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The wrestling industry is unlike any other out there, combining elements of live theatre and sports with an added dose of travelling carnival culture. Over the years, one of the most talked-about aspects of behind the scenes life in pro wrestling is the culture of politicking, and speaking on "Busted Open Radio," WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray explained why wrestlers frown upon talking behind each other's backs.
"We work things out amongst each other," Bully Ray said. "If me and Mark Henry are having a match and it takes us two hours to come up with the match and we can't come to an agreement, we will continue to talk and hash it out, face-to-face, man-to-man. ... But we will never go behind each other's back or go into business for ourselves ... and we do not respect guys and gals in this business who do so."
That doesn't mean that there aren't wrestlers who break this unspoken code of conduct. In the past, if it was discovered that a performer had attempted to speak negatively about another wrestler while putting themself over to someone backstage, wrestlers took the matter into their own hands.
"I witnessed somebody get beat up in the ring and made to look like a complete fool because he went behind the boys' back to the agent and politicked for himself," Bully Ray continued. "And that happens. Now, we've come a long way since then. ... If you're politicking for the match or a strong idea — that's one thing. If you're politicking for yourself, nobody wins."
Bully Ray did not specify who was the target of the retaliatory attack or reveal anyone else who had been accused of "politicking" behind the scenes. According to the radio host, this type of retaliation isn't as typical today as it was 20 or 30 years ago.
Thank you to "Busted Open Radio" for the transcription.
Photo Credit: WWE
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