10 Secrets To A Guaranteed POP In Wrestling

5. Saying Something Reprehensible

The Undertaker Shawn Michaels
AEW

A massive thank you to the pro wrestlers who sacrifice their bodies for the entertainment of millions is probably overdue - thanks - but by the same token, the vast majority of them are brazen carnies better approached from a considerable distance.

Picturing their WhatsApp message threads is amusing.

There'll be some boring nuts and bolts stuff in there as they toss around ideas for their upcoming match, but the etiquette of the insult is something else. They have to delicately phrase what they'd like to say as an insult to avoid situations like the one that arose between Eddie Kingston and Sammy Guevara last summer.

How do they approach this?

"Now, I would never dream of suggesting that you're out of shape, but this seems to be the sentiment online. You know how these marks get. All that said, can I call you a fat disgusting blob on TV? It'll get a pop!"

And a pop it does get, which is why it happens. And the thing is, a wrestler is considered a mark for themselves if they don't go along with it, too - which is why you hear things like "Your beloved family member died recently, and that gets me off!", the taboo of which is a veritable pop generator.

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!