HitGOAT didn't always put on a 5 star match, but he always attempted to tell a story within the match. If the talent is over and fans are invested, dudes could go out there and punch & toss each other into the barricades for ten minutes and fans would be on their feet the entire time like
Too many wrestlers today try to appeal to a certain vocal demographic and circumvent their shortcomings in the intangibles department (charisma, promo ability, character) with "work rate."
"Well, I can outwrestle you!"
Yeah, & Dean Malenko could wrestle circles around The Rock & Goldberg. Who made more money and had a better career? Who cares who you can out wrestle? It's scripted.
Cena said it best.
"Why are we fighting?"
That's the draw.
Toni Storm wasn't ranked #2 this year because she could go in the ring (which she can). Her character work pulled fans in and made them compelled to care about her fueds. Eddie won Vince over not because he could work a 5 star match, but because his character work was undeniable. Flair didn't win the title 16 times because he could outwork everyone and had 1001 holds. He was The Nature Boy and his heel character was the draw because fans would pay to see him get his comeuppance.
You need your workhorses, but the obsession today with every match being a "5-star classic" or it's a dud is misguided. Enjoyment of both AEW & WWE would increase overnight if the effort the IWC spent critiquing botched neckbreakers turned soley to demanding better booking and writing from creative.
Even Vaquer as good as she is has lost momentum because all they have for her are promos were she says she loves to wrestle and that La Primera is the best worker on the roster. Meanwhile, Chelsea Green is more over than Giulia, Bayley, & Lyra.
Matt is 100% right.