Five Biggest Backstage Politicians in Wrestling History?

[GlitchMarner]

Not counting guys like Shane, Vince McMahon, Vince Russo, Bischoff etc..

Other than Hogan, I like all these guys to an an extent (although I do like Hogan's Hollywood stuff), but I'm wondering if it would be fair to say the five biggest backstage politicians in wrestling history are:

Hulk Hogan
Shawn Michaels
Triple H
Jeff Jarrett
Stone Cold Steve Austin

Click to read more...

 

[swflyers93]

Kevin Nash
Vince Russo
Bret Hart
Ric Flair
John Cena (rumored)

 

[GlitchMarner]

Kevin Nash
Vince Russo
Bret Hart
Ric Flair
John Cena (rumored)

Hart? What's he rumored to have done? I don't recall having heard of any shenanigans he was allegedly involved in.

 

[JackSlater]

The most impressive politician to me is Hogan given what he was able to get out of WWF and then WCW even after his popularity waned. Tri is hard to rank because marrying Vince's daughter almost seems like cheating. Dusty Rhodes would be high up too. I'm sure that there are plenty of politicians before the 1990s who haven't come up yet, particularly since wrestlers often got to be bookers then.

 

[BostonBob]

Hogan and Nash are definitely my top 2 picks. My 2nd tier would include guys like Michaels, Triple H, JBL, Dusty Rhodes, DDP and Cena.

 

[JackSlater]

Hogan and Nash are definitely my top 2 picks. My 2nd tier would include guys like Michaels, Triple H, JBL, Dusty Rhodes, DDP and Cena.

DDP? He was friendly with Bischoff (very friendly if you buy the Kimberley rumour I suppose) but he worked pretty hard to advance in WCW. He was subsequently buried once he got to WWE.

 

[BostonBob]

Hogan and Nash are definitely my top 2 picks. My 2nd tier would include guys like Michaels, Triple H, JBL, Dusty Rhodes, DDP and Cena.

DDP? He was friendly with Bischoff (very friendly if you buy the Kimberley rumour I suppose) but he worked pretty hard to advance in WCW.

DDP certainly worked hard but being friends with Bischoff, Nash and Hall certainly helped a lot too.

 

[Kaner9]

DDP? He was friendly with Bischoff (very friendly if you buy the Kimberley rumour I suppose) but he worked pretty hard to advance in WCW. He was subsequently buried once he got to WWE.

What rumor?

 

[JackSlater]

What rumor?

Wife swap, basically.

 

[BostonBob]

Wife swap, basically.

Kind of gives " Feel the Bang " a whole new meaning.

 

[JackSlater]

Kind of gives " Feel the Bang " a whole new meaning.

 

[HandsomeHollywood]

Hogan, Michaels, Tri. After that is a crapshoot really. These 3 have the most smoke to them, easily.

 

[End of Line]

Hogan
HBK
Nash
Trips
JBL

 

[ColePens]

Idk why people always think Cena worked to get his. I think Cena's biggest issue was that he constantly said yes no matter what and never thought for a second others would be buried (cough Nexus...cough cough Bray). So that is what Cena did wrong but I don't think that fits in with guys purposely working backstage for their betterment.

 

[JackSlater]

Idk why people always think Cena worked to get his. I think Cena's biggest issue was that he constantly said yes no matter what and never thought for a second others would be buried (cough Nexus...cough cough Bray). So that is what Cena did wrong but I don't think that fits in with guys purposely working backstage for their betterment.

That's almost exactly what I think of Cena. The ultimate company yes man basically. I don't think there is a lot of guile in his backstage manoeuvering.

I'll add an older one. I've heard about Ernie Ladd being quite adept at backstage politics, particularly when it came to Watts' promotions. I find it funny that when he was in a dispute with a promoter he would walk out to the ring and slowly circle it before walking backstage again. At that point everyone knew that he was in the building and if the promoter didn't pay the fans wouldn't see him wrestle or hear him talk.

 

[Fixxer]

By politician, I guess you mean guys who stayed around Vince to control what's going on :

Kevin Nash
Shawn Michaels
Triple H
Vince Russo

 

[Rogue Leader]

I am sure about Shawn Michaels and Triple H, but I guess they are the most obvious.
Can you guys tell or explain why you think some of the guys are good at what they do for not so much wrestling educated fans like me. I really like to know more - but it's very hard to learn wrestling spicy things, because there seems to be so much secrecy still!

 

[Transplanted Caper]

Vince if he counts. Sounds like he plays mind games with everyone and keeps them off balance. If not, Hogan wins this going away. Even people who worked closely with him - and benefited from him like Nash - tell stories of thinking they were finally getting somewhere only to hear "doesn't work for me, brother". HHH sounds like he knew how to get Vince's ear, though there's some difference there given the relationship.

 

[JackSlater]

I am sure about Shawn Michaels and Triple H, but I guess they are the most obvious.
Can you guys tell or explain why you think some of the guys are good at what they do for not so much wrestling educated fans like me. I really like to know more - but it's very hard to learn wrestling spicy things, because there seems to be so much secrecy still!

Based on interviews with wrestlers, podcasts, books, Meltzer's reports. All of these things are based on accounts of wrestlers though, and since wrestlers are almost always not exactly believable you have to really consider the source and their motivation. When a guy is in a prominent spot but isn't really a draw that warrants such a spot, you're probably looking at a good wrestling politician.

 

[Rogue Leader]

Based on interviews with wrestlers, podcasts, books, Meltzer's reports. All of these things are based on accounts of wrestlers though, and since wrestlers are almost always not exactly believable you have to really consider the source and their motivation. When a guy is in a prominent spot but isn't really a draw that warrants such a spot, you're probably looking at a good wrestling politician.

This truly seems very interesting! I would really like to analyze for myself and find some! Can you give me your opinion about Rusev?!?! It seemed he just needed a small push and the crowd really loved him, but for some reason he was / is always so much hated by Vince and management? I really liked him and I feel they wasted his potential! : (

 

[JackSlater]

This truly seems very interesting! I would really like to analyze for myself and find some! Can you give me your opinion about Rusev?!?! It seemed he just needed a small push and the crowd really loved him, but for some reason he was / is always so much hated by Vince and management? I really liked him and I feel they wasted his potential! : (

Rusev has gotten popular at times, but it does seem like WWE management won't support him. I doubt that he has any pwoerful friends backstage to give him a leg up. Take Sheamus for example, Rusev is clearly better than Sheamus and has gotten himself over more than Sheamus ever has, but Sheamus is buddies with HHH and Rusev isn't. Rusev also got in "trouble" for revealing his wedding with Lana on social media when they were supposed to be feuding in storyline, which would make sense in 1988 but didn't make very much sense in 2016.

 

[Rogue Leader]

Rusev has gotten popular at times, but it does seem like WWE management won't support him. I doubt that he has any pwoerful friends backstage to give him a leg up. Take Sheamus for example, Rusev is clearly better than Sheamus and has gotten himself over more than Sheamus ever has, but Sheamus is buddies with HHH and Rusev isn't. Rusev also got in "trouble" for revealing his wedding with Lana on social media when they were supposed to be feuding in storyline, which would make sense in 1988 but didn't make very much sense in 2016.

Thank you for the wonderful explanation! This makes sense to me now! It truly makes me realize how important the politics are! Can you tell me - I saw a recent episode and there is this guy who is like a teacher with some fun house, but turns into a demon! Is he very popular now? He reminded me of Kane/Undertaker a long time ago, but he seems stronger and people can’t do damage to him - he can really handle a beating. I was actually a bit scared!

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

1. Jesse Ventura
2. Bob Backlund
3. Kane
4. Ludvig Borga
5. Antonio Inoki

 

[dahrougem2]

Rusev has gotten popular at times, but it does seem like WWE management won't support him. I doubt that he has any pwoerful friends backstage to give him a leg up. Take Sheamus for example, Rusev is clearly better than Sheamus and has gotten himself over more than Sheamus ever has, but Sheamus is buddies with HHH and Rusev isn't. Rusev also got in "trouble" for revealing his wedding with Lana on social media when they were supposed to be feuding in storyline, which would make sense in 1988 but didn't make very much sense in 2016.

Disagree on Sheamus. You can get over as a face or a heel, and Sheamus was flat out hated as a heel when he first debuted. Made a perfect heel.

 

[DaaaaB's]

1. Jesse Ventura
2. Bob Backlund
3. Kane
4. Ludvig Borga
5. Antonio Inoki

That's a weird list.