future with a torn pectoral. While Dunne has long been a "Triple H guy," his success, or even just his ability to get meaningful television time, on the main roster is a far cry from his career's trajectory under a previous regime.
Pete Dunne's Time as Butch "Nearly Killed" His Career
The Bruiserweight's in-ring future was bleak just a couple of years ago.
Speaking in a WWE Monday Night Raw exclusive, Pete Dunne opened up about his run as "Butch," a short-lived gimmick pivot that "nearly killed" his career.
"For Sheamus, that scumbag, to turn around and still call me Butch, to have a laugh that something that nearly killed my career, this is all I've got, man," Dunne said. "He knows that. All I've ever been and ever will be is a fighter. To be demoralized and reduced to that name, it shows what kind of person he really is. I don't deserve it. You all know that."
Dunne is currently feuding with Sheamus, his former stablemate in The Brawling Brutes. During their time together in that faction, Dunne was repackaged by former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon as "Butch," a scrappy brawler that wrestled in what looked like an old-timey newspaper boy's uniform rather than his usual singlet. This was a significant departure from the Pete Dunne that NXT UK fans knew, as from 2016 until 2020 Dunne was built up as that brand's centerpiece, a ruthless killer that was championed for his British strong style. He even reigned with the NXT UK Championship for 685 days, the longest WWE-sanctioned title run in decades before Gunther and Roman Reigns normalized it in the 2020s.
Under the McMahon regime, Dunne was planned to "be a guy that never wrestles." According to former WWE star Mansoor, McMahon's vision for Dunne as Butch was to "just attack people" but "never actually wrestle a match." WWE has since cut all ties with McMahon as he is currently facing a lawsuit for sex trafficking.
