Brian James opened up about former WWE star Aiden English's run in the company and why high-ranking officials didn't get behind the star during his alliance with Rusev.
English was an instrumental part of Rusev Day as his microphone skills came to the fore during the highly entertaining angle. Unfortunately, WWE failed to capitalize on the duo's momentum and abruptly disbanded the tag team in a forgettable feud in 2018.
Road Dogg revealed that people backstage were not too high on Aiden English's looks, which could have been why WWE dropped the idea of pushing him alongside Rusev. James, however, praised English's promo work and said that the former NXT tag team champion was competent in almost every department.
Here's what he said on his Oh...You Didn't Know podcast:
"I don't think a lot of people were behind Aiden English from the get-go, and I think it was totally about his looks. Because if it was about anything else, you would know he is extremely talented. He is great on the mic. He works now with IMPACT as a commentator and is really good at it. Did that at NXT for a while." [29:00 - 29:30]
Aiden English, whose real name is Matthew Rehwoldt, was released from WWE in 2020, and has since focused on his career in broadcasting. The former Vaudevillian even announced his in-ring retirement recently and is regularly found in IMPACT Wrestling's commentary booth.
Road Dogg on why WWE fans should not be annoyed if a superstar isn't pushed due to backstage politics
Despite showing promise to break out as a singles star, Aiden English is a talent who might not have gotten a fair shot due to backstage politics.
Fans often voice their displeasure online whenever a certain superstar isn't booked well, and Road Dogg realizes it's part and parcel of the social media era. However, the veteran said perceptions change quickly behind the scenes, and it is normal for talent to lose their push.
Road Dogg feels fans don't need to overreact if a superstar does not get the backing of the management, as it is a common phenomenon in the wrestling business. He explained:
"The only thing I can think of is like something political and something personal, and that shouldn't surprise anybody. That shouldn't anger anybody. Stuff happens behind the scenes when people change their perception of you. I'm not saying that happened in this situation, but I'm saying it does happen, and it does happen a lot in every company, where all of a sudden, you were in, and now you ain't in no more.... I'm afraid that's what was happening here. That's the deepest I'm going to dig into it." [29:31 - 30:13]
Did WWE make a big mistake with Aiden English and the memorable Rusev Day storyline? Sound off in the comments section below.
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