Wrestlers, etc, You Warmed To?

[Mozenrath]

I'm sure a thread could be easily made about people who we've come to like less and less over time, and indeed, I'm sure someone will after this. You are welcome to it, but I'm much more interested in wrestlers, managers, commentators, etc, that for whatever reason, you may not have thought much of at first, but they won you over later on. Maybe they got better, or maybe it took a while for their act to click for you. Maybe you saw an interview from them that made you see them in a new light, or maybe the thing that changed was you, and thus your perspective.

For me, a big one is Chris Masters. A lot of it is that he genuinely got a lot better over time, but looking back, I think there was something to him even early on. Still, my initial reaction was one of a certain level of disdain. We've seen many body guys that ended up being a total waste of time, but Masters ended up being something different altogether. I think that, post-wellness violation, he got a lot better, but some of it was also because it was when he started getting some interesting assignments, like a brief feud with Super Crazy where they had insanely good chemistry as opponents, somehow.

[LiamMcDuggle]

The entire IWC and the Miz

[Mozenrath]

Aug 24, 2023 1:40:18 GMT -5 LiamMcDuggle said:

The entire IWC and the Miz

Miz is one I liked right away, but for a kind of funny reason. I had actually been taking kind of a break during Tough Enough and was completely oblivious to him and his having been on there. So, I come back from my hiatus and see him wrestling as a roster member and immediately think, "Oh hey, Mike Mizanin?" I had never watched much Real World, but distinctly remembered him, maybe due to his unusual last name and his interest in wrestling, so I guess I was just kind of happy he made the dream happen.

Still, when he switched to the trunks, it does feel like he became easier for a lot of people to take seriously, and it felt like the tide turned in his favor. Imagine telling someone back in his first year, "This guy will be one of the most decorated guys in the company's history in terms of title wins." Not counting non-title things like Money in the Bank or the Mixed Tag Challenge, he has won 20 titles, including the world title twice.

[Can you afford to pay me, Gah]

Ok The Miz is for sure a prime good example and so is Masters. For me a couple stand out to start with.

Michael Cole: For years I never cared for his work. But since his post "heel" run and how he handled the Lawler situation on live TV, I gain a lot of respect for him. More so knowing a lot of the years was Vince in his ear. I'm starting to appreciate more these days what he does. While not perfect, he not as bad as some of the others.

"Da Pope" Elijah Burke: Now when I first saw him in WWECW, yeah he had potential. Never saw much more from it and could have easily been forgotten. But after seeing him in TNA and NWA. Meet him Three times. I learned just how he just one of the nicest people Ive meet and entertaining. Looking at his IG and following him. The guy tries to help people in need when he can.

[nobody]

Aug 24, 2023 5:31:16 GMT -5 Can you afford to pay me, Gah said:

Michael Cole: For years I never cared for his work. But since his post "heel" run and how he handled the Lawler situation on live TV, I gain a lot of respect for him.

This isn’t talked about enough. The guy he’d worked with for 20(ish) years literally died right next to him and he pushed through and kept working. There’s others who have done the same thing (King/JR at Over The Edge), but I don’t think Cole get enough credit for it.

[Jindrak Mark]

LA Knight.

Wasn't a fan during his Impact, NXT or early main roster runs but in the past few months I finally bought in like a lot of fans have seemed to.

[Hypnosis]

Von Wagner
Chris Masters
The Miz
Axiom (Didn't care for him as A-Kid)
Liv Morgan
Carmella
Jay White (I mainly hated his haircut when he was still a Young Lion)
Heath Slater
Andre Chase

[Aceorton]

For the longest time, I didn't get Steven/William Regal. It seemed like he was going out of his way to be boring. It wasn't until his WWF run in 2000 that his realistic style finally clicked and I understood how good he was/is. Now I consider him a favorite.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan is another big one. He bored me for YEARS with his punches and clotheslines and HOOOOOOOOOOO. I wanted moonsaults and tiger bombs and flying kicks. I wanted WORKRATE. And then it just hit me one day how naturally and effortlessly charming and funny he is. His personality more than makes up for his move set. The man is genuinely lovable. Once you see it, you always see it.

Honorable mentions:

• DDP (one of the few WCW guys I grew to admire while he was in WCW)
• Kevin Nash post-WCW (I can't explain it - I know his history of self-serving nonsense, but I can't help but like the guy, and I love hearing his takes on stuff)
  
• Kevin Sullivan (another guy I just love to listen to in recent years)
• Tracy Smothers
• Eddie Guerrero (believe it or not, I saw him as a weak spare wheel when the Radicalz first showed up)
• Jazz

[Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby]

Christopher Daniels is the big one for me. I never, ever got why people were so into him. Like. He was fine. He was perfectly competent at every single thing a wrestler does. But aside from his remarkable ability to carry a triple threat match to excellence, I could never get into him, he just seemed like a very mechanically perfect wrestler with no reason for me to care.

But when AEW rolled around, and he became old man Daniels the never-was jobber? Suddenly I was way into him and made a point of watching his Dark matches.

[UN PLOMBIER NIGHTMARE #blm]

the entire nxt roster except bron

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Aug 24, 2023 1:15:42 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

I'm sure a thread could be easily made about people who we've come to like less and less over time, and indeed, I'm sure someone will after this. You are welcome to it, but I'm much more interested in wrestlers, managers, commentators, etc, that for whatever reason, you may not have thought much of at first, but they won you over later on. Maybe they got better, or maybe it took a while for their act to click for you. Maybe you saw an interview from them that made you see them in a new light, or maybe the thing that changed was you, and thus your perspective.

For me, a big one is Chris Masters. A lot of it is that he genuinely got a lot better over time, but looking back, I think there was something to him even early on. Still, my initial reaction was one of a certain level of disdain. We've seen many body guys that ended up being a total waste of time, but Masters ended up being something different altogether. I think that, post-wellness violation, he got a lot better, but some of it was also because it was when he started getting some interesting assignments, like a brief feud with Super Crazy where they had insanely good chemistry as opponents, somehow.

I saw Masters wrestle at CWE event. It was amazing how much better he was than the regular guys on the roster. Everything right and crisp.

It’s like anytime you see a pro do it against a relative amateur in any sport, I suppose.

["Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay]

Cena and Batista at Royal Rumble 2008. I realises guys that suck entirely don't get reactions like that in Madison Square Garden

Miz just kept working and eventually became great

I did not get Adam Cole at all until the match against Alistair Black where he shouted 'what have you got?' at Black but got his face kicked in mid sentence. I thought that was a great spot. Warmed to him even more seeing a YouTube doc where he is feuding with a literal child in the stands at a local promotion

[Allie Kitsune]

JBL.

I know he's a (just barely) human sack of shit with evil views that you'd never want in any locker room, but as a performer, he grew on with things like the Big Show "Just Beat a Lizard" promo, and that one he cut on RAW where he kept making fireworks go off over and over and over again...

[saneiac]

Fit Finlay. In WCW, he was a bad joke. A chubby guy named "Fit". Ha ha. Go away. You're boring.

Then he showed up in WWE. Had a wonderfully violent TV feud with Matt Hardy. Was one of the first guys I ever saw who regularly used the ring skirt as a weapon. The feud with Matt lasted about 3 weeks, and by the time it finished Finlay was one of my favorite acts in the whole company.

[rainandlava]

For a while in my younger years, I really didn't see much in the late Andrew "Test" Martin. As the years went by, I grew more appreciative of him (Though I felt he needed someone to speak for him & His WWECW Run wasn't much to talk about, although that Test Grade finisher (Spinning TKO) he had looked great).

[tafkaga]

Greg Valentine. I just found him really boring when I was a kid. Years later I watched him and enjoyed his rugged, realistic style.

The Miz. Couldn't stand him at first when he was with Morrison, and he really grew on me, especially after changing his look.

Sting. I didn't really come to appreciate him until I was an adult.

[J is Justice]

Didn't like Bayley when I started watching again in 2019 but she was so fun during the pandemic era. And even though some people find her stale now, I still love her.

Dom Mysterio, obviously, lol.

Bobby during the Hurt Business days.

Wasn't bothered about Sheamus when he returned from injury in 2020 but he won me over with his bangers.

[sungod2020]

Aug 24, 2023 18:45:30 GMT -5 Allie Kitsune said:

JBL.

I know he's a (just barely) human sack of shit with evil views that you'd never want in any locker room, but as a performer, he grew on with things like the Big Show "Just Beat a Lizard" promo, and that one he cut on RAW where he kept making fireworks go off over and over and over again...

I second JBL. After the initial shock of him winning the WWE championship wore off, I appreciated his JR Ewing character work. By the time he faced John Cena at Wrestlemania 21, he didn't feel out of place doing so. I also enjoyed his commentary on Smackdown regardless of the show's content.

[ERON]

I didn't like Bob Holly until the Hardcore gimmick.

The Headbangers didn't win me over until they started clowning on the New Age Outlaws. ("We got two words for ya: YOU SUCK!!")

More recently, it took the "Goth Phase" video to get me on board with the Acclaimed.

[J. Hova]

Bobby Lashley