10 Hidden Masterminds Behind Wrestling's Biggest Ever Stars

1. Chris Kreski

Danny Davis OVW
WWE.com

...Chris Kreski did the same for an entire new crop of talent during an even bigger boom.

The man behind much of the magic that occurred in the wonderful, wonderful commercial and creative confluence of the year 2000 adhered to storyboards to reduce loose plot threads, had one of the most diverse and dynamic selection of wrestlers in industry history to work with, and utilised his creative smarts to maximise an already-energised and enthusiastic audience beyond any previous expectations.

In the absence of Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock and Triple H were unabashed megastars in their own right and the likes of The Undertaker, Kane, Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit and a prodigious Kurt Angle occupied the space just below. The Dudleys, Hardyz and Edge & Christian are the celebrated duos of the era, whilst Crash Holly, Too Cool, Rikishi and others got over to such a degree that the lines were becoming blurred between exactly where everybody was in a stacked hierarchy.

Kreski was as part of an awesome team just as any creative force would be, but it's as challenging to make the best of an overstuffed crop as it is a barren field. He kept people happy, busy and - most importantly - as over as they'd ever been.

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Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett