10 FIERCEST Online Wrestling Rivalries

8. Dave Meltzer Vs. Bruce Prichard

The Uncles
WWE

Conrad Thompson has three jobs; in addition to running a mortgage business and a podcast empire, he is also pro wrestling's preeminent sh*t-stirrer.

In an attempt to provide a counter-narrative to Bruce Prichards muddied/fantastical retelling of WWE history, on Something To Wrestle, Thompson refers to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter for an objective chronological take. This incenses Prichard, because it undermines the spin, but never the entertainment value. The dichotomy of it all lends a must-listen fascination to the podcast in that, yes, the bullsh*t grows tiring, but he does a superb, lunkheaded impression of Bob Holly.

Both Meltzer and Prichard simmer down under scrutiny, claiming the animosity is a work - the 'FDM' catchphrase and t-shirt underscores this - but there's a certain venom to Bruce's diction that reveals an authenticity and or defensiveness on his part.

Prichard uses the "He wasn't there" retort ad nauseam, but your writer was there, in front of a TV screen, as Triple H cut despicable racist promo after despicable racist promo at the expense of Booker T in 2003. Prichard disputes this. Booker T was just a "WCW guy". We could have sworn WCW Monday Nitro was a pro wrestling telecast, but it turns out it was a minstrel show!

Who to believe? The man who relies on integrity for his livelihood, or the guy who still insists the Red Rooster was not a death sentence but a good gimmick, in intention and execution?

Who Would Win: Meltzer, probably; Prichard lives a life of excess, and Uncle Dave would likely enjoy aiming a V-Trigger in his face to prove, once and for all, that Japanese wrestling isn't mere flippy sh*t.

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 surefire Undisputed WWE Universal 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!