How Backstage Politics In WCW Caused The Filthy Animals angle to fail...

Random article I stumbled upon on-line, thoughts? For me, I thought this article hit the FA's right on the head and this guy definitely knew what he was talking about:


The Filthy Animals were a faction in World Championship Wrestling which consisted of young and up-and-coming talent. Much like The Revolution in WCW at the time, The Filthy Animals were fan favorites and were billed as being the future of WCW. The group consisted of Konnan, Rey Mysterio Jr., Billy Kidman and Eddie Guerrero, although the group later featured Juventud Guerrera and the Disco Inferno.


The Filthy Animals suffered a similar fate to The Revolution; the merciless hand of the backstage politics. The four men were some of the most over stars that the company had to offer and it was undoubtedly the right move to team them up together as a faction. However, the way they were utilized was far from fabulous. Instead of being pushed the way they should against top level talent, the group was constantly floundering between babyface and heel, in strange and meaningless storylines and feuding with fellow up and comers The Revolution.



What sense is there in pitting two up and coming groups against each other? The two factions were both over with the fans, but both were being held back by the backstage politics that go on when the curtain is down. The animals had all the talent, all the youth and most importantly, they had the fan support. Bad booking decisions lead to their downfall however, although the group lasted from 1999 through to the company's demise in 2001.



Konnan was the mouthpiece of the faction being not only the most charismatic of the group, but also one of the most charismatic in the entire company. Eddie Guerrero was a man that would later become a WWE World Champion, but during his tenure in WCW, Eddie was never given the true chance to shine; some may even say that Eddie was yet to come out of his shell as a main event caliber wrestler whereas others say he simply was not given the chance.

Kidman was the blue-chipper of the group; young and handsome and immensely talented in various wrestling styles and Rey Jr. was the little man with the heart of a giant, as well as being one of the most popular wrestlers in the entire company. Rey Jr. of course would later become a World Champion in the WWE also.



Sadly, again due to the political puppet strings, the most success the faction would see is numerous world tag team and cruiserweight championship reigns in the midcard ranks. Kidman would go on to feud, and eventually beat Hulk Hogan before losing to him several times and eventually aligning himself with Rey Jr. again for the final year of WCW. Many fans are vocal about their hatred for the final years of WCW, but in general, the shows still featured some solid action and good storylines, it was just unfortunate that the good angles and the talented young wrestlers were mixed in with the riff-raff and the rabble of a mess that WCW had sadly become behind the scenes in what is now known as the Russo era of WCW.


The Filthy Animals were an immensely talented young group of wrestlers with amazing chemistry together, all the talent in the world and youth on their side; the wrestling fan has to ask themselves, just why did these men not get the push they deserved in the WCW? The answer of course is the politics involved in the WCW. The main event wrestlers never wanted to let go of their spot in the main event to make way for the younger generation. The likes of Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan were famous for pulling the strings backstage, and as such, these young individuals never received the acclaim that they rightfully deserved.



Along with The Revolution, if the Animals were utilized correctly in their peak of fame, they could have easily helped catapult the WCW right back up that ratings ladder which by this time, the WWF was firmly winning. Could the WCW have been saved if the younger talents had been given the push they deserved? Ten years down the line, we will sadly never know but one thing is for certain, the impact the Filthy Animals made on WCW, even with their limited push due to bad booking and political puppets is simply irreplaceable.

I miss FA

lots of this stuff makes sense, though.

there were a lot of guys that were held down because of the likes of Hogan, Flair, Nash. they talked about it openly on the WCW dvd

I love in the Horsemen DVD (which I regret buying) Flair said that he and the Horsemen operated out of good for the whole company-so many holes and contradictions in that. As long as HE was in the main event, it was 'good business'. i remember Steiner shooting on him once on Nitro, and everything he said was the truth: jealous old bastard, key words. Yet even though he was one of the factors that killed WCW he is worshipped like some sort of icon in the WWE...then again, that makes sense

Hogan: well, everyone knows about him....

Nash: My favorite wrestler but I'm no mark to disguise his role in the fall of WCW, he had his part, but at least he was honest about it from the get-go..he only came there to make money, and his WCW career reflects that. because WCW management couldnt tell him no cuz they didnt have the balls, he ran rampant and honestly I dont really blame him; you never give a wrestler the keys to his own career-of course he's only going to push himself and his buds.

On a side note, I remember the Filthy Animals having brief encounters with Kev during the New Blood/Millionaire's club angle where i remember Konnan and Rey-Rey came out, and Konnan wass flashing the Wolfhead up at Kev sarcastically at Nash LMAO I was cracking up, that moment owned

Jordan Harvey Version 1.0 wrote:

Nash: My favorite wrestler but I'm no mark to disguise his role in the fall of WCW, he had his part, but at least he was honest about it from the get-go..he only came there to make money, and his WCW career reflects that. because WCW management couldnt tell him no cuz they didnt have the balls, he ran rampant and honestly I dont really blame him; you never give a wrestler the keys to his own career-of course he's only going to push himself and his buds.

Nash also had to deal with every top guy he wanted to use (Hogan, Goldberg, Luger, etc.) ALL having creative control. Only the people close to Nash (mostly Hall) was willing to do whatever Nash booked. That is the 99-01 part of Nash's WCW run was him doing a bunch of stupid (but very funny if you got it) shit. Nash didn't only go to WCW to make money. That was a big part of it, but Bret Hart really pissed him off. He wanted to stay in the WWF. In the last Hart vs Diesel match, Hart whined about the finish Nash and Taker wanted to have. Taker and Nash wanted to have Desiel hit Hart with a jackknife and Taker would take out Diesel before he would try to leave the cage. It didn't happen that way, and the rest is history.


I can't take this article seriously. It praises Konnan.

Juvi, Rey, Kidman, Guerrero, Konnon and Inferno, the Filthiest Animals I know.

And Sarcy, what was wrong with konnan?

Jordan Harvey Version 1.0 wrote:

and what was wrong with konnan?

Likin' that you changed your av after I made that post (b")b


What the fuck is right with a 'roid rage-quese ravin' Mexican racist that thinks anyone who isn't kissing his ass is shit?

I dont know if you have been paying attention but that avatar has been up there for at least three days now-ask Dead.

and where are your reasons for thinking Konnan is a 'racist' even though he is friends with Chris Jericho, Teddy Hart, Billy kidman, amongst others, taking steroids even though there has been no incident reported of him or evidence of taking them, and when has he ever said whoever isnt kissing his ass is shit?

And he's not Mexican-he's half-Cuban, half Puerto-Rican

if Konnan was racist, he wouldnt be working with american wrestlers in AAA right now, nor would he be working with white dudes in general

another thing..there was a incident a few months back..where Konnan did his business in Juventud Guerreras bag, and Juvi blamed it on Jack Evans...and Konnan...the "racist" that he is...sided with Evans and NOT Juvi

KJ Moore wrote:

Juvi, Rey, Kidman, Guerrero, Konnon and Inferno, the Filthiest Animals I know.

indeed my friend but dont forget Tygress, grrrrrr.....

El Mesias wrote:

another thing..there was a incident a few months back..where Konnan did his business in Juventud Guerreras bag, and Juvi blamed it on Jack Evans...and Konnan...the "racist" that he is...sided with Evans and NOT Juvi

As well he wouldnt have even BROUGHT Evans or Hart into AAA and even more importantly his top faction. hell look at my sig and look at all of those guys and then say konnan's a racist. Proud latino, yes. racist? Hell no.

In WCW I think he did favor his fellow latinos, but whats wrong with that? They have/had an uphill battle to make it to main event status, something Konnan can relate to, so whats wrong with helping his fellow country-men get noticed against a mostly white old school locker room? I dont think thats racists at all.

PS: LAX was a great Stable, that he helped create.

Brad Vicious wrote:

In WCW I think he did favor his fellow latinos, but whats wrong with that? They have/had an uphill battle to make it to main event status, something Konnan can relate to, so whats wrong with helping his fellow country-men get noticed against a mostly white old school locker room? I dont think thats racists at all.

PS: LAX was a great Stable, that he helped create.

the anti-american LAX was a great stable, attacking guys then draping the mexican flag over them. instant heel heel

loved LAX when Konnan was their leader; they were still cool after he left but it wasnt the same

yeah but his hip fucked up what coulda been great angles with LAX, after his hip got fucked up he was mainly a mouthpiece with Machete being around

I wanted Truth to join them so bad because I wanted a black representative in the stable but his character's self-righteousness told him to say no and he got that ass beat LOL i was so mad, i was like WHY, RON, WHY DIDNT YOU JOIN??? i was pissed

lol but in reality, management told him no.

really? he actually wanted to be in?

Konnan wanted him in, management said no

.....GAARRRRBBAAGGGGEEEE. That sucks, well at least it's nice to know that he would've been in if things were different, tis the breaks I guess.

I could tell Truth and K-Dawg were real tight in real life, looking at 3Live Kru and Truth later joining the Foreign Legion; I guess in a way the latter was to make up for LAX lol

lol tbh, breaking 3LiveKru up was either the worst or best decision ever

it seemed to change TNA forever or something because they were an integral part of it in the early years; they had tag team and world gold and feuded with every major heel in the company at the time. They were like the FA's if WCW didnt get sucked into a shithole....then if they didnt disband there would never been LAX. its like 50/50