10 Loudest Wrestling Pops You Didn't Know About

1. Kyle O'Reilly Perfects The Lights Out Moment

Dean Malenko Ciclope
WWE.com

The Lights Out trick popularised in the ECW Arena is almost too effective.

An expectation is set of something momentous, and if what follows is not momentous, you are f*cked. AEW discovered this - very early, mercifully - at its very first show. This was almost astonishingly dumb for the most astute wrestling company in the land. On a show that was bound to attract rumours of a CM Punk appearance, AEW pulled the trick that promised a cameo of CM Punk's star power. When they were turned back on, the Dark Order appeared. You can't f*ck up the Lights Out.

Kyle O'Reilly virtually perfected the Lights Out in PWG because his incredible rapid-fire offence was engineered to intensify the noise generated by the initial reveal.

Returning after a lengthy absence at All Star Weekend XI to exact vengeance on Mount Rushmore 2.0 - at the explosive apex of so much converged PWG mythology - the fans went absolutely f*cking nuts stamping their hands on the mat. O'Reilly was as stiff as he was propulsive on the beat-down, so unbridled in his energy that he only took two steps to fly from one end of the ring to the other.

A quintessential moment in the history of the company, Kyle O'Reilly captured its heart and electricity in one euphoric burst.

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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!