10 Things Wrestling Needs To Ban RIGHT NOW

9. Multiple Chop Battles Per Show

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AEW

What does the pro wrestling producer do, exactly?

Because what they should be doing isn't really getting done. A pair of skilled and experienced pro wrestlers should be able to put a match together beforehand. A pair of skilled and experienced pro wrestlers should be able to go out there and call it without a former midcard act telling them what to do.

The average wrestler will however step on the dick of their peers by trying to get their sh*t in. It is incumbent on the producer to ensure that they don't all do the same sh*t - at least that's what Tyson Kidd told Chris Van Vliet.

So why, then, on AEW television in particular, do at least three of the usual six matches feature a chop battle?

Wrestling is homogenised to a drab extent in 2024, a stylistic blur, and the machismo chop battle is a not inconsiderable part of the problem. No move should be banned outright and forever in the creative freedom promotion, but to make a broader point, the wrestlers and agents should liaise with one another, determine who's doing what, and work out who's best at it (Rush and Eddie Kingston, to use the chop example).

Then, they should task themselves with doing something different. If they're good enough under that pressure, they will improve through self-discipline.

No AEW fan wants a version of the factory settings WWE TV match, but a balance should be struck.

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!