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Backstage Pass: Tales from Beyond the Squared Circle
The world of professional wrestling is paradoxical. Storylines are intricately plotted by creative writers, refined by the agents and the wrestlers the day of the match, and performed live in front of worldwide audiences to evoke drama and emotion. It’s it’s “fake.” Yet, more often than not, it is the real-life backstage machinations, the behind-the-scenes tales of drama and deceit, of pettiness between allies and adversaries, that feel as though they were actually penned by Hollywood’s finest scriptwriters.
David Sahadi’s Backstage Pass is a firsthand account of what occurs beyond the squared circle — stories that are often more compelling and dramatic than anything that occurs on TV or inside a ring. These never-before-told stories are glorious, nefarious, and at times truly five-star mega-bouts between the powers that rule, the leaders and decision-makers who are often in agreement (but mostly at odds), and the superstars themselves.
This book is a tale of defiance, decadence, and denial — and you do not have to be a wrestling fan to enjoy it.
David Sahadi’s Backstage Pass is a firsthand account of what occurs beyond the squared circle — stories that are often more compelling and dramatic than anything that occurs on TV or inside a ring. These never-before-told stories are glorious, nefarious, and at times truly five-star mega-bouts between the powers that rule, the leaders and decision-makers who are often in agreement (but mostly at odds), and the superstars themselves.
This book is a tale of defiance, decadence, and denial — and you do not have to be a wrestling fan to enjoy it.
215 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
My thanks to NetGalley and ECW Press for an advance copy of this memoir and fly on the wall look at a life behind the curtain of professional wrestling, where the truth is never what is told, believe in everything has to be suspended, and even trust is sometimes known to take a fall.
Professional Wrestling is really like no other sport, or even sport entertainment. To succeed a person needs not only physical skills to wrestle a few times a week and even a big show on weekends. One needs also to entertain, to make people want to come to the matches, the buy the merchandise. To chant your name, and feel your real pain. Professional wrestling is fury, sound and very visual, telling a story in a match, adding to the story in promos to the crowd, and coming across on camera like a hero. Or a God. This takes a lot of skill, something that David David Sahadi brings to wrestling, from little vignettes, directing matches, even Super Bowl commercials. Sahadi honed his craft in one of the biggest, and toughest places to wrestle in the world the WWE, where he was respected and honored by workers and his peers. However in wrestling nothing is ever what it seems. Backstage Pass: Tales from Beyond the Squared Circle by David Sahadi tells of life around the wrestling ring, where the myths are created, making normal men heroes, the uncommon men gods, and where nothing can be believed, even promises.
Dave Sahadi spent the early part of his life unsure of what he wanted to do. Nothing seemed to bring him joy from blue collar to white collar. Finally his father used his connections to get him a gopher job at NBC Sports, and Sahadi found his purpose, and a skill he never knew he had. Sahadi impressed his co-workers with his ability to do anything without complaining, with attention to detail on little things, and in making highlight reels for football games. Soon Sahadi was moving up in the company, gaining respect from peers and appearing on the radar of various powerful people. Soon WWE, or WWF at the time came calling, wanting Sahadi to use his skills to make promotional reels for their wrestlers. The wrestling industry was not on Sahadi's radar, but a series of bad decisions by NBC bosses, gave him an out. And an occupation that he took too. Sahadi began making short videos showcasing the superstars of the WWF, and soon was making more and more important videos. Sahadi worked on Super Bowl commercials, winning awards and getting praise from Chairman of the WWE Vince McMahon. However wrestling is a fickle place, full of villains and heels, and Sahadi was forced to leave. But by leaving he started another run in wrestling that lasted for years.
A book about wrestling that talks about the business and visuals far more than most looks at wrestling. Sahadi knows his stuff and makes the discussions about creating commercials and vignettes are quite knowledgeable and educational. Reading this one wonders if there wasn't a burned out building or destroyed warehouse that wrestlers didn't walk through, while flames burst in the air. Sahadi has interesting stories about working with Stone Cold Steve Austin, the Undertaker and an unflattering story about the Rock, which seems to track. The book is interesting, but many fans will probably know the stories,, though Sahadi's take on things is very interesting. Discussing his days in TNA with Dixie Carter, the infamous Jeff Hardy match with Sting. And how to produce and direct shows. Some of the writing is a little awkward, there is never a mention of his father without the word beloved before it, and a bit of repetition but it is not bad.
Fans of wrestling will enjoy this, mainly for the stories that are new, filming rock videos with rappers, exploding things behind wrestlers. There is some score settling, and some odd omissions but all in all this is a very interesting book, and sure to make fans want to know more.
Professional Wrestling is really like no other sport, or even sport entertainment. To succeed a person needs not only physical skills to wrestle a few times a week and even a big show on weekends. One needs also to entertain, to make people want to come to the matches, the buy the merchandise. To chant your name, and feel your real pain. Professional wrestling is fury, sound and very visual, telling a story in a match, adding to the story in promos to the crowd, and coming across on camera like a hero. Or a God. This takes a lot of skill, something that David David Sahadi brings to wrestling, from little vignettes, directing matches, even Super Bowl commercials. Sahadi honed his craft in one of the biggest, and toughest places to wrestle in the world the WWE, where he was respected and honored by workers and his peers. However in wrestling nothing is ever what it seems. Backstage Pass: Tales from Beyond the Squared Circle by David Sahadi tells of life around the wrestling ring, where the myths are created, making normal men heroes, the uncommon men gods, and where nothing can be believed, even promises.
Dave Sahadi spent the early part of his life unsure of what he wanted to do. Nothing seemed to bring him joy from blue collar to white collar. Finally his father used his connections to get him a gopher job at NBC Sports, and Sahadi found his purpose, and a skill he never knew he had. Sahadi impressed his co-workers with his ability to do anything without complaining, with attention to detail on little things, and in making highlight reels for football games. Soon Sahadi was moving up in the company, gaining respect from peers and appearing on the radar of various powerful people. Soon WWE, or WWF at the time came calling, wanting Sahadi to use his skills to make promotional reels for their wrestlers. The wrestling industry was not on Sahadi's radar, but a series of bad decisions by NBC bosses, gave him an out. And an occupation that he took too. Sahadi began making short videos showcasing the superstars of the WWF, and soon was making more and more important videos. Sahadi worked on Super Bowl commercials, winning awards and getting praise from Chairman of the WWE Vince McMahon. However wrestling is a fickle place, full of villains and heels, and Sahadi was forced to leave. But by leaving he started another run in wrestling that lasted for years.
A book about wrestling that talks about the business and visuals far more than most looks at wrestling. Sahadi knows his stuff and makes the discussions about creating commercials and vignettes are quite knowledgeable and educational. Reading this one wonders if there wasn't a burned out building or destroyed warehouse that wrestlers didn't walk through, while flames burst in the air. Sahadi has interesting stories about working with Stone Cold Steve Austin, the Undertaker and an unflattering story about the Rock, which seems to track. The book is interesting, but many fans will probably know the stories,, though Sahadi's take on things is very interesting. Discussing his days in TNA with Dixie Carter, the infamous Jeff Hardy match with Sting. And how to produce and direct shows. Some of the writing is a little awkward, there is never a mention of his father without the word beloved before it, and a bit of repetition but it is not bad.
Fans of wrestling will enjoy this, mainly for the stories that are new, filming rock videos with rappers, exploding things behind wrestlers. There is some score settling, and some odd omissions but all in all this is a very interesting book, and sure to make fans want to know more.
March 12, 2026
After reading David Sahadi’s book, two things can be true: He seems like a very positive, kind, and warm person with an infectious personality. He also loves to brag endlessly about his accomplishments in the wrestling business as a TV producer for WWE and TNA. While it’s one thing to be proud of what you’ve done, it’s another thing to keep repeating it over and over and over again throughout the book. It felt to me like he needed the validation for some reason, even though his accomplishments speak for themselves, as he was the mastermind behind many famous and memorable WWF vignette segments and commercials during the height of The Attitude Era. He knew how to make the moments feel special and to bring out the emotion of the audience.
If you are looking for salacious dirt, there is a little to none in this book. He is honest about his employers, and he tells a revealing story about The Rock after he became a famous movie star and the change he noticed in his personality. That’s about it, though. For someone who has been around so many big names and seen so much, he shares very little. He also needed someone to double-check his dates and information regarding various moments in wrestling history. He states he worked in the WWF for 13 years, even though his timeline in the book states he started in 1992 and left in 2003. He also states he helped Jeff Jarrett film his song “With My Baby Tonight” in 1997, even though it was in 1995. He also mentioned seeing Lex Luger on the debut episode of Nitro on September 4th, 1995, and they were airing a taped Raw on the same day featuring Lex Luger. This is also not true as Raw did not air that week. These mistakes, among others, bothered me.
I’m not super interested in wrestling production, so I found the book a little boring at times. Again, he seems like a great guy, but he sure does love to remind the reader of all he’s accomplished. It comes across like shameless self-promotion. I was really looking forward to reading this book, and I found it immensely disappointing.
If you are looking for salacious dirt, there is a little to none in this book. He is honest about his employers, and he tells a revealing story about The Rock after he became a famous movie star and the change he noticed in his personality. That’s about it, though. For someone who has been around so many big names and seen so much, he shares very little. He also needed someone to double-check his dates and information regarding various moments in wrestling history. He states he worked in the WWF for 13 years, even though his timeline in the book states he started in 1992 and left in 2003. He also states he helped Jeff Jarrett film his song “With My Baby Tonight” in 1997, even though it was in 1995. He also mentioned seeing Lex Luger on the debut episode of Nitro on September 4th, 1995, and they were airing a taped Raw on the same day featuring Lex Luger. This is also not true as Raw did not air that week. These mistakes, among others, bothered me.
I’m not super interested in wrestling production, so I found the book a little boring at times. Again, he seems like a great guy, but he sure does love to remind the reader of all he’s accomplished. It comes across like shameless self-promotion. I was really looking forward to reading this book, and I found it immensely disappointing.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I recently read Backstage Pass by David Sahadi. As a lifelong fan of professional wrestling, I am always eager to find new books outlining the history of the business. Knowing Mr. Sahadi’s role in production and in the background of some major wrestling companies, I looked forward to reading from a different perspective than that of a wrestler or promoter.
Sahadi did a great job sharing his path into wrestling, and his excitement to be involved. The book gives some background information about many companies including WWE, TNA, and MLW. There are not many salacious secrets like you mind find in the road stories of other books. This is more of a look at how shows are produced, what happens backstage to bring the magic to your television screen, and some of the personalities that we do not normally hear about. It highlighted a part of wrestling that most fans don’t think about.
My biggest takeaway is that David Sahadi’s biggest fan is…David Sahadi. While he obviously has done good work in his career, the reader can quickly see that Mr. Sahadi has a very high opinion of his work and his impact on the business. Some of his stories seem to overstate that importance, especially in cases where his employment with said company ended quickly.
Overall, I think this is a good read for a student of professional wrestling history or a reader with an interest in the production side of the sport. There are some good stories shared that helped broaden my knowledge.
Sahadi did a great job sharing his path into wrestling, and his excitement to be involved. The book gives some background information about many companies including WWE, TNA, and MLW. There are not many salacious secrets like you mind find in the road stories of other books. This is more of a look at how shows are produced, what happens backstage to bring the magic to your television screen, and some of the personalities that we do not normally hear about. It highlighted a part of wrestling that most fans don’t think about.
My biggest takeaway is that David Sahadi’s biggest fan is…David Sahadi. While he obviously has done good work in his career, the reader can quickly see that Mr. Sahadi has a very high opinion of his work and his impact on the business. Some of his stories seem to overstate that importance, especially in cases where his employment with said company ended quickly.
Overall, I think this is a good read for a student of professional wrestling history or a reader with an interest in the production side of the sport. There are some good stories shared that helped broaden my knowledge.
November 23, 2025
I liked learning more about what went into making commercials and promos, what some of the wrestlers were really like and how things were backstage during the attitude era in WWF/E and during a good chunk of TNA. The author came off as very braggy and like he thought he was the best ever.
He made the best videos and commercials and promos. Everyone cried when they watched his stuff. He thought of the best ideas, won everyone over and helped start the Attitude Era (That last part may be true. I wasn't there.) Then he did the same thing for TNA, minus the Attitude Era, but he did get them a TV deal. It just felt like so much bragging and patting himself on the back and he sounds really bitter.
The writing style is also odd because Sahadi doesn't use any contractions (don't, won't, etc) so everything is fully written out. I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley and ECW Press in exchange for and honest review. All opinions are my own.
He made the best videos and commercials and promos. Everyone cried when they watched his stuff. He thought of the best ideas, won everyone over and helped start the Attitude Era (That last part may be true. I wasn't there.) Then he did the same thing for TNA, minus the Attitude Era, but he did get them a TV deal. It just felt like so much bragging and patting himself on the back and he sounds really bitter.
The writing style is also odd because Sahadi doesn't use any contractions (don't, won't, etc) so everything is fully written out. I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley and ECW Press in exchange for and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of Backstage Pass. I decided to read this title because I enjoyed professional wrestling growing up, and the Attitude Era holds prime memories from my late childhood. Although I did not immediately recognize Sahadi’s name, I did recognize and remember his past work with wrestling-related videos and content.
Just when I thought the boom of wrestling books and podcasts had already told it all, this title manages to offer some new information for those who think they’ve heard everything. While the book mainly focuses on TV production and behind-the-scenes elements, Sahadi does bring some fresh perspective to the subject matter.
It’s a solid read, but don’t expect any groundbreaking news or major revelations. If you’re looking to take a nostalgic trip back to the Monday Night Wars and beyond, this book provides an enjoyable journey down memory lane.
Just when I thought the boom of wrestling books and podcasts had already told it all, this title manages to offer some new information for those who think they’ve heard everything. While the book mainly focuses on TV production and behind-the-scenes elements, Sahadi does bring some fresh perspective to the subject matter.
It’s a solid read, but don’t expect any groundbreaking news or major revelations. If you’re looking to take a nostalgic trip back to the Monday Night Wars and beyond, this book provides an enjoyable journey down memory lane.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received a copy of this book from a friend and found the stories fascinating. A life-long WWE fan, these behind-the-scenes stories revealed the people beyond their on-screen personas. It was very Interesting to see how some WWE Superstars handled fame, and others adversity. This book is more than just about wrestling, it reveals humanity at its finest and it’s worst, and I learned a lot about the author, too. I could sense how he personally evolved during his career in the shady shadows that is pro wrestling. For any fan of wrestling, or Sahadi’s work, it’s a must read!
March 11, 2026
Behind the scenes on how wrestling television production works from the person who created the openings for Monday Night Raw and other segments for the WWF before helping with TNA get its start. The book has some funny tales about a failed Rodney Dangerfield idea to the Super Bowl commercials the WWF aired, to some of the writer's favorite segments and wrestlers he worked with.
For an in-depth review, visit my page at: lancewrites.wordpress.com/2026/03/11/...
For an in-depth review, visit my page at: lancewrites.wordpress.com/2026/03/11/...
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews