GCW Owner Jokes That Stephanie McMahon Is 'Gang Affiliated'

Stephanie McMahon may be the co-CEO and Chairwoman of WWE, but GCW owner Brett Lauderdale says she's down with Nick Gage and MDK. Lauderdale has referred to McMahon as a close personal friend, and there have been rumblings of a possible business relationship between GCW and WWE, which Lauderdale addressed during a recent interview with Wrestling Inc.'s Nick Hausman.

"Well, with this point, we know lots of people in every company, all the larger companies," Lauderdale said. "A lot of people that work for WWE or AEW started at GCW or came through GCW. So we have lots of friends in high places and all these companies. Not just WWE or AEW, even beyond that. So we've always done our best to do good business and keep good relationships with everybody, and sometimes it pays off in ways where we get invited to nice things or nice places and we enjoy it as much as the next person. So our good friend Stephanie was so gracious to host us at WrestleMania, and we thank her for that."

When asked if McMahon is a fan of the death match style on which GCW was built, encapsulated by reigning GCW World Champion Nick Gage, Lauderdale jokingly confirmed that McMahon was a Gage fan.

"She's definitely gang affiliated," Lauderdale said. "She's definitely part of the MDK gang."

Lauderdale also feels the post-Vince McMahon regime in WWE has a better grasp on developments in other wrestling promotions.

"I think Stephanie and the current regime there, I think that they're very aware of what goes on and the wrestling world outside of just their bubble these days, and they have to be," he said.