10 Problems EVERY Wrestling Company Has In Common

9. Commentary

Chad Gable Scorpio Sky
WWE

There is not one faultless North American commentary unit, though ROH's team are pretty damn good.

IMPACT Wrestling's Josh Matthews is neither credible nor likeable. WWE's very specifically weird commentary, offset for now and in part by the excellent Samoa Joe, is even odder now than it ever was. The pronouns, nicknames and "I was talking to X earlier today..." remain as off-putting as the definitive lack of soul and credibility, but Michael Cole, Vic Joseph and Tom Phillips all never, ever stop shouting. There's no human rhythm to anything they say, and this screeching approach only serves to undermine the moments that do actually warrant an impassioned call.

AEW is better, but not great. Excalibur is tremendous as the knowledgable, heartfelt spot-caller, but it's an indictment that the endearing as all hell Tony Schiavone works to soften Jim Ross. The camaraderie is all very nice, and Ross remains brilliant when calling the action he very clearly still likes, but his misogyny is appalling, his whining deeply counterproductive, and his non-sequiturs distracting. There's a real warmth and personality to the booth, but there are so many segments on Dynamite that the team fail to adequately get over because JR's heart isn't in it.

New Japan is exempt - they have crafted the very best team in years - but, post-lockdown, we don't hear them anywhere near enough.

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!