Thoughts on a wrestler

[Ferbian]

We hear this everyday on this forum, someone saying ... is his favorite wrestler, or ... is absolutely awesome, and ultimately someone ranting on about how ... deserves a push.

It is all a part of people liking a wrestler, liking how they're used and how they're being "sold" to appeal to the fans in terms of hating him or liking him.

There can be a lot of reasons to why someone likes a wrestler, or why someone doesn't like a wrestler, things that we as well talk about on this forum daily.

There'll always be someone who we prefer over others, some that we think deserves more than others, or some who simply blows our mind in terms of interest or boredom.

But as well the other way around, there's wrestlers who we simply cannot stand, or some we simply do not care about, these guys get constant heat from the crowd that hates them (like John Cena).

So my question to you guys is:

What makes you like a wrestler? and why?

What makes you hate a wrestler? and why?

MODERATOR'S NOTE​

This thread is not to turn into a bashing thread where you mention who you hate, and revolve your argument around one specific guy. This is to talk about how you hate or love a wrestler, not someone in specific.

 

[TheAnimal]

Its a number of things really, sometimes though when you like or dislike it can be totally illogical apart from just a general dislike or liking that you can't explain properly. I bet we all have at least 1 which that applies to.

As a list in no particular order. Some of these are character related, personal aspects and political:
Ability, promo skills, how political they are, if they are/aren't rammed down our throats, if they are held down, if you are told to like them, if they hog the limelight, whether or not they know when to retire.

Some of them are not that important but others are. There are probably more but i can't think of them at the moment, if i do i'll post them.

 

[info62]

This is my third attempt to type out a response to this thread. I keep thinking that I know what I want to say, but I really am not sure I know what makes me choose my favorite wrestlers.

I do know for a fact that I think promos and gimmicks are much more important than in ring skills. If a guy is a good technical wrestler but is boring as dirt I probably won't be anything more than tolerant of him.

My top favorites have always been the heels. I quit watching wrestling in the very end of the Attitude Era(I was only a casual fan at that point), and started watching WWE again in mid 2005 and got addicted. I wondered why every wrestler I liked was a heel - the only faces I liked back then were Undertaker and Kane. The other wrestlers I liked at the time were Carlito, Kennedy, MVP, Umaga, Orton (when he was still the legend killer), Edge, and Masters. I thought about it for a while and I came to the conclusion that I liked the heels better for the most part because they were not as realistic as the faces.

I realized that I knew people in my life who are like Cena - they talk about themselves prevailing "Against the odds" (man I hated whenever Cena said that), they tried to be an inspiration to people, etc. I also knew people like Matt Hardy, like Jeff Hardy, and hell, I know people similar to over half of the people currently on the WWE roster. It's not that hard to come across people as bland as Cody Rhodes, while you don't run into people that take other peoples' souls like the Undertaker does, is what I'm saying.

I use wrestling as an escape from my own boring life, and that's why I love the wrestlers with over-the-top gimmicks or obnoxious personalities. It's also why I hate the wrestlers who I can imagine finding hanging out by the watercooler at my work.

 

[The Crock]

I like a wrestler whose character is original, I like the wrestler if they change over time. I get sick of characters who never change throughout their career. The gimmick doesn't have to be realistic, I'll like the wrestler even if he's "The Dead Man" or something like that. What I don't like is bland and annoying gimmicks, Chris Masters has always annoyed me and he always will. Those are just a few examples of what I think.

 

[Goliath Uterus]

There are a lot of reasons that factor into me liking a wrestler. I'm always a sucker for a great in ring worker, thats the first thing you usually notice. Another thing I really enjoy is someone who cuts really good promos, someone who can go out there, and sway the crowd to either like, or dislike him. Another thing I really look for is their charecter, or gimmick. Someone with a very entertaining gimmick, who can get the crowd fully behind him (like the Rock) is always a joy to watch.

Those are the two basic things I look for, and while I love a guy who can cut a great promo and get the crowd behind him, if he is horrendous in the ring I can't really enjoy him that much. And if a guy is fantastic in the ring, and can't cut promos and has a boring charecter, I'm not gonna be able to get into him that much. I like wrestlers like Brian Pillman, Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin, Edge, The Pope, Jericho, Triple H, Ric Flair, etc. guys that I can enjoy both in and out of the ring, guys that are the "full package".

 

[The Doctor]

I like a wrestler that excites me, and sweeps me up into their character or their plight. I want a wrestler that I can connect with. I also like a wrestler to be unique.

My favorite wrestlers within the past few years have been Kofi Kingston, Daniel Bryan, and The Hurricane. Throw in Percy Watson while you're at it.

Kofi is electric in the ring. I love watching his matches, because he's just smooth. He can fly and wrestle with the best of them, and his theme song is fairly awesome. He can connect with the crowd through his fun and his passion.

Daniel Bryan is a down-to-Earth, genuine nice guy, and I like that. He loves to wrestle and loves the fans, and he has a great "one of us" look. That's why I'm such a fan of his.

The Hurricane was a superhero. I love superheroes! He was the only superhero on WWE programming, and he stood out and was unique. He was also fun to watch.

Percy Watson is flamboyant and fun. Most wrestlers today are serious and angry, but not Watson. He has charisma out the wazoo and he has a personality. I can't help but smile whenever he's on my TV.

All of these wrestlers are different from the norm. And each of them are fun to listen to talk. I hate hearing boring, monotone promos. I want something dynamic. I want something exciting. I want something new. And that's what all these wrestlers gave me.

As for what I dislike, that can be summed up with one man: Drew McIntyre.

McIntyre is boring. Boring in the ring, boring on the mic, and can't connect to the crowd worth shit. As IDR would say, he's a card-carrying member of the DPC. He has no unique personality and...well, he sucks. He doesn't even suck in the way I want to boo. He's just flat out boring. He is the complete antithesis of everything I love, and that's what makes me dislike a wrestler.

Disliking a wrestler is different from disliking a heel. You have to connect with a heel, and you have to have that small amount of appreciation for him. I hate McIntyre as a wrestler. I hate Miz as a heel but like him as a wrestler. See what I mean?

If a wrestler isn't interesting in any way, then I dislike him. If he is exciting or unique or just THAT damn good, I like him. Simple as that.

 

[The Peep Show]

Obviously it's going to be different to any wrestling fan. What attracts me to a wrestler is their moveset (of course), their promos and the way they act etc.
Christian is my favourite wrestler because of all these things:
I love his moveset, the Killswitch, when performed correctly is an awesome move and looks devastating, as well as his slaps, the best in the WWE. He has a very wide moveset and can easily adapt to any opponent. I have always found his promos interesting, especially when he has in E and C. There is also just a factor that I can't really describe, that is just there that makes me like him, I don't know what it is.
What makes me hate a wrestler?
Two words: John Cena. 'nuf said