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Raven Explains Why Things Didn’t Work Out During His Second WWE Run
Image Credit: WWE
In an interview with the Ariel Helwani Show (via Fightful), Raven spoke about why he thinks his run as the ‘Raven’ character in WWE didn’t work out and what it had to do with his first run. He had previously been in the company as Johnny Polo from 1993-94. After stints in ECW and WCW, he arrived in WWE in 2000. While he won the Hardcore title 26 times, that’s all the success he achieved. He would leave WWE in 2003 and has never returned.
He said: “When I was there before as Johnny Polo, I had Vince’s kid Shane out until the wee hours in the morning every night, drinking. I left a bad impression. Let’s just go with that. I left a really bad impression. We were really good friends. All the boys thought, ‘You’re just kissing his ass hanging out with him every night.’ I go, ‘No, I’m burying myself. No dad wants their son out until four in the morning with a rep like me.’”
He also noted that he had a backstage role with the company while he was Johnny Polo, as well as working as a manager. He added: “I was an associate producer on Monday Night Raw and I was being groomed to be on the booking committee. I was also obnoxious, and I had to be the smartest guy in the room, even if I wasn’t, and I had to make sure everybody knew that. That’s no way to behave and not a good attitude to have.”
When asked if his past with Shane caused his lack of a push in 2000, he replied: “I think that had something to do with it. That’s all I can think of. It wasn’t for a lack of talent or skill or character.”
Raven had a big impact on the wrestling business as one of the original ECW stars, along with the likes of Tommy Dreamer, Perry Saturn, Blue Meanie, Stevie Richards, and others. He’s a former WWE Hardcore Champion, and also had a memorable run in WCW with his Flock. Kurt Angle severed tied with ECW after a controversial angle where Raven’s Nest “crucified” The Sandman by tying him to a cross and placing a crown made of barbed wire on his head. The angle received backlash from fans.
