10 WWE Decisions That Enraged The IWC
WWE made a questionable decision? Quick, to the internet!
The make-up of the Internet Wrestling Community has changed drastically over the years, but for many wrestling fans, "the IWC" remains the ultimate pejorative. The label will forever be associated with unrealistic expectations, entitlement, and unfathomable levels of self-importance, no matter how vast the group becomes.
The IWC was much easier to define years ago, before the internet and social media had totally consumed the sport. Anyone who has ever clicked on a wrestling news website or scrolled through WWE's Twitter account can now be deemed part of the collective, making the group impossible to pigeonhole.
The internet is still home to some of wrestling's harshest critics, however, and when WWE do something daft, the loudest voices are often those who still conform to old IWC stereotypes.
There's truth to the argument that WWE could spend more time listening to their audience, but the bulk of their decisions are made with casual fans in mind, not those who fit the old IWC mould. Thus, WWE will inevitably let them down, and when they do, you're damn sure going to hear about it.
Whether justified or otherwise, here are the moments that whipped the hardcore fanbase into an angry frenzy...
10. Sheamus Squashes Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan’s perceived mistreatment was the source of much fan outrage throughout his WWE run, to the point where we could probably fill a list with his examples alone. We’ll stick to just a couple for variety’s sake, but for many fans, his 18-second loss to Sheamus at WrestleMania XXVIII is as egregious as it gets.
DB was regularly stealing the show as a heel World Heavyweight Champion at the time, and 105 days into his reign, he was tasked with defending the belt against the 2012 Royal Rumble winner.
In the most notorious loss of his career, Bryan dropped the belt after just a single Brogue Kick, and if this was WWE’s idea of the heel getting his comeuppance, it totally backfired. Bryan was immensely popular in spite of his alignment, and the initial shock soon turned to anger, showing just how poorly WWE had gauged the situation.
The criticism was particularly prevalent on the internet, where Bryan’s support was always strong. The one positive of this situation is that it was one of many dismal events responsible for triggering The “Yes!” Movement, and DB’s eventual surge to glory at WrestleMania XXX - but the initial reaction was one of rage.