- 5 months ago
Step behind the curtain as we uncover revealing production tactics WWE prefers to keep hidden. From fan “plants” to crowd audio tricks, we’re diving into the unscripted side of sports entertainment that the recent docuseries didn’t touch. Discover how taped shows, secret blading, staged reactions, and demanding travel routines shape what fans see. Which behind-the-scenes secret shocked you the most? Tell us in the comments!
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NewsTranscript
00:00Something's always going to go wrong.
00:01Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:03And today, we're looking at elements of the WWE product that Unreal skipped over.
00:07Probably because they didn't exactly scream good PR.
00:11Guys, please make sure everybody knows this was a work.
00:17Let them know that I'm not actually mad.
00:21I love it here.
00:22I'm just doing my job.
00:25Number 10, inflated audience numbers.
00:28I love the surprise.
00:30And that's the end goal.
00:32Whether your audience is none, one, or 100,000.
00:37It was hard to believe when WWE claimed that WrestleMania 32 drew a record-breaking 101,763 fans.
00:45That's because there weren't actually that many people in attendance.
00:49WrestleMania is this weekend, and the events promoters are predicting it will break records.
00:54In reality, a significant portion was made up of staff, crew, and non-paying attendees
00:59that WWE conveniently lumped together.
01:02The company has a history of inflating attendance figures to amplify its success.
01:06One man, one mic, 100,000 strong.
01:12It is, it is, it is the rock and the millions!
01:19But don't assume they're lying.
01:21They'll gladly tell the truth.
01:22In their financial reports, during an earnings conference, Vince McMahon admitted that WrestleMania
01:2732's attendance, quote,
01:29wasn't 101,000 paid.
01:31Explaining the tally included ushers and ticket takers and all of that.
01:35Independent outlets disputing WWE's figures after every WrestleMania has become its own tradition.
01:41Releasing verified numbers that contradict WWE's more lofty claims.
01:45Records, records, records are made to be broken.
01:52Number 9, planted crowd members.
01:55Be careful.
01:56We're swinging a chair near the fans.
01:59Brock, be careful.
02:00Oh!
02:01Damn it!
02:02Do not push fans.
02:03Right to the gun, right to the back, to the back again.
02:06To the shoulders.
02:07Oh, those are extras.
02:08If you watched Unreal, you might have noticed Triple H sounding relieved when a fan caught in
02:12a brawl turned out to be a plant.
02:14This goes back to a long-standing tactic of planting people in the crowd, and having wrestlers
02:19engage with them to make the story feel real.
02:22What's up?
02:28It's easy to see why Unreal avoided this detail, since it makes some of the most compelling feuds
02:34appear extremely manufactured.
02:36While certain interactions are genuine, wilder and dramatic cases are usually an inside job.
02:42And I will jam that championship belt down each and every one of your throats.
02:52So the next time you feel bad seeing a fan getting roughed up or humiliated, just remember,
02:57if they were planted, there's a good chance they went home with some money in their pocket.
03:01Number 8, blading.
03:03I think I have a little bit more trepidation than usual just because of the violent nature
03:07of a ladder match and what that means.
03:10You can get bloody, you can get messy.
03:11The most high-profile WWE feuds once ended with both competitors drenched in the wounds
03:16of war.
03:17And while that's rare today, crimson masks are still seen when rivalries turn into blood
03:22feuds.
03:23Unreal likely avoided this age-old industry practice to steer clear of the bad press that
03:27surrounds it.
03:28To WWE's credit, they've tried working around this in several ways.
03:32Once you've got your color, once you're bleeding, you still have these.
03:36What do you do with them?
03:37Where do you put them?
03:38If you're down ringside by the apron, obviously the best thing, the easiest thing, the safest
03:43thing to do is to toss them under the apron.
03:46One of the safer alternatives is capsules made with non-toxic powder, which simulate the
03:51impression of internal injuries when bitten.
03:53Of course, admitting that wrestlers simply chew on capsules seeps away the theatricality
03:58of it all.
03:59Other attempts, like red paint, have produced laughable results, so you can bet WWE likely
04:05won't ever openly address them.
04:07This is what happens when you send a boy to do the devil's work.
04:11Number 7 Production Blunders
04:22Going heavy or going short are equally bad.
04:27So plan A, hit your time.
04:30Plan B, hit your time.
04:32While Unreal might make WWE appear like a well-oiled machine, there have been plenty of production
04:38mishaps over the years.
04:39You might not notice most botches thanks to creative camera angles and the magic of editing.
04:44You chose to take it out on an inanimate object.
04:47And not only an inanimate object.
04:52Hey, shut up!
04:53Shut your mouth!
04:56But the biggest blunders are simply too big to hide.
04:59Beyond the tragic passing of Owen Hart, other near disasters include Finn Balor requiring
05:05multiple staples mid-match at WrestleMania 39, and Undertaker nearly being set ablaze due
05:10to a pyro misfire at Elimination Chamber.
05:13The pyro ball on the left comes up, and it comes right up my left side.
05:17I mean, it's like he moved it in.
05:21And it's so hot, like, I will no-sell something as long as I possibly can.
05:26The chinks in the WWE's armor are more than a little significant, but the company quickly
05:31sweeps most of them under the rug, or in this case, the ring.
05:34After all, there's some pretty comfy space down there.
05:45That's noisy on the rear, isn't it?
05:46Number six, wrestlers feeding each other lines.
05:49Was all of that unscripted?
05:52No.
05:54What part was it?
05:55My part.
05:56Pro wrestling isn't about hurting the opponent, it's about protecting them.
06:00That includes preserving each other's characters when things don't go according to plan.
06:05And second of all...
06:08Go ahead, find it.
06:11Go ahead.
06:14I'll wait.
06:22It's called a promo, kid.
06:23Shut your mouth, John.
06:24If you want to be the big dog.
06:25Although Unreal highlights WWE's streamlined process from the writers' room to the producers
06:30and the ring, it glosses over moments when the system fails.
06:33One promo between Sheamus and Randy Orton made this glaringly clear.
06:37Orton, visibly forgetting his line, asks Sheamus off mic for help, who cues him in.
06:43Big show's mine tonight.
06:55While it's a solid display of professionalism, WWE doesn't want fans to know just how close
07:00talent can come to derailing a promo.
07:03And with it, possibly the whole show.
07:05It also gives away the secret that off mic moments are when wrestlers coordinate promos
07:09in real time.
07:10And there was something that I hadn't said, so he kept dragging it out.
07:13And I wasn't sure what it was, so I had to keep escalating.
07:19Because once I went there, I couldn't go back.
07:21Right.
07:23So that's why he kept screaming it louder and louder.
07:25I'm like waiting for his cue.
07:27He's waiting for my cue.
07:28Number five, fan invasions.
07:31We're going to hope fans capture it.
07:32And of course, they did.
07:34Unreal consistently highlights the connection between WWE superstars and the fans.
07:39But not all of it is positive, and some cross the line entirely.
07:43The show ignores rowdier examples like a fan invading the ring in shield gear or a man charging
07:48Seth Rollins at the ramp.
07:49He was catfished online by somebody pretending to be me, I believe.
07:54What?
07:54Oh, no.
07:55There was some amount of money exchanged for whatever he was, you know, being asked for.
08:03It isn't restricted to fans, either.
08:05Former talent have launched their own interruptions, such as Enzo Amore, who was escorted out of
08:10the arena after drawing attention to himself in the crowd.
08:13Broke no laws.
08:16Broke no laws.
08:17So if you tell me, if you're into marketing, you tell me, break no laws, have no repercussions
08:23for your actions.
08:24For $2,500, you're going to trend worldwide.
08:28It's genius.
08:29Kiss my ass, everybody.
08:30WWE's go-to response has always been to steer focus away, with commentators instantly changing
08:36the topic while cameras cut elsewhere.
08:38This strategy discourages attention-seeking fans from disrupting the show, although that
08:42hasn't stopped such incidents from happening time and again.
08:45Look at the condition.
08:46Look at the condition.
08:46Look at the bad way right now.
08:55Finn Balor is hurt.
08:57Number four, controlling the narrative.
09:00So, who do you see right in the world?
09:03Pug.
09:04Pug?
09:04WWE often touts pivoting storylines due to fan reactions, but they also work the narrative
09:23to make them seem intentional.
09:25Unreal goes at length about how writers adapt, such as booking Jey Uso to win the Royal Rumble
09:30instead of CM Punk.
09:31However, it overlooks moments where WWE scramble to cover their mistakes.
09:36R-Truth's legitimate release is a recent example that shook the entire industry and
09:41forced WWE to rehire him.
09:43Triple H claimed that it was, quote, all part of the show, but contradicting reports suggest
09:48that WWE President Nick Khan personally reached out to negotiate Truth's return.
09:53You enjoying the show?
09:54All part of the show, ma'am.
09:56More than a few times, last-minute fixes have been reframed as carefully planned twists
10:01to try to make it seem like the WWE was always in control.
10:05That match was never supposed to happen.
10:08The three of us were all told, okay, you're done.
10:13In that regard, it felt a little bit bigger than a wrestling storyline.
10:17Number three, taped shows.
10:19How long?
10:21A minute 45.
10:21Once you guys are in the ring, there's not a lot you can do.
10:31Unreal spotlights WWE's live events without looking into the not-so-distant era of taped
10:36shows.
10:36With days to decide what they wanted to broadcast, WWE occasionally filmed multiple endings for
10:42the same match.
10:43This was seen with the February 20th, 2019 episode of NXT, taped three weeks earlier.
10:49Here, two results were filmed.
10:51One with Johnny Gargano retaining the North American Championship, and another with Velveteen
10:56Dream winning.
10:57The latter was ultimately aired.
10:58It's all about the North American Championship!
11:01It's all about the slingshot DDT!
11:04And the one, two, now!
11:07Unbelievable!
11:08Come on!
11:09During the early days of the COVID era, matches and segments were shot weeks in advance, with
11:15title changes only acknowledged once they aired.
11:18This sleight-of-hand technique can feel deceptive to the audience, which is likely why WWE keeps
11:23it quiet.
11:23And that is why it is the fans, it is you at home, that deserve to hear this from me first.
11:33That I have to go away for a while.
11:36Number two, wrestlers pay their own travel expenses.
11:39I just, like, kept hoping that someone would call me and tell me I was on, but the funny
11:45thing about wrestling is nobody tells you when you're not on.
11:48So you just kind of have to figure it out yourself.
11:50Perhaps the biggest elephant in the room is how WWE classifies its talent.
11:54Officially, wrestlers aren't employees.
11:57They're independent contractors.
11:59An independent contractor is someone that you might hire for a specific limited task,
12:04like a plumber or an accountant.
12:05Wrestlers aren't either of those things, apart from this wrestling plumber and this wrestling
12:10accountant.
12:11This is why they can be fired, sorry, released and future-endeavored at a moment's notice.
12:17The Mickie James trash bag fiasco made this fact impossible to ignore.
12:21Because I genuinely took it then as they think I'm trash.
12:26They're throwing me out with the garbage.
12:28Apart from airfare, performers are responsible for their own travel arrangements, including
12:33arranging cars and hotel stays.
12:35While elite talent can't afford their own private buses, lower-card wrestlers need to
12:39hustle while on the road.
12:41Unreal may provide a peek into the company's general outline, but WWE might prefer to keep
12:46its cultural flaws carefully hidden.
12:48We had a long drive.
12:50I can't remember.
12:51It was like a six-hour drive at night after a show.
12:53And I did the first three and a half.
12:56And this girl, I don't know how she does it, but she pulled through those last three and
13:00a half because I was getting ready to knock out.
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13:13If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
13:19Number 1.
13:20Piped-in crowd noises.
13:22I enjoy when our audience takes over and trying to figure out that Rubik's Cube and that
13:28riddle of what do I do now?
13:31Remember when John Cena accused Austin Theory of benefiting from piped-in crowd noises?
13:36That wasn't just smack talk.
13:37It's actually a long-suspected WWE tactic.
13:40I would so much rather be bald than have them pipe in fake crowd noise for my matches because
13:46nobody cares.
13:50Dude, I can go by some topic.
13:52You still suck.
13:53The company has a history of confiscating fan signs that reject their chosen babyfaces.
13:58During Roman Reigns' ill-fated Big Dog push, broadcasts replaced booze with cheers, creating
14:04the impression of crowd approval.
14:06Former WWE superstar Maven confirmed the practice to be 1,000% true, claiming piped-in reactions
14:13can even work on live TV.
14:15The Thunderdome era employed this technique to create a sense of immersion, although that
14:19was more out of necessity.
14:20Still, this form of manipulation isn't something WWE can spin into a positive, so it's no surprise
14:26that Unreal stayed as far away from it as it could.
14:29I was in front of a crowd in Chicago, and they were booing so loud, it like rattled me.
14:37What would you like me to say?
14:41Can you think of any other tricks and techniques WWE has used over the years?
14:45It was what it needed to be to get you to the other side of this story.
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