Times No Selling Helped the Business

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

In general no selling can really hurt a company’s business. The whole intrigue of wrestling is based around suspension of disbelief. No selling fundamentally works against that suspension of disbelief.

But it has its place.

The best example I can think of is Hulk Hogan hulking up. Really any Superman comeback. It gets the crowd emotionally invested and sets a top face apart as someone different.

But this can get carried away. Case in point Hogan no selling the Vader bomb, caused a major blow to Vader’s credibility and shortened a potentially lucrative feud.

Likewise Road Warrior Hawk and The Undertaker, respectively. For the Road Warriors (to some extent both, but especially Hawk) when they debuted pre-WWF and destroyed legends, the no selling just added to their mystique. Likewise Undertaker as a wrestling zombie made sense and set him apart. But after a while both got old and were a hindrance to some extent.

For isolated incidents one that immediately pops out is Sting no selling Jeff Jarrett’s guitar shot at Bound for Glory 2006. Sting was no stranger to no selling, but that bit really stood out.

[James Fabiano]

Bubba Rogers no selling Dusty's chairshot.

[Deleted]

I came here to say Road Warriors and the Undertaker, but you beat me to it.

No selling when it actually makes sense is good for everybody. Jumping up after a Vader Bomb is bad for everybody.

[Blindkarevik]

I agree that Hogan's no-sell of the Vader Bomb was terrible. Especially since we had all been conditioned, for a decade, that the Hulk Up occurs during a punch exchange not just "whenever."

I think no selling helps when there's a big of consistency. Stuff like Luger not selling suplexes, how you can't headbutt a Samoan, stuff like that.

[James Fabiano]

Zeus no selling Hogan's chairshots on SNME helped a bit too. Well it made him look like a threat to 12-year-old me.

[Ryushinku]

Warrior no-selling Hogan's bodyslam in their big WrestleMania match is a pretty great moment. Especially when Hogan then sells the hell out of Warrior's bodyslam afterwards. Puts over Warrior big-time.

And indeed, their mutual no-selling of shoulder blocks at the Rumble beforehand. "Nobody moves!"

[Instant Classic]

There was a time Uso’s and the Wyatts were feuding and one of the Uso’s super kicked Harper and Harper spines and clotheslined him. It was badass.

[TOK Hehe'd Around & Found Out]

Kenta Kobashi - 1995-2005

Dude was top 5 at selling and top 5 at no-selling of all time

[Deleted]

Love Kane's return in 02 to stop the Un-Americans from burning the flag. JR's "Ooooh my God" when Kane no sells Christian's chair shot to the back is great. A real "boy you've f***ed up" call.

[HMARK Center]

I still remember people arguing that CM Punk did something wrong when he kicked out at one in his ROH title match against Austin Aries after he got hit with his own Pepsi Plunge.

As someone who was in the crowd for that match, hell no, that kick out took an already hot crowd and made it nuclear.

[Oh Cry Me a Screwball]

Sept 23, 2021 17:56:54 GMT -5 HMARK Center said:

I still remember people arguing that CM Punk did something wrong when he kicked out at one in his ROH title match against Austin Aries after he got hit with his own Pepsi Plunge.

As someone who was in the crowd for that match, hell no, that kick out took an already hot crowd and made it nuclear.

On that note, Omega kicking out at one when The Bucks tried the Golden Trigger in the Hangman/Omega tag. That was a personal insult and he threw it right back in their faces, and the crowd came unglued at that point.

[fw91]

Albeit it was kayfabe, but Does early 90’s Taker Count?

[Ronny Rayguns Is All Elite]

Sept 23, 2021 16:28:25 GMT -5 James Fabiano said:

Zeus no selling Hogan's chairshots on SNME helped a bit too. Well it made him look like a threat to 12-year-old me.

Man, as a Little kid I was legit afraid of Zeus.

I thought Hogan was going to DIE

[Magic knows Black Lives Matter]

Sept 23, 2021 17:56:54 GMT -5 HMARK Center said:

I still remember people arguing that CM Punk did something wrong when he kicked out at one in his ROH title match against Austin Aries after he got hit with his own Pepsi Plunge.

As someone who was in the crowd for that match, hell no, that kick out took an already hot crowd and made it nuclear.

I feel like that what makes the “FIGHTING SPIRIT~!” No-sells work. There’s something fascinating about being so enraged that shit doesn’t even register in real time, albeit for only a moment or two. Even Goku does it for hope spots, that’s how you know it’s great.

[chronocross]

Sept 23, 2021 17:56:54 GMT -5 HMARK Center said:

I still remember people arguing that CM Punk did something wrong when he kicked out at one in his ROH title match against Austin Aries after he got hit with his own Pepsi Plunge.

As someone who was in the crowd for that match, hell no, that kick out took an already hot crowd and made it nuclear.

I was at that show also and the last thing people were talking about at the end of the night was how anyone sold during the main event.

[chrom]

Undertaker siting up from Jake's DDT

[TOK Hehe'd Around & Found Out]

Sept 23, 2021 19:20:47 GMT -5 Magic knows Black Lives Matter said:

Sept 23, 2021 17:56:54 GMT -5 HMARK Center said:

I still remember people arguing that CM Punk did something wrong when he kicked out at one in his ROH title match against Austin Aries after he got hit with his own Pepsi Plunge.

As someone who was in the crowd for that match, hell no, that kick out took an already hot crowd and made it nuclear.

I feel like that what makes the “FIGHTING SPIRIT~!” No-sells work. There’s something fascinating about being so enraged that shit doesn’t even register in real time, albeit for only a moment or two. Even Goku does it for hope spots, that’s how you know it’s great.

DragonBall (and most fighting anime) is pretty much built on pro wrestling logic

[67 more]

Big monster no-selling = good
No-selling the big monster = bad

[Deleted]

I don't mind an exchange like we see in Japan and in the Fire Pro games...

Wrestler A hits a Lariat
Wrestler B gets up right away and hits Wrestler A with a "receipt"

Both men are down.

It puts over the whole "Wrestler B felt an adrenaline rush and managed to give one back before feeling the effects"

Straight up no selling like Hogan vs Vader and HHH vs Warrior looks ridiculous and takes you out of the moment. Even Cena getting up after a DDT on the Concrete and beating 2 guys in under a minute was ridiculous.

You need to make me believe it.

[thecrusherwi]

Sept 23, 2021 19:11:14 GMT -5 Ronny Rayguns Is All Elite said:

Sept 23, 2021 16:28:25 GMT -5 James Fabiano said:

Zeus no selling Hogan's chairshots on SNME helped a bit too. Well it made him look like a threat to 12-year-old me.

Man, as a Little kid I was legit afraid of Zeus.

I thought Hogan was going to DIE

Same. I was more fearful for Brutus Beefcake and Hogan’s Survivor Series partners. Hogan is Hogan so, while it will be tough, Hulk can hold is own. If Beefcake or Ax or someone got stuck in there with Zeus, they’ll be beaten up worse than Randy in No Holds Barred.