50 Funniest Wrestling Moments Of 2023

Tyrus would probably say that you're not allowed to be funny anymore. He'd be wrong!

Christian Cage Luchasaurus
AEW

Comedy was decidedly unfashionable in 2023.

In particular, AEW's pivot to a broader, skit-heavy direction drew scathing reviews from critics who missed, badly, the version of the promotion in which Jon Moxley would declare imminent victory, execute his plan in plain sight in awesome, blood-drenched brawls, and was the top babyface you could believe in.

There are certain rules that comedy writers follow. Some observe the rule of three. Larry David implemented the "no hugging, no learning" rule on Seinfeld so that his characters could keep repeating the same, hilarity-inducing mistakes. A good comedian knows that you can say and do some very dark things, provided you punch up and land a blow on the worst people. You are allowed to mock tragedy, but only after the audience has been calloused to the feeling of sadness. Then, you can bypass their moral compass and aim a brutal joke right into their belly and make them laugh involuntarily.

AEW tried to create a new comedy role this year, which was stupidly ambitious. Apparently, mundane activities - like spreading peanut butter on bread or cleaning a house - are much funnier when filmed in slow motion. This was about as funny as a 24/7 title skit.

There was still much to laugh at this year - even if those who provoked those laughs did not necessarily do so on purpose.

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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!