15 Biggest False Narratives In Wrestling History
You've been lied to this whole time: featuring Goldberg, Hulk Hogan and more...
Wrestling is like anything: it is discussed by anybody with an opinion, and opinions, famously, are “like ***holes”.
Certain narratives persist when they were only ever true of a certain time period. Certain narratives persist because people simply wish to believe in them, even if they aren’t true. Certain narratives persist because some people were so influential in the space that their opinions have taken root and cannot be shaken.
Wrestling is sometimes so unspeakably bad that the alternative is considered the solution. The key example here is WCW dinosaurs in the main event = bad, ergo push the cruiserweights to the top of the card.
It was never that simple, but because it seemed that way for so long, a narrative persisted even when it made little sense: WWE should present authentic, exciting junior-style wrestling. This take was echoed long after the junior and heavyweight styles blurred into one another, making the former virtually obsolete.
Tribalism predates the formation of AEW. Opinion is often so extreme that it gets in the way of logic. This is true, sadly, in every walk of life.
Pro wrestling is no different…
15. The Booker Ruined This Wrestler’s Career
Vince McMahon broke the way in which pro wrestling is received. His dire legacy haunts every conversation surrounding the medium, even indirectly.
This is a broad false narrative to unpack, but because Vince was so atrocious at his job for so long - by wilfully destroying careers through his inability and unwillingness to create new stars - the onus on whether or not a wrestler gets over these days is placed entirely on the booker. If a popular wrestler stagnates, in the eyes of the public, it is very rarely that wrestler’s fault.
Consider Wardlow.
Wardlow was awesome as an explosive emerging force between 2019 and 2022. Wardlow was AEW’s Batista, in storylines, and was almost equally as good at conveying his motivations through understated body language. Tony Khan did kill the credibility of the character by not going with him when CM Punk was forced to vacate the World title in the wake of Double Or Nothing 2022 - but would it have gone all that well?
Wardlow was more Goldberg in the ring when tasked with the longer form main events demanded by the AEW audience. His recent Big Business match with Samoa Joe was eye-opening. Wardlow’s offence looked limp. It didn’t look like Joe was in much trouble when Wardlow went through the motions of an attack on the outside.
That might have worked, had Wardlow still possessed something in the way of aura, but the point remains: the booker is not always at fault. Wardlow as TNT Champion wasn’t particularly great, either, and that’s fine. There’s no shame whatsoever in being a fun midcard attraction.
Evolving into a true tippy-top main event act is very difficult.