8 Most Insane Things Happening In Wrestling Right Now (Feb 17)

1. Josh Matthews Thinks He's The Greatest Commentator In The World

Josh Matthews TNA
Impactwrestling.com

As part of TNA's web-exclusive "My First Day" series - Rob Van Dam's should be a riot, incidentally - Josh Matthews anointed himself as the greatest commentator in wrestling.

In the (mercifully) short video, Matthews even had the gall to claim that he hesitated over the chance to join TNA, as if it wasn't his last chance of a well paying gig in wrestling. His first time announcing in the Impact Zone was "easy", Matthews continued. "I make no bones about it that I think I'm the best play-by-play announcer in the world. There's nobody that can touch what I can do out there," Josh Matthews said.

Yes, that Josh Matthews.

The Josh Matthews who was considered too bland even for WWE - a company which to this day allows Byron Saxton to drone tediously on the flagship. The Josh Matthews, the enemy of euphony, with his infuriatingly nasal voice and tenuous grasp on the concepts of insight and flattery. The Josh Matthews who was unpleasant and stupid enough to criticise dear old Jim Ross - the Kenta Kobashi to his Giant Gonzalez - for having the audacity to age.

The Josh Matthews who uses Michael Cole circa 2011 as his foremost inspiration, burying on-air talent with his smug, ironic detachment. The Josh Matthews who treated wrestling matches with such contempt that he advertised other Destination American programming in the middle of them during TNA's short-lived partnership with the network. He could have advertised "BBQ Pitmasters" before he got to the meat (Jesus, his offensiveness is contagious) of the action. But, as if to stroke his own...ego, he did so during crucial moments.

"The Dollhouse are so effective as a unit," his colleague The Pope once said. "They're like a pack of hyenas." "Speaking of hyenas," Matthews countered. "Have you ever tried to grill a hyena? No-one ever has, but it's a great segue for me to remind everyone to catch an all new episode of BBQ Pitmasters."

The argument could be made that Matthews was operating in character this week - but characters have personalities.

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!