When did "If you're a star in WWE it doesn't matter what you did outside of it" thing start ?

[jminter2698]

I heard Triple H and Stephanie McMahon say that about Ronda Rousey before WrestleMania 34, despite the fact that her prior success as a Mixed Martial Artist in the UFC when she was undefeated (before she lost to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes) and her numerous appearances for television and in the movies was what caught the WWE's attention but once Rousey got there HHH and Stephanie said "Everything you did before the WWE doesn't matter" if that meant in the context of her not having a wrestling match prior to WrestleMania 34, I understood that but to say her previous work outside of wrestling doesn't matter when it was the very thing that got her in it in the first place is bogus. They even do this to their own wrestlers who came from WCW or ECW, TNA or New Japan Pro Wrestling. When did this happen ?

 

[Jay-Ashley]

This has always been a thing for a long time. Vince doesn't care what you did outside of WWE because that doesn't mean you will do well in the WWE, which I agree with to a extent because outside of WWE wrestling is still wrestling while in WWE it is a performance art of sort you could say. Chris Jericho has said in a interview before that Vince told him everything you did before in you were in WWE didn't matter, and I beileve he even Kurt that his gold medal didn't mean anything to him as well, though I can be wrong on that.

 

[Redboy123@]

HHH and Stephanie are playing characters... The fact that Rousey has done stuff outside WWE is the reason she got signed.

I think that the fact WWE recognises accomplishment of wrestlers outside WWE means that they are not scared to talk about it. Heck, the WWE championship match at Mania was based on two wrestlers success in New Japan.

I think its a very healthy way to handle the talent. Just cuz you have been successful elsewhere doesn't mean you are going to make it big in the WWE. Makes the talent continue to work hard (even though they probably would have anyway) and not have the mentality that they were big stars just cuz they won a title in TNA. This will ensure that they are still working hard to prove themselves.

 

[Unbesiegbar]

80's probably remember Harley Race and Dusty Rhodes. Heck you could argue Ricky Steamboat. Flair was probably the first to get recognition in 1991-92 I want to say

 

[Redboy123@]

The biggest non Wwe star today is an absolute nobody to the mainstream

 

[SWL]

they don't do it as much as they used to anymore, especially with all sorts of documentaries and YouTube videos (like the "Formerly Known As ____" videos), a wrestler's past has never been more transparent in-and outside of the company. Nowadays they even try and capitalize off of what wrestlers did before joining the E. Obviously they're never going to be specific about certain things on TV or in storylines but they'll definitely throw in a "they know each other from Japan" or "he's wrestled all over the world before signing with WWE", which wasn't a thing a couple years ago.

And if they actually do tell newly signed talent backstage that "nothing you did before matters", it probably just serves as a motivation for them to not sit on their ass and rely on what they've already accomplished. AJ Styles is a perfect example. He came in, delivered every time he stepped in there and ended up getting rewarded for it. I doubt that Vince ever really gave a shit about where he came from or what he did before coming here, the only thing he cared about was if Styles was able to put on great performances or not

 

[Redboy123@]

If fans get pissed because Wwe think what wrestlers have done outside Wwe means nothing, then they are extremely short sighted.

 

[Dat Girl]

They mention AJ Styles is a former IWGP champion when he first debut, as well as showed his TNA history and showed Daniel Bryan in ROH and others. I can see why they would say that though, since being successful elsewhere doesn't guarantee they'll be successful in WWE.

And Cody gets roles in Arrow, to say people are an absolute nobody outside WWE is rather short sighted, even if it isn't the biggest role.

 

[Unbesiegbar]

They mention AJ Styles is a former IWGP champion when he first debut, as well as showed his TNA history and showed Daniel Bryan in ROH and others. I can see why they would say that though, since being successful elsewhere doesn't guarantee they'll be successful in WWE.

And Cody gets roles in Arrow, to say people are an absolute nobody outside WWE is rather short sighted, even if it isn't the biggest role.

Cody was in WWE when started being besties with Amell

 

[Redboy123@]

Being in arrow means fuck all. It's like being a contestant on the price is right.

 

[Unbesiegbar]

Being in arrow means fuck all. It's like being a contestant on the price is right.

:

 

[Mr. Roman Empire]

WWE is the Big League's. Whether if u think that other wrestling promotions have better content, it don't matter. WWE is the platform where people can make the big bucks and become big names. WWE is the NFL, MLB, UFC, NBA, of the wrestling business. Being good at a sport in College, Minors, or Amateurs can get your foot in the door, but once you are there, it won't be enough to carry you.

 

[Zardnaar]

This has always been a thing for a long time. Vince doesn't care what you did outside of WWE because that doesn't mean you will do well in the WWE, which I agree with to a extent because outside of WWE wrestling is still wrestling while in WWE it is a performance art of sort you could say. Chris Jericho has said in a interview before that Vince told him everything you did before in you were in WWE didn't matter, and I beileve he even Kurt that his gold medal didn't mean anything to him as well, though I can be wrong on that.

It kind of depends on how big of a star you are.

For example Hogan was a big star in the AWA, Roddy Piper was also a draw and they got big storylines and pushes. If you were a midcarder or less then obviously you mattered less. Can also come down to how much Vince respects you (he respected Flair and Sting).

So I would say after he stared the other shows like the Rumble and that and the AWA/NWA guys became WWF guys it became a lot harder after that and most got new gimmicks and kinda died. Some got over obviously but they more or less worked their way out of the mid card to do it (Diesel, Hall, Austin).

So early 90's maybe after Flair you tended to get buried if you were big but it was possible to work your way up from the midcard with new gimmicks (WCW guys generally- Hall, Nash, Austin, Eddie, Jericho). They were not massive draws in WCW though.

Hogan, Macho, Bret, Shawn all came from elsewhere as well, but if you watch early Royal Rumbles you can see their position on the card. I think Shawn was eliminated quickly in the 1990 one perhaps offscreen even.

 

[Jay-Ashley]

It kind of depends on how big of a star you are.

For example Hogan was a big star in the AWA, Roddy Piper was also a draw and they got big storylines and pushes. If you were a midcarder or less then obviously you mattered less. Can also come down to how much Vince respects you (he respected Flair and Sting).

So I would say after he stared the other shows like the Rumble and that and the AWA/NWA guys became WWF guys it became a lot harder after that and most got new gimmicks and kinda died. Some got over obviously but they more or less worked their way out of the mid card to do it (Diesel, Hall, Austin).

So early 90's maybe after Flair you tended to get buried if you were big but it was possible to work your way up from the midcard with new gimmicks (WCW guys generally- Hall, Nash, Austin, Eddie, Jericho). They were not massive draws in WCW though.

Hogan, Macho, Bret, Shawn all came from elsewhere as well, but if you watch early Royal Rumbles you can see their position on the card. I think Shawn was eliminated quickly in the 1990 one perhaps offscreen even.

Cool

 

[Zardnaar]

Cool

I thought about it some more. Its roughly 1990-93, Flair was probably one of the last they brought in as is, 1990 Mark came from WCW and was repackaged as Taker. Hall was repackaged along with Nash, Austin etc.

They did that sometime in the 80's but if you were a big star in another territory often you came in as is or close to it. Perfect /Million Dollar Man were repackaged though along with some others so it was done. Sometimes they might give you a new gimmick but in the 90's you normally got the new gimmick most of the time. Roughly coincides with the territories dying off and WCW becoming a bit player (89 or so). Mid to late 80''s (around the time I started watching in 88 but the episodes were out of date WM IV was mah 1st), almost universal in the 90's.