"WWE Backstage begins...right now!" was Renee Young's typically effusive kickoff to this week's edition of what has already turned out to be one of the strangest projects of 2019.
Upon clunky, double-pilot launch, Backstage was little more than another show about the shows. Raw and SmackDown were reviewed, other Fox Sports events were previewed, and an enjoyably cohesive panel had what appeared to be an enjoyable time together sharing a shiny network floor. A touch on the bland side? America thought so - the first episode proper scored worryingly low audience of just 49,000 - but an agent of change was fast approaching.
CM Punk's shocking arrival at the end of the November 12th episode and interview/hosting appearance the following week predictably serviced the brand and the interest levels well, but his absence last week (with Triple H as a guest, no less) stymied the buzz and acclaim his arrival had reclaimed.
The vaunted voiceless went without their voice, this week too. Though his potential WrestleMania opponent still had plenty to say...
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation for 10 years. Alongside the production of daily written, audio and video content covering WWE and AEW, he 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 on the UK's wrestling podcast charts with over 10,000 episodes and 70,000,000 total downloads. He also co-hosts Benno & Hamflett, In Your House!, Podcast Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Podcast, and has guested on long-running Sunderland AFC podcast Wise Men Say.
With WhatCulture, he has provided in-person coverage of some of the biggest pay-per-views and Premium Live Events in wrestling history, including WrestleMania, Survivor Series, All In & Double Or Nothing in destinations such as New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. He has also been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, Fightful, POST Wrestling, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana, 411Mania and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling.
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 music and culture magazines The Crack, Pilot as well as Sunderland AFC's premiere fanzine A Love Supreme. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it every other Saturday at the Stadium Of Light, and at Cribs gigs nationwide.
