The use of backstage interviews to push storylines forward has been an integral part of the wrestling business ever since it got a place on television. Due to this sheer importance of backstage interviews, the personalities that conduct the same also turned out to be a must-have category for almost all the wrestling promotions.
While microphone skills are the primary tools that are needed, most of the time, backstage interviewers were hired by WWE with respect to their looks. This happened as the role of backstage interviewers slowly morphed into simply standing next to the wrestler who takes the center stage. The eye-candy approach in hiring resulted in some hot backstage interviewers setting foot in the WWE and here is a look at them.
7: Maria
No, Maria coming so early doesn’t mean that she is not hot. In fact, Maria would’ve been on the top of this list if she was a full-time backstage interviewer. However, the majority of the portion of Maria’s career in the WWE took place inside the ring but her backstage interviewing career was long enough to earn her a spot on this list as well: thus the last place.
Now, Maria is someone that needs no introduction. To this day, there are fans that wish to see her back in the WWE and as she has improved a lot since her WWE departure, these wishes are well placed.
6: Angela Fong
The WWE fans are more likely to know Angela Fong as Savannah as she appeared under this name in the company. Angela was signed on a developmental deal by WWE in 2008 after she failed to make the cut in the 2007 Diva search. After starting out as a valet and wrestler, Fong transitioned as a ring announcer and backstage interviewer mainly due to ECW and NXT.
She was a regular ring announcer for ECW after Lauren Mayhew left the company. Her WWE career came to an end in 2010 and after a spell of four years in the independent circuit, Fong is now signed to Lucha Underground.
5: Cathy Kelley
Cathy Kelley is one of the latest additions to WWE’s backstage interviewers list. A former actress and TV presenter, she worked for Afterbuzz Television before being signed up by WWE in 2016. She made her debut in April with the Snapchat and YouTube followers of WWE would be more than familiar with her.
Cathy is yet to be exposed to the entire WWE Universe, but once she gets that opportunity, expect her to win over a lot of hearts. Hopefully, unlike most of the other backstage interviewers on the list, Cathy would stay around in the company for a longer timeframe.
And if you want to know how good she is, just check out the YouTube video where she teaches us to create delicious Booty-O’s.
4: Devin Taylor
Devin Taylor’s stay in the WWE was a short one. She signed with the company back in 2013 and was released two years later due to injury problems. The real life Brittany Christine Fetkin was assigned as a backstage interviewer on television but she used to wrestle in during NXT Live events as well.
Before embarking on her WWE journey, she took a degree in broadcast journalism and was a competitive soccer player as well. Despite the short stay, Devin managed to earn a fan base and a good part of this came after she was featured in the Breaking Ground episode where WWE chronicled her release from the company.
3: Veronica Lane
The former Miss Texas Teen USA, Veronica Lane was a backstage interviewer and wrestler in the WWE. The promotion signed her back in 2013 when she was 22 years old. Although she debuted as a wrestler, Lane was soon transformed into a ring announcer and backstage personality after picking up an undisclosed injury.
During her wrestling phase where she played the beauty contestant gimmick, she once teamed up with Becky Lynch to face Bayley and Paige, which happens to be her biggest achievement. Nicknamed ‘Miss NXT’, Lane decided to leave WWE in 2014 as she wanted to explore other opportunities although WWE was interested in keeping her.
2: Brandi Rhodes
Brandi Rhodes, also known as Eden during her WWE career, came into the wrestling business straight from a modeling career. She was initially signed back in 2011 and she worked in Florida Championship Wrestling during this spell. WWE soon released her and it was in 2013, that Brandi started her second spell with the promotion.
This turned out to be a success story as Brandi became a notable backstage interviewer. Her stint, however, came to an abrupt end as she requested release alongside her husband Cody. The couple could be seen in Impact Wrestling these days where Brandi is also trying her hand in wrestling.
1: Renee Young
This is probably the most obvious entry in the list. In a short span of time, Renee has managed to become one of the most successful on-air personalities in the WWE history. A good portion of the fans even suggest that she is the best backstage interviewer that WWE has seen. WWE signed her up in 2012. Till then, Renee was a presenter for The Score Television Network and she did enough good work to impress the world’s largest wrestling promotion.
Her career graph skyrocketed from this point and the rest is history. Currently dating WWE superstar Dean Ambrose, Renee is a darling for the entire WWE Universe and she is go good that there were even rumors about ESPN wanting to sign her.
Did we miss out anyone? let us know in the comments section below.
