5 Most Insane Things Happening In Wrestling Right Now (Jan 11)

2. Vince Petty & The Heartbreakers

Vince McMahon Tampon
AEW

F*cking lol.

Right. So, by pure coincidence, All Elite Wrestling held their formation rally in Jacksonville, Florida, the site of Tuesday's edition of SmackDown. They weren't not going to hold it at their offices - would WWE move a press conference to New York City, if Impact was running Connecticut on the same day? - and so, there was something of an overlap. Certain fans who wished to attend the rally had also purchased tickets for the WWE show. The thing is, per John Pollock, is that those purchased tickets did not guarantee entry to the event. At least one punter wearing All Elite Wrestling merch was forbidden from entering the building.

Security was subsequently instructed to allow customers into the arena, but the very principle behind the initial decision is mind-boggling. The WWF had no problem allowing nWo t-shirts on camera when faced with actual competition, as opposed to the merest threat of it. It is precisely this sort of fan-depriving malice that has come to define WWE in recent years, which, in turn, has contributed to the company's dwindling popularity and the rise of an alternative. This was a critical self-own on WWE's part. All they had to do was not be vindictive pr*cks for one night.

And that's not all!

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!