10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Jan 18)
10. WWE Banned Video Games Before UpUpDownDown Made Money
Video games are brilliant. That's it, end of discussion.
Up until around four years ago, WWE disagreed. To them, the thought of talent setting up game rooms filled with PS4s and Xbox Ones backstage was abhorrent, and so they banned such activity outright. Why? Well, they thought it would distract everyone from the show, and they didn't change their mind until Xavier Woods used gaming to make them money.
During an interview with the Sports Interactive Network, Woods told how his UpUpDownDown gaming channel was an ugly duckling of WWE content until it started generating cash. Suddenly, that changed company minds, and they started to see the social value of wrestlers getting together for a little Tekken, FIFA or Madden action.
Xavier likened the fun sessions to how older workers would play cards back in the day. He also revealed that gaming areas are called 'Lab Rooms' by WWE stars because that's where they're "cooking". We're not sure if that's too hip for us or rather cringeworthy.