WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long has provided a detailed, firsthand account of Vince McMahon’s private 80th birthday party, a two-night event held at Gotham Hall in New York City. Speaking on Sportskeeda’s “WrestleBinge,” Long, who was an invited guest, shared information on the guest list, the evening’s entertainment, and his personal interactions with McMahon, clarifying several online rumors in the process.
Upon arriving at the Saturday night party, Long initially found a random table to sit at before being approached by event staff. “I just go and sit down at a table, and they come and get me,” he recalled. “The lady says, ‘You Teddy Long?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ She said, ‘Well, you’re at Vince’s table’.”
Long noted the exclusivity of the seating arrangement, explaining that he and one other major star were the only talent from McMahon’s career seated with him. “So only [people at] that table as far as talent was me, John Cena,” Long stated.
Long also had a private conversation with McMahon on the first night. While keeping some details private, he shared McMahon’s greeting. “First thing he did say to me, said, ‘it was so nice to see you. It is so good to see you.’ And I thanked him for everything that he’s done for me,” Long said.
Addressing recent online speculation about McMahon’s health, Long reported that he appeared to be in good spirits and health. “He didn’t look bad to me… His face looked like it might have been a little swole or something like that, but he looked nice to me,” he said. “Had on a nice suit both nights. Man. I mean, he was getting around, moving around, he looked great to me.”
Furthering this point, Long observed McMahon slipping back into his familiar role as a producer during the event. “Vince had his headset on too. And it just reminded me of him at TVs, you know, walking around, doing his thing,” Long observed. “I think it was great for him too, because he was like back at work, you know. He loves this.”
Long also corrected widespread online rumors that musical acts like AC/DC and Kid Rock had performed at the party. He confirmed this was not the case.
Instead, the main performer for the evening was country and rock star Jelly Roll. “Entertainment was Jelly Roll. Jelly Roll came out,” Long stated. He added that there was also “another choir there that was from Brooklyn or New York or somewhere, a black choir,” and an opera-style singer who performed at the beginning of the event.
Regarding the McMahon family, Long confirmed that Shane McMahon was in attendance. He also noted that Paul “Triple H” Levesque was there with his and Stephanie’s daughters, who are Vince’s granddaughters. “[Hunter] brought them up and had them sing happy birthday to him,” he said.
When asked specifically about Stephanie McMahon’s presence, Long gave a definitive answer: “No, Stephanie was not there.”
The guest list was extensive, featuring a mix of legends and current stars. Long confirmed seeing Jerry Lawler, Sgt. Slaughter, The Godfather, The Undertaker, Bruce Prichard, Booker T, R-Truth, Sheamus, and Drew McIntyre at the party.
The private celebration was one of the first known large-scale gatherings for McMahon since his resignation from TKO Group Holdings in January 2024. McMahon resigned from his role as TKO Executive Chairman days after a lawsuit was filed against him by former WWE employee Janel Grant. The lawsuit accuses McMahon of serious misconduct, including sex trafficking and abuse. McMahon has denied the allegations.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Sportskeeda WrestleBinge with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
