10 Wrestlers Who Didn't Get The Reaction They Wanted

2. Sasha Banks Takes The 'Papa Haitch' Thing Too Literally

Triple H
WWE.com

In which the Boss falls afoul of Trope Theatre.

WWE has an awful history of exploitation. This latest example is positively quaint, when compared for example to Hulk Hogan ostensibly dropping the leg on Saddam Hussein, or any injury being sold with the f*cking Owen Hart voice - but no less manipulative.

Edge and Daniel Bryan - before they were cured by a miracle vaccine named "There's f*cking competition now, pal, get out there" - both retired in the middle of the ring. Those shock segments were brutal because you could infer, from the very tone of their voice, that the news wasn't good.

Aaaaaaaaand that's why half a dozen scripted segments ordered the person on the mic to do the exact same thing. It's wrestling. It's all a work, you mark. But there's a difference between selling an injured rib and gravely intoning that your very career is over before saying "Sike, I'm wrestling Charlotte again next week! And the week after that! And the week after that!"

That's what Sasha was asked to do following her match with the Queen at SummerSlam 2016. Nobody bought it, and it says something of WWE that "They've been carnies one too many times for me to fall for this ruse!" greeted the angle.

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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!