10 Wrestlers Who Learned Important Lessons The Hard Way

8. Mike Blackwell Learns No-Selling Has Consequences

Enhancement talent (or 'jobbers') have one job in wrestling - taking a beating to make their opponent look good. In the above match (starting at the 2:30 mark), Mike Blackwell does half his job - he takes a beating, but makes it look ridiculous.

Every move the Skyscrapers (Sid Vicous and Dan Spivey) hit him with is met with the same result - Blackwell immediately getting back up, shaking his head like he's about to Hulk up. Whether he's suplexed, clotheslined or powerbombed, Blackwell makes himself look invincible by bouncing back up every time. Maybe his long blond hair and receding hairline confused him into thinking he actually was the Hulkster?

Needless to say, the Skyscrapers do not take kindly to a non-entity like Blackwell treating them as a joke. Both men lay a legitimate beating on the jobber after the match, who seems to realise his mistake right at the end of the video when he pulls an "Oh Crap!" look just before Spivey leathers him with a left hook.

Some may condemn the Skyscraper's use of genuine physical violence, but frankly speaking, Blackwell had only himself to blame. A jobber is supposed to make his opponent's offense look good, and if they refuse to do that then they can't complain when their opponent forces them into some method acting.

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Contributor

Hello! My name's Iain Tayor. I write about video games, wrestling and comic books, and I apparently can't figure out how to set my profile picture correctly.