On April 16, 2004, a paradigm shift rocked the industry as “The Beast Incarnate” Brock Lesnar broke The Undertaker’s once indestructible streak. WrestleMania 30. Depending on who you are, most people remember the moment when the Undertaker sat in the ring after that crushing blow and the jumbotron read “21-1” in the distance. In a recent interview, Paul Heyman, who was in the ring at the time, told Undertaker that no one remembers the sequence of the match. however, they remember the finish, Heyman’s reaction, and the scoreboard change. Heyman argued that it’s not just the matches that make the professional wrestling industry so significant, but a moment and the emotions that come from that moment. WWE Hall of Famer John “Bradshaw” Layfield couldn’t agree more.
“I agree with what he said about this moment. There’s a lot that people talk about…work rates and all that. I mean, the work rate means absolutely nothing if nobody cares,” the Hall of Famer said. “Something for wrestling.” “You go out there and have the best game in the world… But if nobody cares, it’s like a tree falling in the forest and nobody’s there. Does anyone hear that?’
While being a wrestler is just as important to a person’s legacy in professional wrestling as their gimmick, JBL is adamant that if a wrestler’s persona doesn’t create a unique calling card, fans and audiences won’t show any interest in what they’re trying to achieve/sell in the ring.
“I understand you want to have both. You want great pacing as well as great drama and great characters. But if you had one or the other, which would you want? You want great characters and great drama,” JBL concluded.
If you use any of the quotes from this article, please credit “Something To Wrestle With Bruce Prichard” with ah/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.