When Diamond Dallas Page joined WWE in 2001 following the WCW buyout, fans expected the three-time world champion to take his place among the main event stars. Instead, he was cast in one of WWE’s most infamous storylines as a stalker obsessed with The Undertaker’s wife, Sara. During an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Page reflected on the controversial angle, his first meeting with Vince McMahon, and what he learned from the experience.

Recalling his initial encounter with McMahon, Page said it came hours late due to traffic. “When I walk in, Vince of course sticks out his hand, I go, ‘I’m not shaking your hand, bro. I’ve waited my whole life to meet you. I’m hugging you,’” he said. That meeting quickly turned into a creative pitch. “They told me they wanted me to stalk Taker’s wife. And I’m married at the time. Yes. And Vince is there, Shane’s there, and Kimberly’s there,” Page explained, noting his then-wife’s presence during the discussion.

Page admitted that if he had been in WCW, where he had more control and credibility, his reaction would have been far different. “If I was in WCW, if they told me that bullsh** angle, I’d go, ‘f*ck you,’” he said. “Seriously? I’m going to be stalking somebody else’s wife?” But as a newcomer in WWE, he felt he lacked the leverage to say no. “I didn’t realize… there was no reason for me to think that they were going to, you know, not even give me an opportunity,” he added.

The storyline, now remembered as one of the biggest creative missteps of the Invasion era, derailed what could have been a major run for DDP. In hindsight, he views it as a key learning moment in his career. “The thing that it taught me was you can’t be afraid to walk away from the table when you have something that you know they want,” Page said. “What I should have done when he said that, I should have just done my inner voice, which would have laughed out loud and said, ‘Vince, are you looking at my wife? Seriously? Of all people, I’m going to go after Taker’s wife? Like, no. It’s a horrible idea.’”