Sen. Ruben Gallego made his professional wrestling preference clear in a brief but attention-grabbing social media response, declaring that he is “more of an @AEW man.”

The comment came after a fan shared a GIF showing Rey Mysterio attacking Kane, the longtime WWE character portrayed by Glenn Jacobs. The post framed the clip as a joke about how Gallego might react if Jacobs appeared on the Senate floor, writing: “ruben gallego when he sees glenn jacobs on the senate floor.”

Gallego responded directly with his AEW remark, turning a playful WWE reference into a wider wrestling conversation. The exchange did not involve an announced appearance, political debate, or wrestling storyline. It was simply a concise response to a fan’s joke, but it quickly stood out because it connected a sitting senator, a former WWE Hall of Famer, and All Elite Wrestling in one post.

A Brief Comment With Wrestling Context

Professional wrestling has long had an unusual place in broader popular culture, with performers frequently crossing into films, television, business, politics, and other public-facing careers. Jacobs is one of the more notable examples of that crossover.

For more background on this topic, read The Young Bucks Admit They Say ‘Never Again’ After Every AEW Blood & Guts Match.

Before entering public office, Jacobs became internationally known through WWE as Kane. The character was presented for years as an intimidating masked force and, at various points, as the storyline brother of The Undertaker. Kane’s distinctive visual presentation, including the mask and red-and-black ring gear, made him one of the most recognizable figures of WWE’s modern era.

The GIF at the center of Gallego’s response drew on a familiar visual: an underdog-sized Rey Mysterio taking on the much larger Kane. Mysterio’s career has been defined in part by overcoming bigger opponents through speed, timing, and aerial offense. That contrast made the clip a natural fit for the joke aimed at Jacobs.

Gallego, however, did not engage with the Kane-versus-Mysterio premise in detail. Instead, he used the moment to state his own preference between major wrestling promotions. His exact response was short and unmistakable: “I am more of an @AEW man.”

“I am more of an @AEW man.”

In an era when wrestling fans regularly debate the differences between WWE and AEW, the response immediately placed Gallego on one side of a familiar discussion. It also showed that the wrestling reference did not go unnoticed, even if his preference was not for the company most closely associated with Jacobs’ in-ring legacy.

Glenn Jacobs’ WWE Legacy

Jacobs’ association with WWE spans decades, and Kane remains the role for which he is most widely recognized. His work in the company included major championship reigns, high-profile rivalries, and a long-running tag team partnership with The Undertaker known as the Brothers of Destruction.

Kane’s position on WWE programming changed across different periods, from masked monster to unmasked executive-style character and beyond. Yet the character’s importance to WWE’s history remained intact. Jacobs was eventually inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, recognizing the breadth and longevity of his contributions to the promotion.

His final in-ring appearance came in the 2021 Men’s Royal Rumble match. The Royal Rumble has traditionally provided opportunities for returning stars, surprise entrants, and legacy performers to make brief appearances alongside active WWE talent. Jacobs’ participation in that match marked his most recent documented competition inside the ring.

That history is why a Kane GIF carries an instant meaning for a large portion of the wrestling audience. Even years after his most recent match, the character remains recognizable enough for fans to use in everyday jokes that stretch far beyond WWE programming itself.

From Kane to Knox County Mayor

Outside the ring, Jacobs pursued a political career and served as Knox County Mayor. He completed an eight-year term in that position earlier in September.

The transition from a prominent wrestling career to elected office made Jacobs a uniquely recognizable public figure. For many casual viewers, the name Kane still immediately recalls his WWE persona. In political settings, however, he is known as Glenn Jacobs. The social media joke that prompted Gallego’s response deliberately combined those two identities, using a classic Kane clip to imagine a potential encounter involving Jacobs in a Senate setting.

Jacobs has also been discussed in reporting as a possible candidate for appointment to the U.S. Senate. That possibility remains separate from the social media exchange, and Gallego’s post did not comment on any prospective appointment or political process. The reply was limited to wrestling fandom and promotion preference.

Still, the overlap explains why the post resonated. It was not merely one wrestling fan reacting to another. The joke involved a former WWE mainstay whose public career moved into politics, while the answer came from a senator who identified himself as an AEW supporter.

AEW’s Place in the Conversation

All Elite Wrestling has become one of the most visible promotions in the wrestling industry since its launch. Its existence has given viewers another major televised wrestling product and helped fuel constant comparisons with WWE among fans online.

Those comparisons can range from in-ring style and presentation to roster choices, event schedules, championships, and creative direction. Fans routinely identify with one promotion more than another, though many follow both. Gallego’s phrasing did not offer a critique of WWE, Kane, or Jacobs. It simply expressed a personal leaning toward AEW in response to a WWE-centered joke.

That distinction matters. The reply was not presented as a political statement, nor was it an indication of any official connection between Gallego and AEW. It was a casual expression of fandom. But because it came from a prominent public official, the message traveled beyond the usual wrestling social media circles.

Wrestling has always benefited from these kinds of unexpected cultural intersections. A single image, match clip, entrance theme, or catchphrase can remain part of the public vocabulary long after the original moment aired. Kane and Rey Mysterio represent different but equally enduring pieces of WWE history, while Gallego’s response highlights AEW’s own place in present-day fan culture.

No Storyline, Just a Memorable Exchange

There is no announced wrestling angle attached to Gallego’s comment, and no indication that Jacobs has responded to the post. There is also no suggestion that the exchange will lead to a wrestling appearance, an AEW event, or a WWE-related segment.

Its significance is in its simplicity. A fan used a recognizable Kane GIF to make a joke involving a possible Senate-floor encounter. Gallego replied by revealing his preference for AEW. The exchange brought together two sides of the modern wrestling landscape: the lasting mainstream familiarity of a WWE Hall of Famer and the continued visibility of AEW as a major alternative for wrestling viewers.

For Jacobs, Kane remains a defining part of a career that has reached the WWE Hall of Fame and extended into public office. For Gallego, one short post established a clear answer to a lighthearted question that was never directly asked: when it comes to wrestling, he is more of an AEW man.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.