There are few things worse than being able to predict exactly what is about to unfold inside of a wrestling ring. With something as historic as Wrestling, there’s bound to be times when those involved fall back on some clichés and tropes for some quick and easy storytelling. While there are plenty of fans who find nothing wrong with clichés in wrestling, there are just as many fans who wish all the usual clichés would be forgotten.Fans who hate clichés often point to the fact that when companies rely on them, the wrestlers they love and even matches almost always tend to suffer in some way. The criticisms no doubt come from a place of love, and they’re often hard to disagree with, especially when a cliché results in some horrendous storytelling.
9 Contract Signings
There are a lot of wrestling fans that roll their eyes as soon as they hear the mention of an upcoming contract signing in wrestling. Contract signings feel as if they happen all the time and they’re often some of the most predictable segments put on any wrestling show.
The contract has to be signed on something, which means there’s going to be a table involved. When a table is involved in just about anything in wrestling, it’s a pretty safe bet that someone is going to be getting sent through it at some point. Many feel that contract signings are often chaotic, unfulfilling, and cliché segments.
8 Bumps That Knock Out Referees
Watching two of the greatest wrestlers of all time put on an absolute classic for a half-hour can be a joy, but when a referee is taken out by a simple kick or a dull punch, many fans end up groaning. Things are only made worse when the referee stays down on the canvas for a ludicrous length of time.
Fans are watching world-class athletes throw the hardest-hitting and most complex moves at their opponents, and while the referees aren’t competitors, they are grown adults who should be able to take a little bit of punishment without falling into a short coma.
7 A Big Man Enters A Battle Royal
To be fair, there always is something exciting about watching a goliath enter into a battle royal. The downside is that it’s incredibly rare for a big man to win a battle royal style match, especially when it’s something with a lot of stakes like the Royal Rumble.
The issue that many wrestling fans have with that is just how much the commentators sell the arrival of a colossal competitor. They may seem like a big deal, they may even eliminate people in impressive fashion, but the chances of them actually winning are pretty slim.
6 Evil Foreigners
The overdone and occasionally offensive stereotypes that can come with the evil foreigner cliché is something that a lot of wrestling fans have been done with for a long time. While there’s nothing wrong with telling a hometown hero story, the idea of having that story feature a foreign villain that’s mostly only a bad guy because they aren’t American isn’t great.
Those stories have been done well in the past, but those are often with larger-than-life characters when compared to the typically more grounded characters of the modern era of wrestling.
5 Cameras Don’t Exist Unless They Need To
There’s something strange about two wrestlers having an intimate or intense stand-off backstage only to never acknowledge the fact that there is likely an entire team of people present to record the interaction. Many wrestling fans find it to be a little bit odd.
Things are only made more confusing for the viewer when on the same show, a wrestler interacts with one of the crew members, whether that be by accident or on purpose. There are a lot of wrestling fans who enjoy the drama, but they don’t want to be treated like they’re watching a daytime soap opera.
4 Poor Distractions
A distraction in the middle of a match can easily heighten the drama, but that’s when they’re done well. Some classic examples of what many fans consider to be bad examples are things like a beautiful woman simply existing at ringside, or a potential future contender sitting at ringside.
While it makes sense for wrestlers to always be aware of potential attacks, being distracted by a woman because she’s attractive in the middle of a match in which you’re trying to destroy your opponent can make wrestling hard to bear.
3 Everything Under The Ring
For years, plenty of wrestling fans have wondered exactly why there are so many strange objects for wrestlers to find under the ring. While some general objects like chairs, tables, and ladders can make some semblance of sense, things like guitars, trash cans, and the occasional stop sign absolutely do not.
There are a lot of wrestling fans who are purists of the art form and believe that weapons should stay outside of most promotions except for rare occasions. Those people tend to agree that whenever a wrestler reaches under the ring, they’re likely to pull out something ridiculous. Many people are left wondering why WWE has so many kendo sticks under their rings.
2 Everyone Is Down
There is definitely a case to be made for fans showing their respect to two performers while they take a quick breather after a sequence that took everything out of them, but that’s something that isn’t always earned. A moment like this can be a marvelous spectacle when done well, but it’s not used all that well all that often.
Two wrestlers being unable to stand after a brutal exchange in the late stages of a long match can make a lot of sense, especially when it’s a hot rivalry. When a few wrestlers are having a random televised match with no build-up, that moment where no one can stand just feels cheap and cliché to many fans.
1 The Spanish Announce Table
Companies like WWE enjoy experimenting with their arena set-ups for live shows and PPVs, but nine times out of ten if a Spanish announce table is suddenly in the building, someone is going through it. It’s a cliché that isn’t always a bad thing, but it’s something that can get plenty of fans rolling their eyes.
Wrestling fans want to be surprised, and the least surprising thing that happens all the time is a wrestler being sent through the Spanish announce table. The cliché would be an easy one to fix by just constantly adding more tables, or just avoiding that particular spot for a length of time.