"It's what you do backstage" - Tom Prichard on why former Intercontinental Champion wasn't a bigger star in WWE [Exclusive]

International Championship (L); Tom Prichard (R)
International Championship (L); Tom Prichard (R)

WWE veteran and wrestling legend Dr. Tom Prichard was the guest on this week's edition of Sportskeeda Wrestling's UnSkripted.

During the show, the former WWE star was asked about Ahmed Johnson and why the former Intercontinental Champion wasn't a bigger star in the Stamford-based promotion.

Speaking about Ahmed Johnson, Prichard said that while he got along with the former Intercontinental Champion, Johnson had some issues with how things were being run backstage.

"He had to understand, I think as everybody finds out, one way or another, I found out the hard way (.. its not necessarily what we do in the ring that matters, it's what you do backstage - how are you perceived? How are you interpreted? What kind of vibes are you sending out?"

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Prichard also noted that Johnson had some issues maneuvering the waters behind the scenes:

"I thought he got a pretty good opportunity and a pretty good spot but then you find out that he didn't like the way things were running creatively and in the back. Did he have ideas? I don't know. I liked Ahmed. I traveled with Ahmed a couple of times, but attitude means everything, it really does." [19:02 to 19:30]
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Dr. Tom Prichard on why Ahmed Johnson lost his push in WWE

Dr. Tom Prichard went on to discuss why Ahmed Johnson ended up losing his push in WWE. Besides the latter's attitude, Prichard said Johnson did not have the nous backstage to do business.

"It's a two-way street. You've got to work with the top guys but the top guys gotta want to work with you too. If you have this attitude that everything is wrong and you should have a bigger push that you're getting instead of showing that you should have a bigger push than you're getting, understanding that the work is backstage. It's getting the guys who want to do business with you, going to talk to the powers that be." [21:06 to 21:40]
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Ahmed Johnson ended up leaving WWE in 1998. He was briefly a part of WCW between 1999 and 2000, forming the Harlem Heat 2000 with Stevie Ray. Their run together was not really a success. Johnson ended up being released in 2000 due to weight issues.

If any quotes are used from this article, please add a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling.

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Edited by Pratik Singh
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