Wrestlers Must Stop Using These Promo Clichés NOW

• This is a lazy way of turning someone into a villain
• The fans will naturally boo if there is a good story in place

Turning heel is a classic part of professional wrestling, with talent often switching up from being a loved babyface to a superstar who audiences want to boo every week. This can be achieved in countless ways, but one cliché that wrestlers often fall into is choosing to blame the fans for their change in behavior.

They will go and blame the fans for not supporting them enough or cheering someone else, using that as a reason for them to turn heel and start acting in a totally different way. It always feels like a lazy option for a wrestler to take, as it rarely makes sense in terms of how the fans have been acting.

Mocking Local Sports Teams

• This trope is used when a wrestler isn't getting reactions
• It takes fans out of the storyline and into a different sport

Another cheap way that heels like to get heat is by mocking the local sports team. It's something that many wrestlers do to get some instant boos, but it showcases a lack of imagination. Wrestlers often fall into this cliché when promos aren't going as planned, opting to drop the local sports team as a way to anger the live crowd.

The issue with this is that not everyone is a fan of other sports, so that can lead to the promo not having an impact. Additionally, it is also problematic for those watching at home when it is a televised product, as they lack the same level of connection to the sports team, which can pull them out of the moment. It would be easier for wrestlers to tie in their promos to the business itself, but that doesn't always happen.

"Fight Right Here, Right Now!"

• Fans always know the match isn't going to happen then
• It doesn't help make the heel look like a compelling star

It isn't just heels who have promo clichés to use regularly; a classic babyface line is for them to tease wanting to fight immediately. They'll often drop phrases such as "right here, right now," which often serves as a cheap way to fire up the audience and get them cheering quickly. The idea is to make the babyface appear as someone who is always ready to fight, while the heel backs away in a cowardly manner.

The issue with that is that it always makes the heel look terrible, and it also teases the fans with something that will never happen. The idea is that it will improve how the babyface looks, but it just leaves everyone frustrated for the sake of one quick pop.

Swearing

• This is a problem in WWE, where the product is supposed to be PG
• It can be damaging for family audiences

Professional wrestling is all about emotion and making fans buy into the idea that wrestlers might legitimately hate each other. Arguments happen all the time in real life, and that often includes swearing, which certain wrestlers like to add into their promos. It's a cliché to hear a wrestler swear, regardless of the promotion, simply because it's an unexpected moment to take place.

Hearing someone drop words that we don't expect is an instant way of guaranteeing a reaction from certain fans. However, it also leads to frustration for fans watching with families, as they might not want to expose their children to that type of language. It isn't necessary to tell a story and ends up being a cliché, rather than feeling natural.

Tired Of Being Held Back

• Wrestlers do this when they're being pushed to the main event
• Fans want to believe in the wrestler without them stating it

Many wrestlers legitimately deserve a bigger push than they have been given throughout their careers, and fans are very aware of that, but it has led to another promo cliché where superstars come out and stated that they're tired of being held back. It can be done by a babyface or a heel, depending on the circumstances, and usually gets a response from fans.

However, just because audiences react doesn't mean that it's a good one. Everyone should be frustrated by being held back if they're not in the main event spot, as fans should naturally believe that every single wrestler wants to be a World Champion both in kayfabe and reality, so spelling it out to people is just stating the obvious.

"My Destiny"

• Alberto Del Rio used this line regularly
• Every wrestler should want to be a top star

A significant issue that many wrestlers face is the use of this promotional cliché, where they proclaim it's their destiny to be a top star or a World Champion. It's a line that makes very little sense, as everyone within the industry has trained for long enough to reach the point where they become prominent names who are capable of winning titles.

There's no such thing as destiny within the sport, even for second-generation wrestlers, as there are no guarantees of success. It's a strange quote to throw out, but it's one that wrestlers tend to use too often when they're top heels.

Promo Interruptions

• This is a huge and very frustrating WWE problem
• Raw and SmackDown often kickstart with these segments

Without a doubt, the most tired cliché in wrestling promos is the interruption that often leads to a promo parade taking place, which feels predictable and frustrating. It's an issue that happens on almost every episode of WWE television, often leading to multiple wrestlers being in the ring at once all saying similar things.

This is particularly problematic if a multi-person match is scheduled to take place in the near future. WWE typically does this with Money in the Bank matches or the Elimination Chamber, where the company will have all the participants standing and cutting promos about how they want to win, leading to a lazy 20-minute segment.