10 Most Controversial Wrestlers On The Planet Right Now
Kings and jesters roam the court of public opinion.
Defining the theme of the article - "The English dictionary defines 'controversial' as..." - is a hack's trick, but it's worth clarifying here.
The controversial wrestler isn't the bad-tempered, unprofessional head case, and as such, you'll not see Austin Aries listed here. The reception to Aries is pretty much unanimous at this point. He is almost as good a professional wrestler as he thinks he is - which is a gigantic compliment - but his attitude is unwarranted, and has all but expelled him from any promotion of renown. It's very telling that, in an era in which every talented performer has landed a mainstream gig irrespective of whether they can be accommodated, WWE, AEW nor NJPW has courted his signature.
Teddy Hart was another nightmare for promoters, but appears to have matured in Major League Wrestling, improbably and (very) belatedly. Vince Russo has lost his controversial edge in 2019. With his WWE-runs-AEW conspiracy theory, he all but confirmed that he's a sh*t-poster too obvious to get worked up about.
This is a list designed to highlight the divisive wrestlers that fuel the pro wrestling discourse - overrated, underrated, a disgrace to or pioneer of the profession? - and offer a subjective author's take...
10. Johnny Gargano
Johnny Gargano is either one of the best professional wrestlers in the world, or the most self-indulgent.
He's so beloved that those who love him can scarcely believe that some don't. He is capable of orchestrating unreal drama and cauldron atmospheres of awe and emotion, but is it to a cost? Does Gargano get way, way too much sh*t in? That's the counterargument to the notion that Gargano is among the very best pro wrestlers in the world, which is the premise of the divide. Nobody of rational mind would claim that Gargano isn't at least an excellent professional wrestler, but the overload of content and finisher kick-outs, to some, removes him from the conversation. Is it character work that conveys the sheer size of his heart, or a hollow shortcut to drama?
And who is Gargano, incidentally? A conflicted hero, or uneven character?
Author's take: Gargano is both; he has lost support since elevating the NXT in-ring standard to the all-time great stratosphere, but, barring the ridiculous TakeOver:Toronto main event, Gargano makes a fan of this naysayer all over again, every time.
That's the sign of a wrestler who is every bit as good a worker.