Jonathan Gresham recently offered a sharp critique of contemporary professional wrestling, specifically targeting the prevalent use of multiple false finishes and excessive finishers in matches across the industry.
Many matches today often rely on the excessive use of finishers and false pinfall finishes to draw fan reactions. This approach is a divided topic in the wrestling business, with many stars adopting the style despite pushback from legends.
Speaking with Sean Ross Sapp for a new interview, Jonathan Gresham admitted his disapproval of nearly every match featuring what he refers to as “falsies.”
“So this one is probably not going to be a popular opinion. I am not fond of every match having falsies. I’m in locker rooms, I hear young guys, they’re the first match or they’re a dark match on the show and they’re just like, ‘Alright, so for falsies, we’re gonna do,’ and I’m like, ‘Why are there falsies?’ To me, falsies are for main events, title matches, contender matches, big exhibition matches that are like marquee matches for the show or feuds or something like that.”
Gresham believes such “falsies” should be reserved for high-stakes encounters like main events, title matches, contender matches, big exhibition matches, or major feuds, rather than being a standard element in every bout, including opening or dark matches.
Gresham criticized promoters for encouraging this style, noting that wrestlers often seem to lack understanding of how to execute a simple, eight-minute TV match that concludes with a clear winner. He feels that 'everything has to be epic and big now,' a mindset he blames promoters for perpetuating. Promoters, he argues, continue to reward wrestlers who perform high-flying stunts or incorporate every move into one match, regardless of their position on the card. This comes at the expense of wrestlers who focus on promoting the show, understanding their role on the card, utilizing good psychology and techniques, and ensuring their opponent's safety.
“I feel like guys don’t understand how to just go out there have a TV eight minute match, where it just ends, somebody wins the match. Everything has to be epic now and big. I kind of blame the promoters for perpetuating this way of thinking, because they continue to reward the guys that go out there, jump off of something really high or do everything in one match no matter where they are on the card. They’re not rewarding the guy that promotes the show, that plays his spot on the card, that has good psychology, that has good techniques that’s not risking the life of his opponent. Are they paying attention to the guys that actually catch wrestlers on dives? He’s safe. He’s the guy that you can put with the guy that comes from AEW to your local show. You know that he’s gonna take care of that television wrestler because he catches everyone. It’s like certain things like that.”
Gresham voiced frustration that the effort of wrestlers who prioritize safety, technique, and proper match flow often goes unnoticed. He highlighted the importance of wrestlers who safely catch opponents on dives, seeing them as valuable assets, especially when a 'television wrestler' from a major promotion might be working a local independent show. These are the details, Gresham argues, that should be recognized and rewarded.
In his continuing remarks, Gresham also praised those wrestlers who are actively attempting to execute the business correctly. However, he lamented that these individuals often find themselves overshadowed by others who are less focused on refining their own techniques or developing unique in-ring identities, opting instead to imitate established stars.
“That’s what I think is going unnoticed and I hate that because there’s so many guys out there trying their hardest to do the right thing, but then when they look up they see the guy that doesn’t care and just not really working on his techniques and being unique to the show. He’s just stealing Kenny Omega’s shit and doing it on some indie show. So the promoter goes, ‘Alright, let’s make him the main guy.’ You know what I mean? What the fuck? What are we teaching these younger guys? I’m not saying what Kenny Omega is doing is bad, but I’m saying we already have one. Be inspired, but don’t necessarily blatantly steal everything he’s doing. Because think about it, everybody that watched Dynamite or whatever the fuck he was on, they’re thinking the same thing. So you get a whole show of people trying to do Kenny Omega’s fucking thing.”
Fans interested in Jonathan Gresham's full interview can find it linked in the original report. More interviews are available by visiting their YouTube channel, although the specific video for this interview was not found.
