10 Most Over Wrestlers In The World Right Now

4. MJF

HOOK AEW
AEW

The "HEAT" discourse has devolved, as most things do, into a meme.

Bully Ray is adamant that there isn't enough of it in wrestling these days. Firstly, that's a bit rich coming from him. He wasn't on national TV working his obnoxious ECW gimmick. Nobody in 2022 can mimic his effective but very easy, basic and artless bit. 2.0 can't walk up to a member of the crowd and say "Your c*nt grandmother sucked my c*ck!"

They're on TBS, mate.

Secondly, heat is fairly impossible to generate to any earnest level. That's the point Bully has missed. The behavioural complexion of the average audience is far different to the 21st century. The millennial is numb to the theatre of wrestling and indeed so much of this hellscape of a planet.

And yet, MJF generates real heat.

His act is phenomenal. Phrenology has been rubbished, but there must be something to it; MJF's very face is punchable as all hell, his delivery is loathsome, and he knows exactly where the line is between bad taste and cancellation. He tiptoes towards it with an entitled, sh*t-eating grin.

The volume of animosity is something to behold, particularly since nobody else is that over in the heel role, and his Ratings Ruler shtick isn't remotely inaccurate.

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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!