2 Ups And 4 Downs From WWE 205 Live (December 13 2016)

3. Austin Aries' Commentary

Aries NXT
WWE.com

Austin Aries refers to himself as The Greatest Man That Ever Lived - but that greatness does not extend to the commentary booth.

Unsteady and almost palpably disinterested, the dismissive apathy he uses to such stellar effect in promos doesn’t really translate to the desk. Much of Jack Gallacher’s unique offence rests precariously on its petard - and Aries detonated it by moaning that his rolling crucifix pin series was pointless. A great commentator elevates a wrestler through criticism. Aries is only subbing in, mind, so it’s understandable that he is yet to master the concept.

What can’t be excused is his ugly homophobia. Referring to Gallagher and opponent Drew Gulak’s shared carny history, Aries stated that “after they’re done here, they can find themselves back playing with balls and swinging on poles.” Lame jokes are ever-present in WWE, from Sparklecrotch to The Mountie cosplay. We don’t need lame gay jokes, too.

Whether you’re a social justice or status quo warrior, the stupidity of Aries’ comments cannot be ignored. The man is working for a corporate company with a strict PG rating.

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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 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!