No matter how talented a wrestler may be, things sometimes boil down to that adage “it’s not what you know
but who you know: “ Top 15 Most Shocking WWE Referrals That You Are Probably Not Aware off “
15.Brutus Beefcake (Hulk Hogan):
Ed Leslie’s wrestling career dates back to when he teamed with Hulk Hogan in the late 70’s,
working as the tag team the Boulder Brothers.
Leslie and Hogan became so well-known together that rumors circulated they were actually brothers.
Although both men were as close as brothers, there was no family bond.
Their friendship led to Hogan bringing Leslie into the WWF as Brutus Beefcake
Beefcake where Beefcake teamed with Greg “The Hammer” Valentine
to form WWF Tag Team Championship pair, “The Dream Team.”
Beefcake has feuded with Hogan and teamed with him, both in WWF and WCW
Sadly, both men are feuding in real life.
14. Diesel (Shawn Michaels)
“The Heartbreak Kid” was fast becoming a top star in the WWF’s singles division,
despite his smaller stature
However, when bigger wrestlers began refusing to sell for Michaels, he realized he needed a solution
In his memoir Heartbreak and Triumph, Michaels recalls
watching WCW programming and discovering the promotion’s 6’10” Vinnie Vegas.
Michaels asked Vince McMahon to sign Vegas, but McMahon balked,
, protesting he didn’t want to deal with someone under contract to WCW.
Michaels talked to Nash who in turn, talked to WCW booker Ole Anderson;
telling him he wanted to give up wrestling and return to being a bouncer.
Anderson gave Nash his release and soon, Kevin Nash was Shawn Michaels’ bodyguard Diesel,
providing the muscle and outside interference needed for Michaels to realistically beat larger opponents.
13. Samoa Joe (John Cena):
Samoa Joe fans wondered if the Samoan Submission Machine would
ever make it into the WWE before he was eligible for Social Security retirement benefits.
Joe, who made a name for himself in Ring of Honor and TNA, was finally
signed to the WWE in 2015, but his ties to the company go much further back.
In 2000, Joe was working in the WWF’s
WWF’s developmental territory Ultimate Pro Wrestling, including a feud with John Cena.
Joe put in a good word for Cena, and eventually Cena signed with the WWE.
Over a decade later, Cena returned the favor, suggesting Vince McMahon hire Joe, despite Vince’s reservations.
12. Charlotte Flair (Ric Flair):
It’s not easy being the child of the sixteen-time world champion if you’re
thinking of following in your father’s footprints.
Sadly, Ric Flair’s sons David and Reid were never able to find lasting success in the ring,
but Flair’s daughter Charlotte did, quickly becoming one of the top women wrestlers in the WWE.
Charlotte went from personal trainer to ring-savvy veteran,
working in NXT before a successful career in the WWE’s women’s division.
11. Steve Williams (Jim Ross)
Wrestling’s “Dr. Death” Steve Williams boasted a solid career
in Mid-South Wrestling, WCW, and All Japan Pro Wrestling.
Williams, a former right guard for the Oklahoma Sooners’ college football team,
was considered one of wrestling’s legit tough guys and Williams’ friend
Jim Ross saw potential in a Steve Williams vs. Steve Austin program in the WWF.
When Vince Russo devised the WWF’s shoot fight tournament Brawl for All
Ross figured Williams would win the tournament, cementing his spot as
as “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s next big opponent.
Ross talked the WWF into hiring Williams but things didn’t
didn’t go as planned; Williams tore a hamstring during Brawl for All,
and was side-lined by the injury, leading to his dismissal from the WWF.
10. Dustin Rhodes (Dusty Rhodes):
The grandson of a plumber began wrestling in 1988, lacing
up the boots in Championship Wrestling from Florida.
When Dusty wrestled in the WWF as the polka-dot wearing “Working Man”,
he asked Vinnie Mac to hire his son Dustin. Dusty and Dustin teamed to face
Ted DiBiase and Virgil, but the duo’s WWF run was short-lived, and they left the company after 1991’s Royal Rumble
Dustin went to work in WCW while big daddy Dusty was booker,
and eventually returned to the WWF for his career-defining role as Goldust.
9. “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan (Jake Roberts):
Several big-name WWF Superstars passed through Bill Watts’ Mid-South Wrestling before entering the WWF.
These include Jake “The Snake” Roberts, “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase,
and the One Man Gang aka Akeem.
When Jake Roberts got to the WWF, he recommended his good friend Jim Duggan
to Vince McMahon and “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan became a WWF regular
Jake “The Snake” stayed in touch with “Hacksaw,”
even after Duggan was fired in 1987 following an arrest for drug possession
(made even worse when he was caught with kayfabe rival, the Iron Sheik in the same car).
Duggan eventually returned and is now a WWE Hall of Famer.
8. Barry Darsow (Bill Eadie):
Barry Darsow and Bill Eadie are two wrestlers who have had successful careers in different identities,
but nothing as successful as their team as Ax and Smash of Demolition
Darsow had enjoyed a run in Jim Crockett Promotions as Krusher Kruschev, an American turned Russian
sympathizer who teamed with the much-hated and feared team of Nikita and Ivan Koloff.
Eadie had enjoyed a singles run as the Masked Superstar, working around the NWA and the WWF.
When the WWF decided to form Demolition, they paired Eadie
(Demolition Ax) with Randy Colley (formerly of the Moondogs).
However, fans recognized Colley, causing the WWF to regroup.
Eadie had worked with Darsow before and recommended him to the WWF to become Demolition Smash
Darsow and Eadie would enjoy three reigns as WWF Tag Team champions
including a record for the longest combined reign of any team.
7. Owen Hart (Bret Hart):
Despite the size of the Hart wrestling family, Bret Hart was the only member to gain any success in the WWF,
starting off in the Hart Foundation tag team before branching out into singles success.
Bret’s baby brother Owen landed a job as the masked man The Blue Blazer,
but his career didn’t amount to much, despite his solid wrestling skills.
Owen’s abilities had caught the attention of New Japan Pro Wrestling, but big brother
Bret knew Owen needed help to succeed in the WWF.
That’s when Bret used his clout to bring Owen into the WWF,
leading to a program where the brothers worked a bitter feud.
This elevated Owen from enhancement talent to the upper card,
including a run as a member of Bret Hart’s heel faction, the Hart Foundation.
6. Terry Funk (Mick Foley):
Rock-n-Wrestling era fans likely remember Terry Funk’s run in the WWF
where he feuded with the Junkyard Dog, and even brought in brother Dory Funk
Jr. (billed as “Hoss” Funk) to help him out against the JYD.
Terry Funk had a short but memorable program with WWF
champion Hulk Hogan as well, but left the WWF on a bad note, seemingly ruining any chance of a return.
At least that’s what fans thought until the Mick Foley
championed the company to bring Terry back in 1997 during Foley’s feud with the New Age Outlaws.
5. Colt Cabana (CM Punk)
Colt Cabana and CM Punk became close friends while working their way
up the ladder of success in the indie circuit.
Whether they teamed as the Second City Saints, or battled each other, the two became close friends
thus it’s no surprise CM Punk put in a good word for Cabana once Punk arrived in the WWE.
As Punk’s WWE stock increased, he pressed for Cabana to get on the main roster,
but for whatever reason, things didn’t click and Cabana was eventually let go from the WWE.
Although the two men are no longer close friends, Punk’s efforts to help Cabana succeed
in the WWE show how knowing someone in the company can help get your foot in the door.
4. Kane (Jim Cornette):
As Slat Rock subscribers know, Glen Jacobs worked through awful gimmicks
before he landed the role of a lifetime —playing the Undertaker’s disturbed brother Kane
Jacobs caught the attention of Smokey Mountain owner and promoter
Jim Cornette, who brought the big man into his territory as Unabomb.
When Cornette went to work in the WWF,
he put in a good word for Jacobs, leading to Jacobs getting a try-out and a spot in the company.
Although Jacobs had to play the demented dentist Isaac Yankem and the faux version of Diesel
his persistence paid off when he landed the role of Kane, one he’s played for 20 years now.
3. The Undertaker (Hulk Hogan):
While Hulk Hogan’s films are known as the cinematic equivalent of a garbage dump
Hogan’s film Suburban Commando is largely responsible for the Undertaker’s WWE career.
On his podcast, Something to Wrestle With, Bruce Prichard described how
Hogan was impressed with Calaway’s size and look while working with him on Suburban Commando
Hogan alerted Vince McMahon to Calaway’s potential and Calaway was packaged as the Undertaker
receiving a monster push and winning the WWF championship just a year after his Survivor Series debut.
Sadly, Hogan is at odds with the Undertaker as he claims ‘Taker injured his neck with a Tombstone piledriver.
2. Liv Morgan (Enzo Amore)
Enzo Amore worked with Liv Morgan when Amore was managing a Hooter’s restaurant.
After landing a job in NXT, “The Realest Guy in the Room” put in a good word
for his former employee and Morgan was hired
Amore and Morgan began dating,
but eventually broke up, reportedly due to Enzo cheating on her.
Enzo has been a heat magnet for much of 2017,
and rumor (just a rumor guys) has it one of the reasons is because he cheated on Morgan.
1. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin (Kevin Nash):
Steve Austin and Kevin Nash forged a friendship when
they worked for the WWE’s number-one rival WCW.
In 1996, Kevin Nash was main eventing the WWE,
and he used his pull to help Austin (who’d been fired by Eric Bischoff) land a spot in the WWE.
Jim Ross, who was also familiar with Austin’s work, lobbied on the future “Stone Cold’s” behalf as well
Austin got in, despite Vince McMahon’s hesitations about Austin’s accent.
Ironically, Kevin Nash left the WWE in 1996,
forcing the WWE to look for new stars, one of whom happened to be Steve Austin.
Well guys there you have it - Top 15 Most Shocking WWE Referrals That You Are Probably Not Aware off
If you like this video , please check our previous video - Top 10 WWE Stars Who Constantly Botch In The Ring
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