Michael Cole Claims Vince McMahon Never Let Him Fully Be Himself in WWE

Michael Cole just gave some real insight into WWE’s culture shift, and it all comes down to the company’s leadership change.

During an appearance on Impaulsive, Cole told Logan Paul that under Vince McMahon, he never had the freedom to fully express himself. “I was never really able to break out,” Cole admitted. “Vince was very hands-on, and everything had to fit his vision. It was his sandbox.”

McMahon’s strict control over WWE meant that everything, including commentary, had to follow his rules. But now, with Triple H and WWE President Nick Khan leading the charge, Cole says things have changed in a big way. “We’re allowed to have bigger personalities now,” he explained. “You’re seeing the real Michael Cole—the guy who crowd surfs, who gets on tables, who jokes around. That would’ve never happened under Vince.”

Beyond the creative freedom, Cole said WWE’s new leadership actually makes him feel valued. “For the first time in my career, I really felt like I was important to this place,” he shared. “The paycheck was part of it, but the way the new regime treats us… it’s night and day.”

This shift isn’t just affecting the commentary team—it’s changing WWE as a whole. Wrestlers now have more control over their promos and are able to speak in their own voices. “Before, Vince controlled everything,” Cole said. “Now, wrestlers are delivering promos in their own voices, and it’s making the product better.”

Cole even admitted that he considered walking away from WWE, but the company’s evolution played a big role in his decision to stay. “I was considering stepping away, but my wife told me, ‘This is your legacy.’ And she was right.”

Michael Cole has been a staple of WWE for nearly 30 years, but even he admits the company feels completely different without Vince McMahon running the show. From breaking out of his old, rigid role to finally feeling valued, Cole is embracing WWE’s evolution in a way that never would have been possible before. Whether it’s wrestlers delivering unscripted promos or announcers letting loose at ringside, WWE’s new era is here—and Cole is all in.