10 Things We Learned From 'Young Bucks: Killing The Business From Backyards To The Big Leagues'

4. Getting Big League'd By Big Johnny

The Young Bucks Killing the Business
WWE.com

Like so many wrestlers of their generation, the Young Bucks grew up dreaming of a career in WWE.

While Matt and Nick Jackson would be offered a WWE deal in more recent years - instead opting to launch All Elite Wrestling - their first interactions with Vince McMahon's sports entertainment juggernaut came way back in 2008. After Frankie Kazarian, on behalf of Tommy Dreamer, managed to land the Young Bucks a spot as enhancement talent, the hope was that this would be the tandem's big break.

Having by this point become friends with Marty Jannetty, the Bucks were welcomed into WWE by Shawn Michaels. Marty had given Michaels the heads-up about the brothers, and Shawn took them under his wing at a Raw taping. Not just that, the Heartbreak Kid introduced Matt and Nick to Johnny Ace - who promptly talked the talk and said how he'll be sure to give the Young Bucks the once-over at the next day's SmackDown taping.

Instead, SmackDown saw Big Johnny pull the big league card of ignoring the Young Bucks.

From Nick Jackson:

"In our minds, we were now Shawn's boys and were going to get a shot. We walked into San Diego Sports Center with our heads held high and approached Johnny Ace once we saw him. 'Hey Johnny, good to see you again!' I said. I stuck my hand out, and we shook while he looked off in the distance. Then, just as Matt and I were about to make small talk, he walked away."
Senior Writer
Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main dayjob, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg.