10 Totally Dumb Booking Tropes Wrestling Is OBSESSED With
6. The Babyface Coward
"The babyface coward" is an oxymoron, but leave it to WWE to make it real.
In WWE, a babyface will win a match, with a legitimate wrestling hold that some godforsaken reason is sold as a lucky throw of the dice, and the commentator will say that that babyface "stole one".
As if they are a heel who has cheated, and not a babyface who has...triumphed using a snug, well-timed technique.
This is less prevalent now that Vince is only on the periphery of creative, but still: totally dumb. The idea is to like and "get behind" the babyfaces, not look upon them as little weaselly bastards who can't believe they've won a match and scarper out of the ring in fear the second they've done so. Imagine the British Bulldog running away at SummerSlam '92.
Even Cody Rhodes, otherwise booked as strongly as any top WWE star ever, got the hell out of dodge after sneaking past Brock Lesnar at Backlash. It's the worst device imaginable to make it seem as though a match in some way does not "count", and that a more decisive sequel is required. If you're going to do a carny finish, at least make the babyface not look like a buffoon.
Again, this isn't quite limited to WWE; Bandido celebrated like an idiot when he beat Rush on Rampage back in November.