Dutch Mantell said it best looking at Grayson Waller: why the hell is he rolling?
That rolling move (Rolling Thunder, the cartwheel into a clothesline, whatever version of it) has become one of those modern spots that exists for no reason other than “it looks cool on camera.”
It doesn’t set anything up. It doesn’t sell damage. It doesn’t create heat. It just kills momentum and reminds everyone watching that this is a performance.
It’s pure AEW DNA. Flash over function. Style over psychology. Dutch was going after the rolling, not Waller in particular.
I also have to point out, it CAN look damaging, but seemingly ONLY when done by Rob Van Dam. Look at how the roll makes him shoot higher? Or that’s how he made it look, and THAT worked.
Wrestling already has an uphill battle convincing casuals it’s not fake. Moves like this don’t help….unless RVD is doing it.
They just hand the “it’s all predetermined” crowd more ammunition.
Not every athletic move belongs in a match. Some of them just make the product look dumber.
Get rid of the unnecessary bullshit. Make the action mean something again.
