10 Times Wrestlers Were HORRIBLE To Fans

5. Sasha Banks Proves You Can Still Draw Heat

Ultimate Warrior
WWE

With very few exceptions, fans play along with heels.

MJF got heat. He was detestable. Don Callis gets heat, and while there's always a performative element to it, much of the AEW base has a parasocial relationship with Kenny Omega and the Elite. They probably do hate his guts because they are mad, mad into it all.

There's something about watching even an undercard heel do the most rudimentary cheap heat while in the building that is just stupidly fun. It's just easy to cackle while you're there, where if you're watching at home it would be the most mundane thing you've ever seen.

True heat was lost however when human behaviour changed and it's probably not coming back. It's just hard to care about anything, isn't it?

Still, it would be nice to think that the general public isn't a horde of zombified husks, and evidence of that was yielded at NXT TakeOver: Respect. Halfway through her 30 Minute Iron Man match with Bayley, Sasha Banks patrolled ringside and removed the headband from Bayley super-fan Izzy. Even in the context of a performance, this was horrible - incredibly effective, bold, and honestly a bit funny - but horrible, particularly if you're a parent.

The poor girl was absolutely distraught. WWE did right by her at the finish, but in the moment, this was perhaps the only real transgression of the 21st century.

Until...

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!