10 Times Wrestling Fans Got What They Wanted (But Didn’t Realise)

8. "We Want Fewer Flips"

trish stratus mandy rose
Game Changer Wrestling

Flips, backflips, flips off the ropes, flips through the ropes, flips to get us to the commercial break, flips off ladders, flips through tables, dives, suicide dives, stereo suicide dives, 450s, 054s, shooting star presses, moonsaults, sentons, topes, tope con hilos: goddamnit, the problem with modern pro wrestling is that it's just too exhilarating and the fans go too nuts over it.

Less flippantly, though excitement is usually very good, there is too much of it to register. The genuine risk to a wrestler's health and the attendant elation can get boring, and Jesus, it's no wonder wrestlers hate wrestling fans. Put to one side the idea that this style isn't realistic, because about 0.07% of any historical pro wrestling ever was, and there's a significantly less d*ckheaded response to this enduring complaint:

GCW's Bloodsport events.

They aren't ran frequently, but they are the antidote to this idea: the participating wrestlers can't dive off or through the ropes because there are no ropes. Under an aesthetic inspired by the Jean Claude Van Damme cult classic, and the in-ring mentality of the old worked-shoot Japanese promotions, several believable, technical and robust pro wrestlers work intricate, physical matches designed expressly to emulate real combat with just enough of a flourish to guarantee that which real MMA cannot all of the time: the right finish and pulsating, violent drama.

That's a lot of words to make one simple point, but wrestling is so diverse now that any fan complaint can be answered with an inexpensive and accessible option.

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!