10 Wrestling Fan Complaints That Absolutely Suck

7. Whataboutism

OMEGA DRAW
AEW

This is particularly infuriating because there's such a pig-ignorant no-sell of the concept of context here.

If you rave, for example, about the Kenny Omega and Hangman Page storyline, somebody will inevitably pipe up with 'ISnt iT BaD whEN WWe DO iT?!" - "it" being throwing together two singles wrestlers who suddenly develop a chemistry otherwise forged over years.

Right.

Context.

Kenny Omega and Hangman Page have tagged together before AEW even formed as members of the same stable, one that travelled back and forth between the US (ROH) and Japan (NJPW). They're not strange bedfellows; given what NJPW allegedly paid them, they probably shared rooms. They twice teamed on Dynamite before this storyline even began in earnest (October 16, November 6). They were an established team, and Kenny Omega, through his work with the Golden Lovers, is a legendary tag team wrestler. The dynamic is different to Chad Gable and Bobby Roode or Seth Rollins and Murphy because a concerted attempt has been made to develop and fine-tune their chemistry throughout the arc. They started as a tag team and have become an excellent one. They didn't just up and become one overnight.

It must be wonderful, this ability to take everything at the strictest face value. 1992 Bret Hart and 2018 Finn Bálor are the same, because one made the Intercontinental Title prestigious, and the other said he was going to do that!

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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!