10 Stars Who Changed The Way We Talk About Wrestling

7. Vince Russo

Jon Moxley Such Good Sh*t
WWE.com

What is Vince Russo's legacy?

Do people remember his awesome expansion of wrestling narrative in 1998, and the crazed stunts and segments he innovated? They were so awesome, in fact, that WWE has cannibalised his tropes for over two decades. WWE is still doing daft sh*te with forklifts, man. If Judy Bagwell was driving that forklift on Tuesday, it might have been entertaining on a perverse level, at least.

Or did Vince Russo, unregulated, become so sh*tty that the stench he left behind simply is now as pungent, inescapable and stacked as high as a festival toilet?

Russo was so unfathomably bad and toxic that his name is essentially a synonym of "sh*t". Whenever something remotely bad or damaging or inexplicable happens in wrestling, it is immediately compared to Russo's astonishingly sh*tty work in WCW and TNA. Imagine that was your legacy. Every poorly judged turn, searingly fake set-piece or plot hole-ridden storyline evokes memories of Vince Russo. Vince Russo's sh*t got so sh*tty that he renders Jim Herd positively quaint in comparison.

*Something quite bad happens in wrestling*

"This feels like Vince Russo booked it."

How can you disrespect Russo, bro? his same few hundred supporters say across every comments section everywhere. Russo was ratings. Russo shoved Mike Tyson! Russo drenched Mr. McMahon in beer! Bro, Russo Stunnered everybody!

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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!