10 Beloved Wrestlers FIRED By WWE

4. Marty Jannetty

Eddie Guerrero Vince McMahon
WWE.com

Marty Jannetty was not a draw, but that shouldn't disqualify a wrestler from being beloved.

While nobody bought a ticket to see Jannetty, realistically - except some seven-year-old from Gateshead who once successfully begged his parents to take him to the Whitley Bay Ice Rink - everybody in massive arenas went banana for him. He was a magic working babyface, intersecting every attribute to perfection. He was exciting, creative, boasting pinpoint precision even when hungover as hell, and while his act has naturally dated - his histrionic selling is very corny, viewed through a 21st-century lens - he was superb at generating sympathy.

That wide-eyed seven-year-old from Gateshead even made a sign for Marty. He didn't get to see Jannetty in that seaside town in the north-east of England because Jannetty had been fired for the 20th time.

That boy was me.

Jannetty was so beloved and such a valuable midcard pin-eater that he was brought back more often than anybody. He was the Big Show of getting fired and rehired.

If you believe him, Jannetty claims that Shawn Michaels - who blamed an out-of-it Jannetty for their underwhelming match at the 1993 Royal Rumble - had to do with one of the firings.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!