As it turns out, WWE Hall of Famer and longtime producer Michael Hayes has opened up about his ongoing health struggles, revealing that he may require additional surgeries despite making significant progress with his weight loss and mobility.
During a fresh appearance on Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story? podcast, the 67-year-established spoke about undergoing multiple joint replacement procedures over the past several years. As an added layer to this, the lengthy recovery periods have become increasingly frustrating, hayes admitted that while the operations have helped in some areas. “I had the hip replaced in ’20, I had this replaced in ’22, I had this replaced in ’24. “I’m really sick of the recoveries. I’m so sick of surgeries, and I need more,” Hayes mentioned. The recoveries are the sh*ts.”
Hayes moreover reflected on his past substance use while explaining why he chose not to take pain medication following his surgeries. Noting that prescription painkillers had never been something he was interested in using, the WWE veteran acknowledged his history with cocaine and alcohol. I would never take pain medication when I had all those surgeries. “You know what’s funny — meanwhile, i was never a pill guy. I liked cocaine. The only reason I liked cocaine was so I could keep drinking. I hated cocaine without drinking.”
Hayes corroborated that one of his shoulders continues to cause significant discomfort, when asked whether further operations were still a possibility. “Oh, I do. Meanwhile, yeah. This shoulder’s really lackluster.”
Despite those ongoing issues, Hayes made known that he has experienced a major improvement in his overall physical condition after losing 50 pounds. He credited a combination of Wegovy and Diamond Dallas Page’s DDP Yoga program with helping him reduce his weight and regain mobility over the past year. “So I got on Wegovy about a year and two months ago, and I started doing DDP Yoga, and man, I’ve dropped 50 pounds, and my mobility is so much better now. Adding to the story, so much better.”
Hayes spoke highly of the workout program for delivering noticeable results, explaining that Page has personally developed exercises tailored to his physical limitations. Although he acknowledged that the routine was initially challenging, he commented maintaining consistency has made a significant difference. “It’s not the hardest thing in the world to do on the flip side you get results from it. It’s hard at inaugural.. Meanwhile, It’s considerably hard at first. But once you get into the routine… Dallas has made me my own workouts.”
While his new progress has been encouraging, Hayes admitted that his previous surgeries have not always met his expectations. “My shoulders are horrible. He revealed that his shoulders remain problematic and suggested that he may eventually need another procedure involving his previously replaced left hip. Even the one that got fixed ain’t impressive.. Meanwhile, It’s better than the situation was. I think my expectation level was way too high for all my surgeries.”
He continued, “The only one that really worked for me was my hip, because it’s a lot better, yet I feel the left one starting to do the little twinges so that’s probably another thing that I got to look forward to in a couple of years.”
Where he serves as Vice President of Creative Writing and Booking, hayes remains an influential figure behind the scenes in WWE. He shared that WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque has encouraged him to help develop Bobby Roode as a potential successor to his in the back role — elsewhere during the interview.
Although Hayes has not shared plans to retire, his comments highlighted both the physical challenges he continues to attendees favorite. The improvements he has made through his new lifestyle changes.