WWE Hall of Famer Paul Ellering detailed how an injury and a conversation with Ole Anderson prompted his shift into managing. The comments came during a Busted Open Radio interview published on June 15.
Ellering described rupturing his patella tendon while wrestling Robert Gibson in Columbus. After seven months of rehab, Anderson called to check on his readiness and suggested managing instead of returning to the ring.
The former wrestler said Anderson warned that the role could become permanent. Ellering agreed to try it, noting he had once dreamed of managing years before entering the business.
He went on to manage The Road Warriors, the Authors of Pain, and Jake “The Snake” Roberts. Ellering and the Authors of Pain were released by WWE in 2025, and he expressed interest in managing his daughter Rachel Ellering in AEW or ROH.