The world of professional wrestling and politics have long shared a unique connection, with several notable wrestlers transitioning from the ring to public office.

As of November 2024, several former WWE, NWA, and TNA (now IMPACT Wrestling) stars are serving in elected positions across various levels of government. Here, we explore the current landscape of wrestlers-turned-politicians and their roles in shaping public policy.

WWE Superstars in Politics

Kane (Glenn Jacobs) – Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee

Glenn Jacobs, better known of course to wrestling fans as Kane, has been serving as the Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee since 2018. 

The WWE Hall of Famer and former World Heavyweight Champion has successfully transitioned from his intimidating in-ring persona to a respected political figure.

Jacobs, a member of the Republican Party, has focused on fiscal responsibility and economic development during his tenure.

Matt Morgan – Deputy Mayor of Longwood, Florida

Former WWE superstar and TNA alumni Matt Morgan has made significant strides in local politics. After serving as the Mayor of Longwood, Florida from 2019 to 2020, Morgan currently holds the position of Deputy Mayor. 

His political career began in 2017 when he was elected as the District 4 City Commissioner of Longwood. Morgan’s transition from wrestling to politics demonstrates the diverse skill set that professional wrestlers can bring to public service.

NWA and TNA Alumni in Office

Rick Steiner – Cherokee County School Board, Georgia

Rick Steiner, one half of the legendary Steiner Brothers tag team, has been serving on the Cherokee County School Board in Georgia since 2006. Representing District 4, Steiner also holds the position of Board Vice-Chair.

Raymond Rougeau – Mayor of Rawdon, Quebec

Former WWE and NWA wrestler Raymond Rougeau has been serving as the Mayor of Rawdon, Quebec since 2021. Rougeau’s political career demonstrates the global reach of wrestlers entering politics, extending beyond the United States to Canada.

Other Notable Wrestling Personalities in Politics

Jesse Ventura – Former Governor of Minnesota

While no longer in office, Jesse “The Body” Ventura’s tenure as Governor of Minnesota from 1998 to 2003 remains one of the most high-profile examples of a wrestler in politics. 

Ventura’s successful gubernatorial run as an Independent candidate paved the way for other wrestlers to consider political careers.

Antonio Inoki – Former Member of the Japanese House of Councillors

The late Antonio Inoki, founder of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, served two terms in the Japanese House of Councillors.

His political career, which included diplomatic missions to North Korea, showcased the potential for wrestlers to engage in international relations.

MSNBC political host Joy Reid blames Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential victory on Generation X voters who grew up watching Hulk Hogan and WWE. This group is aged 44-59, born between 1965 and 1980. Reid argues that this generation’s familiarity with wrestling icons like Hulk Hogan shaped a cultural mindset that is sending Trump back to the White House. During MSNBC’s 2024 election special coverage, Reid stated:

“My generation, Generation X, the people who grew up on WWE and Hulk Hogan and Donald Trump, did this. They did this. They are the ones who looked in the face of somebody who looked them in the face and said, ‘I want to be a dictator on day one.’ We did this.”

Reid’s comments highlight the longstanding ties between Trump and wrestling culture. Several WWE legends have publicly supported him over the years, including Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, Kane (Glenn Jacobs), and Ric Flair—all longtime fans of Trump who actively campaigned for him during his latest presidential run.

Linda McMahon, former WWE president, she served in Trump’s cabinet as the head of the Small Business Administration from 2017 to 2019 during his first term before transitioning to lead a PAC supporting his reelection. She’s now co-chair of his transition team.

As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, several WWE legends have publicly endorsed Donald Trump, highlighting the intersection of politics and professional wrestling.

Hulk Hogan’s Vocal Support

Terry Bollea, known worldwide as Hulk Hogan, has been a prominent supporter of Donald Trump. In July 2024, Hogan made a dramatic appearance at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where he tore off his signature “Hulkamania” shirt to reveal a Trump-Vance tank top underneath.

During his speech, Hogan praised Trump as a “real hero” and the “toughest of them all,” urging the audience to support Trump’s bid for the presidency.

The Undertaker and Kane’s Joint Endorsement

Mark Calaway, famously known as The Undertaker, along with Glenn Jacobs, who portrayed Kane, have also thrown their support behind Trump. In a TikTok video posted in October 2024, the duo appeared alongside Trump, drawing parallels between the election and a wrestling match.

The Undertaker stated, “The choice is yours. You can go with President Trump, Kane, and The Undertaker, or you can take Kamala Harris, Dave Bautista, and Tim Walz.”

Kane’s Political Involvement

Beyond his wrestling persona, Glenn Jacobs, known as Kane, has been actively involved in politics.

Serving as the Republican mayor of Knox County, Tennessee, since 2018, Jacobs has consistently supported Trump’s policies. His dual roles in wrestling and politics make his endorsement particularly noteworthy.

The Undertaker’s Podcast Appearance

Further solidifying his support, The Undertaker hosted Donald Trump on his podcast, “Six Feet Under with Mark Calaway,” in October 2024. The episode featured discussions on various topics, including Trump’s previous involvement with WWE events and his current political aspirations.

Presidential hopeful Donald Trump turned to his past in pro wrestling to excite his supporters ahead of this week’s election with Kamala Harris. Appearing in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the 78-year-old Republican candidate was reportedly late to the scene and didn’t arrive until after midnight. The campaign then played the Battle of the Billionaires for ten minutes as they waited for the former President to appear.

The match saw Trump put his hair on the line against the iconic ‘do of Mr. McMahon with ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin serving as the guest official. Trump’s representative Bobby Lashley defeated McMahon’s Umaga, resulting in the then-WWE Chairman being shaved and kick-starting a feud with Lashley over the ECW World Title.

This isn’t the first time Trump has leaned into his WWE past during his time as a politician. In 2017, Trump used a clip from the match that saw him clothesline McMahon though had the CNN logo over Vince’s face. Critics called it an incitement of violence against journalists while Trump supporters praised it as demonstrative of Trump’s stance against the ‘fake news’ media.

This election has seen endorsements for both candidates from the wrestling world. Glenn ‘Kane’ Jacobs as well as Ryback have endorsed Trump, while The Undertaker suggested his support for the Republican nominee during an episode of his Six Feet Under podcast. Mick Foley has thrown his support behind Kamala Harris while Dave Bautista made his feelings on Trump clear during an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Vince McMahon may have approved some unique angles during his time, but the idea of a WWE political party proved too much for the billionaire. On a recent edition of the Insight podcast, WWE Hall of Famer/Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura shared the angle he pitched to McMahon.

 “I went out to him and I said ‘Vince, we can do an angle right now. You can come out with the WWE and say we’re going to have our own nominee for president, the WWE party, the World Wrestling Party.'”

Ventura’s idea included getting ballot access in all 50 states, while on-screen, McMahon would tease that he’d be the party’s official candidate in the race to the White House. Just as McMahon would announce his candidacy, he’d be interrupted by ‘The Body.’

“I’m a governor. I’m the natural WWE candidate for president, then you do a schmoz where Vince and I get two wrestlers to represent us. Whoever wins gets the nomination.”

The match would see Ventura’s representative get the win, confirming Jesse as the official Presidential candidate representing the WWE Party. When asked why the angle didn’t play out, Ventura shared that McMahon didn’t bother to tell him ‘no.’

“He didn’t even bother to call me to turn me down. I thought that was the most disrespectful thing…  If he did just called me and said, Jesse, it’s too crazy. It’s too hokey. I don’t think we can do it. I would have said fine. I gave it a try. But he didn’t even call me back.”

While the WWE Party never left the drawing board, McMahon would be represented in a high-profile match with something on the line at WrestleMania 23. The ‘Battle of the Billionaires’ saw Donald Trump’s representative Bobby Lashley defeat McMahon’s Umaga, resulting in McMahon having his head shaved bald.

Wrestling & Politics

The WWE Party won’t be on the ballot this November, but plenty of wrestlers have attempted to enter the world of politics. Glenn ‘Kane’ Jacobs currently serves as the Mayor of Knox County, TN, and recently shared some strong words for the Democratic Party’s Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.

The late Antonio Inoki was elected twice to Japan’s House of Councillors while The Great Sasuke was elected to Iwate’s Prefectural Assembly in 2003. In 2017, Linda McMahon, who lost two senate campaigns, was appointed Administrator, Small Business Administration, under President Trump.

Perhaps the most internationally recognized wrestler to enter office is known more for his political career than his time in the ring. Before his rise to political history, Abraham Lincoln wrestled in his teens and reportedly trained in catch-as-catch-can wrestling.

The future President held championship gold by the age of 21. According to eyewitness accounts at the time, a frustrated Lincoln once lifted an opponent who was fighting dirty by the neck, raised him in the air, and slammed him into the ground, a move not too different from today’s Chokeslam.

Ventura himself served as Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003. The WWE Hall of Famer has teased running for President in the past but has never gone much further than that. He has endorsed the Harris/Walz ticket for this November’s election.

Former WWE Superstar Kane thinks U.S. Presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz could benefit from a few ‘promo’ classes at the WWE Performance Center.

Kane (Glenn Jacobs) currently serves as the Republican Mayor of Knox County, TN. He’s an ardent supporter of former President Donald Trump’s campaign, and was not impressed with what he saw at last week’s Democratic National Convention. While the Republican convention featured speeches from luminaries such as Hulk Hogan, Linda McMahon and Dana White, Jacobs feels Harris and Walz were a far cry from iconic ‘stick men’ like Dusty Rhodes.

“Harris/Walz are spitting out catch phrases faster than Dusty Rhodes with an open mic on a Saturday morning. Dusty’s were entertaining and iconic. Their’s, not so much.”

Jacobs also noted that Harris and Walz have avoided another aspect where Rhodes made his money in by stating, “Dusty also did interviews.”

President Kane? Glenn Jacobs Discusses Possibly Running for President

While there’s at least three WWE Hall Of Famers not rooting for the Harris/Walz ticket in Jacobs, Donald Trump and Hulk Hogan the two do have two in their corner. Jesse Ventura, who like Walz was also the Governor of Minnesota, put his support behind Harris. Ventura has notoriously been against either major party in the past but explained in an interview that it was time to have a woman in the Oval Office.

The other legend backing the Harris/Walz campaign is Kevin Nash, who ran into Kane at SummerSlam. Nash, a noted Democrat, but made clear to Kane he had no problems with the ‘Big Red Republican.’ On a recent episode of The Kliq This Podcast, Nash echoed Kane’s political aspirations before the aforementioned interview took place and according to Big Sexy, Kane cited how dirty of a business the political game was.

Glenn ‘Kane’ Jacobs has no desire to run for the office of president. The Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee recently appeared on Maintaining with Tyrus for an interview with fellow WWE alumni to talk about the current political landscape of the country.

During the interview, he was asked if the thought of running for president has ever crossed his mind, and Jacobs claimed that it hasn’t:

“No, it’s not. I have no desire to go to Washington DC. I think that there’s a lot of things that can be done at the local and state level, especially at the state level.”

So Many Things Going Up There: Glenn Jacobs

The former World Champion claimed that they can make things better in the country by making good policies at the state level. He went on to explain another reason why he doesn’t want to dive too deep into the politics of Washington:

“Washington, man, it’s just, there’s just so many things going on up there, and it really is a swamp. Good people go in, and they get frustrated because they can’t change, or in some cases, they just throw up their hands and leave, or sometimes they unfortunately become part of the machine because that’s the only way to survive.

So I really think that a lot of changes can be made, especially at the state level, which would be productive for where you live. Ultimately then that would be productive for the entire country.”

Kane is not the only wrestling star who has been asked this question in recent time. The Rock has been honest about considering the idea in the past and he has kept the door open for a future in politics.

The current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes was also inquired about it recently and he revealed that both the democratic and republican parties have made offers to him.

Glenn Jacobs Reacts To President Biden Ending His 2024 Campaign

Cody Rhodes for president?

Over the years we have seen a number of successful wrestling stars taking advantage of the fame to jump into politics. People such as Jesse Ventura and Glenn ‘Kane’ Jacobs have made successful transitions while even someone like The Rock has toyed with the idea of running for office.

If The Great One does decide to enter politics, however, he might very well find a familiar face contesting against him, as Cody Rhodes has now shown interest in joining politics as well.

During a recent interview with Gabby LaSpisa, The American Nightmare was asked about the discussion about him potentially running for president one day. Replying to it, the WWE star revealed that he’s actually been approached by both the Democratic and Republican parties with offers:

“So it’s funny that it’s been kind of brought up a bunch lately, because as shocking as this might seem to people, both…we live in a society where it’s really like, you got your Democratic Party, you got your Republican Party.

So few get to fall in the moderate range anymore, even though so many of us have a moderate mindset. But I actually got approached by, I won’t say people directly, but I got approached by individuals from both parties about potentially running for an office in Georgia.”

Cody Rhodes Wants To Help People

While Cody Rhodes didn’t provide any further detail on the offer made to him, he did confirm his interest in the possibility. The Undisputed WWE Champion explained that the idea of using his fame to help people is appealing to him:

“That’s probably as far as I can say, but it’s something that was really genuinely appealing. Here’s what’s appealing to me, politics is policy. Policy is one thing to me. But the idea that you can take your sphere of influence, whatever, this modicum of fame that wrestling and sports entertainment gave me to help people. Seems like the greatest gift.

Again, I don’t know if it’s something…. depending on how long I stay in this game. I don’t want to outstay my welcome, but that’s something that’s become very appealing, especially when presented to me, the possibilities that could come.”

Cody Rhodes is set to defend his WWE title against Solo Sikoa at the SummerSlam PPV this Saturday. A big change was made to this match during the latest SmackDown. You can read more about it here.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has shared her support for the Iron Sheik after Hulk Hogan publicly endorsed Donald Trump for President. At the 2024 Republican National Convention, Hogan called Trump his “hero” and endorsed the 78-year-old to be a “real American.”

Appearing in Lansing, Michigan, Whitmer was asked for her thoughts on Hogan’s endorsement of Trump. She joked “This was the question I was hoping not to get asked tonight” and threw her support behind the Iron Sheik. While Whitmer spoke of Sheik being from Lansing, Michigan, this was the original Sheik Ed Farhat. The Iron Sheik, who passed away in June 2023, was born in Iran.

Hogan isn’t the only notable name in wrestling backing the former President. WWE Hall of Famer Glenn Jacobs is backing Trump as he has done for years. On Twitter, Jacobs, the Mayor of Knox County, TN, argued that Joe Biden was not fit to serve as President after the Democrat leader announced he would not seek re-election this November. Jacobs was at the RNC, as was Linda McMahon who delivered a speech before Hogan and Trump himself.

Whitmer has thrown her support behind Kamala Harris for the November election. The Vice President has been endorsed by several names so far, including President Biden.

In a surprising move, President Joe Biden has announced the end of his 2024 Presidential campaign, just 106 days before Election Day. This decision set off a firestorm of analysis from politicians and pundits across the political spectrum.

One notable response came from Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, best known to wrestling fans as WWE legend Kane. Jacobs, a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump, took to social media to voice his opinion on Biden’s announcement. In a fiery tweet, Jacobs demanded that Biden “RESIGN NOW!” He argued,

“If Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as president.”

– Major Glenn Jacobs

Jacobs’ statement received a mixed response on social media. Many users criticized his logic, pointing out that Biden’s decision to not run for another term does not necessarily imply that he cannot govern for the remainder of his current term.

In a follow-up tweet, Jacobs clarified that his initial post was meant as a joke. However, he did not back down from his criticism of the Democratic Party. He accused them of having a “lust for power” that he believes has jeopardized both the country and the world.

This week, Jacobs attended the Republican National Convention, where former President Donald Trump was formally nominated. Hewas spotted with his former boss, Linda McMahon, the former WWE President and CEO, who delivered a speech on the final night of the convention prior to Hulk Hogan and Donald Trump himself.

WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan is slated to make an appearance at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night, just before WWE Hall of Famer Donald Trump accepts the GOP nomination for President of the United States.

The wrestling legend will address the crowd ahead of Trump’s official acceptance speech on the final night of the convention, according to two senior campaign officials who spoke to NBC News. Trump’s nomination follows the recent announcement of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his Vice Presidential running mate.

Linda McMahon & Kane Also at the 2024 RNC

WWE has had a presence at the 2024 RNC all week. Aside from the whole thing revolving around a Hall of Famer, former WWE President and and Trump’s former United States Administrator of the Small Business Administration Linda McMahon.

Linda McMahon Named One Of Donald Trump’s Top Political Donors

McMahon, a former member of Donald Trump’s Presidential Cabinet, bumped into a former WWE co-worker: Knox County, Tennessee Mayor Glen Jacobs (Kane).

Hulk Hogan & Donald Trump

Hulk Hogan and Donald Trump are friends dating back to the 1980’s. In recent years, Hogan has been a proud supporter of Trump’s US Presidential campaigns.

In 2015, when Trump was running for president, Hogan publicly stated that he wanted to be Trump’s running mate [CBSNews]. During another interaction with TMZ, Hogan was asked which 2016 presidential candidate he would like to have in the ring with him. Believe it or not, the Hulkster went into self-promotion mode, brother.

“I don’t want to be in the ring with any candidates, I want to be Trump’s running mate.”

– Hulk Hogan (2015)

Stay tuned for our continued coverage of Hulk Hogan speaking at the 2024 Republican National Convention later this evening.

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Former United States President and WWE Hall of Famer Donald Trump has been found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, which are related to a hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels.

Glenn Jacobs, aka Kane, wrote reacted to the news, after Clay Travis of Outkick.com posted the following on Twitter:

“Trump is guilty in business records case. In related news, congrats to Donald Trump on his election as the 47^th President of the United States.”

Jacobs posted the following reply to the tweet:

“Yep. Tonight, the political class will be patting each other on the back and offering toasts at their cocktail parties. On November 5th, they’ll be shaking their heads wondering what happened.”

The Knox County mayor also wrote “And people say pro wrestling is fixed” to another post about the topic.

Jacobs is the Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee, and affiliated with the Republican Party, which Trump is also affiliated with. Trump is the presumptive nominee of the party for the 2024 presidential election.

Jacobs announced he was officially running for the mayoral seat of Knox County in March 2017. In May 2018, he won the Republican primary election for the seat by 23 votes, and was elected mayor in August 2018. He won a second term in the election in August 2022.

Trump’s indictment is the first of a former US president, and was convicted on May 30, 2024. His sentence hearing is scheduled for July 11 this year, and it is not known yet what sentence Trump would receive. The 77-year-old is expected to appeal the conviction.  

Pro wrestling fans got excited the moment it was confirmed that it was confirmed that Dark Side of the Ring is coming back for season five. Now, we are getting even more details about what is in the pipeline.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V7xEp5hGzg

Dark Side of the Ring Season 5 Plans

VICE TV’s Dark Side of the Ring has become a must-watch for wrestling fans, as they dive into sometimes controversial topics from pro wrestling’s past. With its past four seasons generating significant discussion in recent memory, season five has a lot to live up to. 

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that the upcoming fifth season of Dark Side of the Ring is in the works, and a list of episodes has been revealed. 

Season five is set to cover “Black Saturday,” the 1984 moment when Vince McMahon orchestrated a takeover of Georgia Championship Wrestling’s lucrative TBS cable TV timeslot. Additionally, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle and ECW legend The Sandman will each have episodes dedicated to their life stories. 

Other people slated for featured episodes in season five reportedly include Brutus Beefcake, Buff Bagwell, and Harley Race, who passed away in 2019 due to lung cancer. 

Chris Adams, who is credited for training Stone Cold Steve Austin and popularizing the superkick, will also get a focus for an episode on season five.

For the new season of Dark Side of the Ring, we know of these episodes: Brutus Beefcake, Harley Race, Buff Bagwell, Kurt Angle, Chris Adams, Sandman and Black Saturday (when Vince McMahon purchased Georgia Championship Wrestling to get access to the TBS time slot in 1984. Glenn “Kane” Jacobs was campaigning for Donald Trump in Iowa. 

Dark Side of the Ring Season 5 Air Date

As of right now, there is no information on the air date for season five on VICE TV, as filming is scheduled for later this year. We will keep you updated when an actual date comes out.

The show is unafraid to tackle wrestling’s darker moments, such as The Plane Ride from Hell, the Benoit family tragedy, and Owen Hart’s tragic death. The success of the show also led VICE TV to produce several spinoffs, including Dark Side of the ’90s, Dark Side of Comedy, and Dark Side of Football in recent years. 

WWE Hall of Famer Donald Trump recently mentioned WWE legends The Kane and The Undertaker during his recent speech.

In WWE, Kane was billed as The Undertaker’s brother and duo went on to have great tag team run as well as memorable storylines as rivals.

After bringing down the curtain on his pro wrestling career, Kane (real name Glenn Jacobs) became the mayor of Knox County, Tennessee. In the past, the former ‘Big Red Machine’ had backed the former President and showed his support for Trump in his attempt to get elected again.

Donald Trump talks about Kane and The Undertaker

During an event held on Sunday at the Iowa caucuses, the former Kane was one of the people who attended the show and also spoke before Donald Trump’s speech. Jacobs had nothing but praise for Donald Trump like always. 

Trump also reciprocated the feelings. He lauded Glenn Jacobs for his physique and his time in WWE. During the speech, he also namedropped The Undertaker.

Trump was slurring and fumbling over his words at times but didn’t shy away from speaking about the iconic duo of Kane and The Undertaker.

“And another man who’s a friend of mine. He’s another one I’m not going to mess around with. He’s Knox County, Tennessee, do you know Glenn Jacobs? Goes by the name, goes by the name of …. Kane. Kane. Where is Kane? Where’s the …. look at the size of this guy. Man o’ man – that’s – he’s all man. He’s all man. He’s good. How many years have you been doing that? You’ve been W, W …. Kane one of the great characters in uhm …. how many …. so how tall are you? You’re six what? 6’8 and weigh what – when you wrestle? Well that’s not bad – I’m not that far away either. That’s not good. You just ruined my day – 300 [pounds]!”

“When I see these guys, some of them like The Undertaker right? And I see him and walks around the ring lifting a 300-pound guy over his shoulders like this. It may be acting… then he throws him into the seats, it’s pretty great.”

Jacobs last competed as Kane in WWE back in 2021 as part of the men’s Royal Rumble match, while The Undertaker’s last match was at WrestleMania 36 in 2020 when he faced AJ Styles in a cinematic match, ‘Boneyard Match.’ against AJ Styles.

Mayor Kane (Glenn Jacobs, Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee) allegedly pressured a department head to lie to state officials about Jacobs’ Chief of Staff using a county golf cart for personal purposes.

That’s according to Knox News, who wrote that “Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs asked county employees to work at his home while they were on the clock, pressured a department head to lie to state investigators and cursed at him when he wouldn’t do it, according to a federal lawsuit the county settled by agreeing to pay $150,000 to former parks and recreation director Paul White.”

The lawsuit alleged that Jacobs’ Chief of Staff, Bryan Hair, was using a county golf cart at his own home. Hair resigned from his position, but because of the allegations, the state of Tennessee began an investigation.

Kane Applied More Pressure Than a Sleeper Hold

The lawsuit details ways in which Jacobs and his team attempted to hide the misconduct from reporters, for fear of scandal.

That worked out well.

According to Knox News, the allegations include:

• Jacobs encouraged White, the Parks and Recreation director, to lie to state investigators about Hair’s illegal personal use of a county-owned golf cart.
• Jacobs, a former WWE wrestler with an imposing build, pounded a desk and cursed at White when he refused to lie to cover for Hair after it was revealed he and his wife were using a county-owned golf cart that was delivered to their home.
• Hair eventually returned the golf cart to the county, but Hair planned to tell investigators he had given it up months earlier, White said. Hair pressured White to lie and say he had the golf cart for only a few weeks. White said Hair threatened to fire him if he didn’t.

Abbey Harris, a spokesperson for Mayor Kane, stated that the Big Red Machine never pressured White to lie, but White says that he was fired for being a sort of whistle-blower regarding the golf cart misuse.

The county, however, maintains that White was fired because he “created a hostile work environment in the parks and recreation department.

Kane Is ‘Not Interested in the Truth’

White maintains that he attempted multiple times to tell officials about Hair’s use of the county-owned golf cart. When he eventually got an audience with The Devi’s Favorite Demon, White alleges that Jacobs swore at him and slammed a desk in anger.

Mayor Kane and White met on October 12 for a one-on-one (not with Da Untertaker) meeting, in which Kane tried to “hint” to White what the latter should say.

According to Knox News, “Jacobs pressured him by asking leading questions, White says.

‘Bryan (Hair) only had the golf cart for just a couple of weeks?’ Jacobs asked him, according to White.

White did not play along with what he characterized as a leading question.

“’ Jacobs became visibly angry and upset, his face turned bright red, and he violently smacked his desk with a closed fist, as he cut (White) off, told (White) to ‘shut the f— up’ and Mayor Jacobs further stated that he was ‘not interested in the truth,’” White says.

White says Jacobs asked the leading questions two or three more times before stopping.”

At least he didn’t set him on fire.

• Glenn Jacobs Has a Surprising Choice for His Scariest Kane Moment

Speaking of fire, White was fired soon after, while Hair resigned before he could be fired. Or tombstoned. Hair also pleaded guilty to ‘Official Misconduct,’ which is a class E felony, punishable by, at minimum, one year in jail. Hair is applying for probation and judicial diversion, however.

To read the full story, check out Knox News.

Kane may have spent decades terrifying countless WWE fans, but it is an iconic dance move that keeps the Devil’s Favorite Demon up at night.

After multiple previous gimmicks including ‘Fake Diesel’ and Isaac Yankem D.D.S, Jacobs debuted as the hellish Kane during the In Your House: 1997 Bad Blood Pay-Per-View.

Attacking his ‘brother’ The Undertaker, Kane cost the Phenom the very first Hell in a Cell match against Shawn Michaels.

The Kanearoonie

By 2002, Kane’s monstrous personality had somewhat simmered, and he was a babyface adored by fans on Raw.

In one of the character’s most infamous moments, Kane used Booker T’s ‘Spinaroonie,’ dubbed by fans as the ‘Kanearoonie.’

Speaking on the latest episode of WWE’s The Bump, Jacobs recalled the segment, calling it the scariest moment of his career.

“The most horrifying was the Kaneroonie, I’ll tell you that. I had to get some lessons from Booker T on how to do the Kaneroonie. It turns out it’s all about momentum, getting your lower body and your legs going first. Booker was kind enough to show me how to do that.”

Repackaging

While many Superstars would be opposed to performing the dance move, Jacobs was open to the idea.

The WWE Hall of Famer explained in the interview that he wasn’t against doing the move, as he was working on changing the Kane character.

“We did want it to be a more lighthearted Kane and a more entertaining Kane as opposed to the dark brooding character that I had been initially. So I didn’t really had to be talked into it.

“After I saw it, I kind of wished that I’d never gotten talked into it.”

Kane would remain as a babyface until losing a mask vs. title match against then-World Heavyweight Champion Triple H in June 2003.

WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley is working on a new television project. During the latest episode of his Foley is Pod podcast, the Hardcore Legend commented on a mysterious project in the works.

It sure sounds like he’s working with WWE on this new project, but he’s keeping things close to the vest for now.

Cody Rhodes Revisits The Throne

Cody Rhodes remains out of action after undergoing surgery to repair his torn pectoral muscle earlier this year. The American Nightmare’s recovery is going well and he’s expected back in action in early 2023.

On Wednesday, Rhodes posted a photo on social media of himself in front of Triple H’s iron cross throne. The last time he stood in front of a throne like that, he was destroying it at All Elite Wrestling’s first pay-per-view event, Double or Nothing 2019.

At the time, the defiant act symbolized his plan to chart a new path for himself outside the auspices of Triple H and WWE. Fast forward three years and Cody in front of the throne takes on an entirely different meaning.

Bobby Lashley: Mature Businessman

Bobby Lashley was recently interviewed by RainmakerNYC and discussed his current run with WWE. Lashley returned to the company in 2018 after a 10-year hiatus, which saw him working primarily for Impact Wrestling.

Here’s what the 46-year old Almighty one had to say about the biggest change during those ten years way:

“I’m older!”, he joked. “No, older, wiser — I mean, there’s there’s a little bit of everything. There’s a different kind of training that you have when you’re a little bit of an older athlete. You know, I take care of myself a little bit more, I have different — just different thoughts. Before when I was younger, it was like, yeah, early lifestyle, money you run around doing a whole bunch of different things. Now, I’m more of a businessman.

Green Kane

WWE legend Kane (Glenn Jacobs) is debunking the rumor that the company planned for him to wear an alternate green costume during the Attitude Era.

Kane was loosely affiliated with DX when he and X-Pac won the WWE tag team championships in 1999. Over the years, photos of Kane in a green outfit have circulated online, as seen below:

The Big Red Machine appeared on WWE’s The Bump this week and says there were never any plans for him to wear a green outfit on television.

Kane did change up his look over the years, including different black and red gear, as well as variations of his mask (and later, no mask at all). However, nothing green was ever considered. In fact, he hates the idea of Green Kane.

“I think that would have kind of undermined the character, actually,” he said. “So that’s one of those deals that sparked on the Internet, and that’s the first time I’d ever seen it, was when people started to talk about green Kane like part of DX. To my knowledge, that was never even discussed, although maybe I would look good in green. I don’t know.”

You can watch Kane’s comments about “Green Kane” below:

A new episode of Table for 3 premiered last week featuring an eclectic group of WWE Hall Of Famers. The series features legends reminiscing about their careers and memorable moments in wrestling history.

Airing on Peacock and the WWE Network (outside of the United States), the newest installment is titled “New Generation Gathering.” There, WWE Hall of Famers Jerry “The King” Lawler, Bret “The Hitman” Hart, and Kane gathered to discuss the respective era of the company.

The New Generation’ era would roughly begin amidst WWE’s debut and introduction of Monday Night RAW in January 1993. The time period would extend to about 1997, a lead-in of sorts for the beloved Attitude Era in WWE. 

WWE posted a preview clip of the Table For 3 episode, taking a sneak peak at another previous persona of Kane (real name Glenn Jacobs). The video description reads:

“Kane looks back at his first foray into the business, portraying the “Christmas Creature”, in this sneak peek at the newest edition of Table for 3: New Generation Gathering.”

The month of October also marks Kane’s 25th anniversary in the company.

Before he was Kane, Jacobs would also embody the personas of Isaac Yankem and Fake Diesel. Yankem would find himself aligned with Jerry Lawler during his tenure, in a storyline that rivaled Bret Hart. Lawler and Hart famously met in June of 1995 to compete in a “Kiss My Foot” match, which saw “The Hitman” take home the victory.

Former CEO Vince McMahon actually came up with the stipulation concept, as Lawler revealed in the episode. Coinciding with Lawler’s royalty gimmick, he often demanded the WWE Universe to “kneel down and kiss my royal feet”. Accordingly, McMahon sparked the “Kiss My Foot” match idea. Leading up to the bout, Lawler was instructed to disgust the audience with mention of his “hammer-toe”, “bunions”, and “calluses”. Bret Hart regarded Lawler as a “master heel” during the time, which made their work and the build to the match even more effective.

The newest Table for 3 episode is now available for streaming on Peacock and WWE Network.

The WWE Universe will once again walk through hell, fire, and brimstone as they prepare to celebrate a quarter-century of the Hall of Famer Kane. 

This month marks 25 years since Kane’s debut in WWE, infamously appearing at the 1997 In Your House: Bad Blood event, during the inaugural Hell in a Cell match. 

Prior to this, Glenn Jacobs, the man under the mask, had competed on WWF programming as evil dentist Isaac Yankem, as well as the fake Diesel. 

Celebration

With today marking 25 years exactly since Kane’s debut, it was fitting that WWE made their announcement today. 

In a statement, the promotion addressed Kane’s first appearance, costing his brother The Undertaker, and his feuds with stars such as ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin and Triple H. 

WWE will be celebrating the legacy of the Devil’s Favorite Demon in the coming weeks with Kane-themed Top 10 videos and WWE PLaylist. 

Throwback videos featuring classic Kane moments will also be shared, and fans are encouraged to join in using the hashtag #Kane25.

Kane: A Retrospective

Possibly WWE’s most successful example of a ‘monster’ Kane has been one of the company’s most successful stars. 

Less than a year into his run, Kane won the WWF Title (admittedly for one day) but would have longer reigns as ECW and World Heavyweight Champion. 

In 2001’s Royal Rumble match, Kane set a record with eleven eliminations, a record that would last until 2014 when Roman Reigns broke this streak.

In 2021, Kane, now the mayor of Knox County, Tennessee, was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

The rock and wrestling connection remains strong. No band knows that better than Shinedown. This popular band is taking the charts by storm with their latest album “Planet Zero,” which brought them a 19th number one on Active Rock. Their smash “Daylight,” also gave them their 18th Mainstream Rock number one. We’re talking the most in the 41-year history of the chart’s existence.  

Helping them over time no doubt is the exposure that comes when six of their songs play on WWE shows. This includes WrestleMania, and for quite a while, Raw every Monday night. Shinedown’s Zach Myers got a sense of the company’s reach very quickly. 

“You’ll be on a day off in Albuquerque and go to a restaurant,” Myers recalled. “I look like I’m in a band I guess, so they’ll ask what band I’m in. I’ll say Shinedown. They’ll respond with, ‘Yeah, you guys were the Raw theme song for two years.’ It’s really cool to have that relationship.” 

Myers along with lead singer Brent Smith, Barry Kerch, and Eric Bass have had wrestlers at their shows. They’ve also been at WWE events. Friendships have formed, built on mutual respect and exchange of fandoms. 

On August 28, frontman and Knoxville, TN, native Smith was surprised with the key to Knox County, presented by mayor Glenn Jacobs (aka professional wrestler Kane) on stage during the band’s show at Thompson-Boling Arena. Through their relationship with the WWE, Shinedown guitarist Zach Myers and the band’s head of security John Guarnieri helped to plan this special honor for Brent with the mayor’s office. The key was crafted by students at Brent’s alma mater South Doyle High School. PRESS HERE to watch.

“The parallels between those two universes are way more similar than most people realize,” Myers said. “I would go even further as to say there is a percentage of our fans that came from the wrestling world…I think a percentage of our global fan base has come from that which is really cool. It’s always really nice. We were never the cool band. We were never on MTV. We were never on VH1. We kind of made our own cool. We are a radio band that just did the work live and really gained fans from radio and our live shows.” 

Myers will make it a point to attend shows when he is home when WWE is in town. Even before being part of rock’s go-to hitmakers, the musician has been a longtime fan.  

“I was at one of the Raw’s Hulk Hogan came back after being gone for a long time,” he reminisces. “I remember seeing WCW a long time ago with one of Goldberg’s first appearances when I was younger. They take care of us as we go now. We’re usually in the front row. It’s always super fun. I’m a big shoe guy, so I remember when Hulk Hogan came out in his Jordans. I have been there for a lot of them. It has been really cool to see.” 

He admittedly doesn’t follow as much on TV anymore. Touring the world is not only Shinedown but Smith & Myers, Hanson, and other music projects will take up a lot of time. Not to mention being a dad. 

“I have two kids, and I’m dad-ing full-time when I’m not on the road,” Myers explained. “When the live events come, I’ll usually backtrack Peacock for a couple of weeks. My younger brother is seven years younger than me. He is super into it still. So we go and he’ll catch me up on what’s going on.” 

When asked who the biggest Shinedown fans in pro wrestling are, Myers runs down a number of top stars. Everyone from Triple H to Fozzy’s own Chris Jericho, who has been a friend of his for 15 years. Memories start flooding back. 

“We did WrestleMania in Chicago, the pre-event at House of Blues,” Myers said. “WrestleMania does the whole weekend wherever they are. John Cena came and a bunch of people came. There is a very early photo of us with John Cena. He looked great. We did not. This is the old days of Shinedown when we weren’t as healthy as we are now. [Happy] Corbin and I are really close. Not even through wrestling. We met each other through wrestling, but we are both cooks. We both love barbecue and cooking outdoors to the point that we actually discussed doing a show together and pitching a show to a network. 

Then there was the time he crossed paths with his favorite legend in red and yellow. 

“I got to meet Hulk Hogan one time. He said he knew who Shinedown was,” he added. Whether he was lying to me or not, that was cool for me …We were walking in Target the other day and my son saw the wrestling action figures and they did this legend’s remake thing…He pointed to one. I said, “That’s dada’s favorite wrestler of all time. It came full circle for me.

“I told my wife that when he turns 7 I think I’ll let him start watching. He has a brother two years younger than him, and they fight enough for my taste. Wrestling would add more fuel to the fire. I think next year I’ll start him at events.” 

“Planet Zero” is out now. See Shinedown when they come to a city near you! 

For decades, Glenn Jacobs, aka Kane, dominated WWE, ever since his impactful debut at the 1997 In Your House: Bad Blood Pay Per View.

A multi-time WWE World Champion, Intercontinental and Tag Champion, Kane is also a former Mr. Money Money in the Bank, having held the SmackDown briefcase in 2010.

More recently, Kane has traded his seat in hell for a mayoral office, becoming Mayor of Knox County, Tennessee, and recently winning re-election.

No More Bumps

Kane’s age and work outside WWE has made his appearances for the company become more and more infrequent in recent years.

Now, the “Devil’s Favorite Demon” has given an update on his career, and has seemingly confirmed his retirement from wrestling.

Speaking on ‘The Right View,’ Jacobs addressed his future in wrestling, and doesn’t plan on wrestling again (via 411 Mania.)

” I don’t want to get into a wrestling ring and actually get knocked down because I don’t know if I could get back up at this point.”

Glenn ‘Kane’ Jacobs seemingly confirms his retirement from professional wrestling.

Other Roles

Kane’s days as a wrestler may be over, but the WWE Hall of Famer still has something to give to the industry.

In the interview, Kane spoke about his recent appearance at Summerslam, where he announced the attendance for the event in Nashville, Tennessee.

The former WWE World Champion said it was “awesome” that he can still have a role even if he is not wrestling anymore.

He added that being a WWE alum has given him an edge in Politics, as his fame often allows him to connect with people.

Glenn Jacobs, better known to WWE fans as The Big Red Monster Kane has been re-elected as the mayor of Knox County, Tennessee.

The wrestling veteran defeated Democratic nominee Debbie Helsley in the election. Speaking about his victory at a watch party at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Knoxville, he said that he is grateful for people’s trust:

“It has been the honor of my lifetime to serve as mayor for the past four years,” said Glenn Jacobs, “and I am just so grateful that you have trusted me to work hard to keep our economy strong and to protect our freedoms and our way of life,”

The former world champion also thanked his political opponents who ran for the office in his address. He said that we should respect anyone who is willing to put their name on the ballot in the current contentious political environment.

As of this writing, a total of 63% of precincts had been counted. Jacobs had been leading the tally by more than 4,400, in a total of 43,000 votes that had been cast

Glenn Jacobs first announced his political intentions back in March 2017. He had defeated Linda Haney to become the Mayor of Knox County back then.

Kane has been criticized for some of his recent remarks on issues such as abortion rights, but it doesn’t appear to have affected his political career.

• Glenn Jacobs Talks the Role Vader Played in Creating Kane

WWE Hall Of Famer Kane praises Vince McMahon for perfecting the pay-per-view (PPV) model.

Kane was recently a guest on the Honest Offense podcast and praised his longtime boss for his impact on the business. “The Big Red Machine” noted, while McMahon didn’t invent the PPV model, he certainly perfected it.

“You look at pay-per-view, if you go to www.payperview.com, you get redirected to WWE. Vince did not invent pay-per-view, but you can make an argument that he was the guy that perfected it.

“He was ahead of the curve there. We had a huge presence on the internet in 1995, before anyone really knew what the internet was. We were doing chat rooms and all sorts of stuff.

“Then, you look at the app that came out, which was kind of not great, but he recognized before a lot of people did that folks were migrating away from their TV and to their computer and now they are migrating from their computer to a handheld device.

“When the app came out, we were like, ‘we’re behind the curve.’ The reason for that was, they were thinking about WWE Network, which originally was going to be a cable network, and then he decided ‘we’re going put it online, move all the pay-per-views to a monthly subscription,’ we all thought he was crazy for that because pay-per-view made up half the companies revenue.

“He was completely changing the business model. I remember, the stock sunk, ‘Vince McMahon is an idiot,’ people were talking about suing. Now, the company is making more money than ever.

“Vince is not a huge technophile, I don’t even know if he can login to his own email, but he doesn’t have to. All he has to do is see where the trends are going and he gets ahead of them, everyone thinks he’s crazy, sure enough, he’s making all the money.

“That’s his true brilliance. He can figure out where entertainment, technology, and delivery is going and he ends up getting there first. It’s like he has a weird ESP about it.“

Kane has worked alongside McMahon since 1995 when he signed with WWE. He was ushered into the company in one of the biggest storylines of all time, portraying the Kane character in 1997, who was introduced as The Undertaker’s brother.

The rest, as they say, was history. Kane is a two-time World Champion in WWE, a two-time Intercontinental Champion, and an 11-time Tag Team Champion with partners such as The Undertaker, Daniel Bryan, X-Pac, and more.

Now, Kane, real name Glenn Jacobs, is in the political ring, currently serving as the mayor of Knox County, Tennessee.

Quotes via Fightful

Could Kane be back on your TV screen tonight (April 25)?

Fightful Select is reporting that Kane is backstage for Raw in Knoxville, Tennessee. He is the Mayor of Knox County, so he didn’t have to travel very far.

The report notes that Kane is scheduled to appear on the show in some form. One pitch was for Kane to appear in a segment with Kevin Owens and Ezekiel.

This week’s Raw figures to be a noteworthy one. Fightful Select reported late this past weekend that Asuka is scheduled to be on the show to start a feud with Becky Lynch. There was also a pitch for Mustafa Ali to make his return.

The Undertaker will be headlining the 2022 class of Hall Of Fame. Vader and Queen Sharmell both have also been announced for inductions alongside him.

Steiner Brothers, consisting of Rick Steiner and Scott Steiner are one team that has been rumored for an induction but are yet to be confirmed.

While the duo have not officially been announced for Hall Of Fame yet, PWinsider is reporting that several Steiner family members including Rick are slated to be in Dallas for the WrestleMania 38 week.

The site also noted that there are currently no plans for Batista to be inducted into HOF this year. Though he is expected to be in attendance for Taker’s induction.

As far as his own induction goes, it’s believed that the Animal will be inducted into Hall Of Fame next year. WrestleMania 39 will take place from Hollywood.

Another name who will unsurprisingly be in attendance for the ceremony with Undertaker being inducted is Glenn “Kane” Jacobs.

• Booker T Reacts To Sharmell’s Hall Of Fame Induction

Finally, Queen Sharmell who is the only announced female inductee of this year so far will be inducted by her husband Booker T.

The Hall Of Fame ceremony this year will be taking place from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. It will air on Friday, April 1 at 10 pm Eastern Time, right after the broadcast of SmackDown.