How The Oldest Wrestling Lie JUST Got Exposed

Truly, a revolution.

Bully Ray
Tony Knox/WCPW

To some professional wrestlers, you are only good for your money or your pussy.

You are a mark.

You exist purely for validation. You are a sack of meat with a mouth, a set of lungs, and a hand that allows you to reach inside your pocket and pay for the t-shirt. You don't have a brain. You are meant to switch that sh*t off before you come to the show. You can't comprehend the pain that taking a bump causes, and you are therefore not qualified to critique the performance. Go on. Get.

Be a fan.

This is a residual attitude from wrestling's old, guarded inner sanctum that is still in effect, explicitly or otherwise. Beyond that reference to Bully Ray, it manifests everywhere in a tedious cycle. Wrestlers on social media reminisce over the times when wrestling fans didn't worry about the booking, when they instead just lost themselves in the story. Wrestlers will admonish the Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer for his star rating system and claim that his point is invalid because he has "never taken a bump".

Vince McMahon's old "I know what you people want better than you do" bit wasn't just a catchphrase.

CONT'D...(1 of 6)

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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 surefire Undisputed WWE Universal 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!