The rise of the Internet has had a massive impact on the way we view wrestling. Back in the 90s when the Monday Night War was at its peak people would have to tune in every week to see what was happening. These days results are often leaked early and posted online with nothing sacred in the wrestling world. There are hundreds of websites dedicated to discussing the latest news, rumours, and going ons in the wrestling world. This is also the case when it comes to memes.
Memes have fast become part of everyday pop culture. A virally transmitted symbol or idea, the meme connects people through an image or gif with text and is a way for us to stay in touch with current cultural events. You can find memes for just about everything, including World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
Memes in the wrestling world are often used to poke fun at wrestlers or current happenings perpetrating the wrestling world. Fans of wrestling love memes because they take the mickey out of the sport without feeling like the joke is on them. The amount of WWE memes you can find on the Internet is mind-boggling but there are a few only true wrestling fans will understand. So I’ve scoured the Internet and found 25 of the best for you to enjoy.
23 Who Wore It Better?
Wrestlers often go the extra mile for their entrances at the big pay per views during the year. From Shawn Micheals zip-line appearance at Wrestlemania 12 through to Gangrel rising from below the stage surrounded by fire, WWE superstars are always trying to capture the audience's attention. Seth Rollins went about this in a unique way with entrance during Summer Slam in 2015.
Rollins arrived dressed in a flamboyant white and gold costume eerily similar to that of a Power Ranger.
Even announcer Jim Ross noticed the comparison while commenting and made sure to point it out. This isn't the first time Rollins has worn clothing inspired by the Power Rangers, with a WWE fan taking to Twitter to show Rollins has worn three costumes inspired by the heroes. Hopefully, Rollins is slowly working his way through the Power Rangers costumes and we can expect some blue, green and pink outfits in the future.
22 You Can’t See Me
John Cena is a future WWE Hall of Famer. Debuting as the Prototype in 2002 he went on to become the Doctor of Thuganomics before turning into a main event headliner throughout the 00s. Cena is just as well known for his multitude of catch phrases as he is WWE championships, with his iconic “ You can’t see me” one of his best.
The image above takes Cena’s catch phrase and turns it into a hilarious meme, playing on the fact that nobody can actually see Cena in the real world. There are hundreds of versions of this meme on the Internet but this is one of the funniest I’ve come across lately. Imagine if we really couldn't see Cena, he'd be the ultimate WWE star.
21 When The Weekend Ends
Everybody loves it when Friday comes around as for most people that’s the start of the weekend. Beer drinking wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin is also a fan of a few days off and this meme juxtapositions the Rattlesnake’s feelings about the beginning and end of the weekend.
The first pic shows a young shirtless Austin with hair sipping a fruity drink with a big smile on his face representing the weekend.
Like most of us when the weekend comes around, he’s having a heck of a time enjoying himself. The second part of the meme is an older and angry Stone Cold giving the finger, representing how we all feel when Monday comes around. As someone who dislikes Mondays, I can feel Stone Cold’s pain.
20 Finish Him
As the face of the company for the past 15 odd years, John Cena has turned into a near-invincible opponent. Often referred to as Super Cena by fans due to the fact he can come back from the most horrendous beatings, the leader of the C-nation is often cited by fans as a wrestler happy to bury his opponents for his own glory.
This meme explains this theory with Cena seemingly happy to put his opponent over when, in fact, he plans to defeat them with his patented Attitude Adjustment finisher. To be fair on Cena, he can’t help the way he’s been booked over the years and the last few big matches he’s had he’s actually lost, including his short battle with Undertaker at Wrestlemania 34.
19 Good-Bye James Ellsworth
The most recognized jobber in the industry, James Ellsworth, had a successful year in the WWE after he was brutally assaulted by Braun Strowman in a squash match. Ellsworth was only meant to appear once as a demonstration of Strowman’s power but his famous “any man with two hands stands a fighting chance” promo and unique look made him an instant hit with WWE fans and he was brought in as a fulltime talent.
This meme sums up Ellsworth first match in the WWE when he was almost ended by Strowman.
The meme comically uses the image of Strowman about to slam Ellsworth to the mat as the chinless wrestler waves his final goodbye. Framed as breaking news, the smaller heading “promptly [ended] by mountain man” adds to the hilarity of this image.
18 The Streak Is Over
When it was announced Ronda Rousey had signed with the WWE the sports world went crazy, as did the WWE meme community. One of the funniest and most relevant was the one above from a few years back. Rousey’s shock loss to Holly Holmes at UFC 193 broke her unbeaten streak, with something similar happening to the Undertaker the year before when Brock Lesnar broke his 21-year undefeated Wrestlemania streak.
Undertake sympathizing with Rousey is something all fans can appreciate, and just like Taker, Rousey would go on to lose another big main event before eventually trading the caged arena for the squared circle. She's definitely got the ability, so hopefully, she will have a better time and gain a huge following in this new sport.
17 Merry Christmas
Christmas is a time to celebrate with your family and enjoy some well-earned rest, although WWE meme creators never seem to rest. This image takes the classic Christmas tune "12 Days Of Christmas" and flips it for the wrestling crowd. Beginning with 12 Slaters Slating, the song includes broken tables and chair shots along with Cena’s five moves of doom. There’s even a cheap shot at AJ’s exes (she’s had quite a number of high profile WWE romances) and ends with a Randy Orton RKO outta nowhere.
This could easily blow up into a new Christmas Classic. We'd love to see people plowing through each other in the snow while caroling. If only more Christmas songs were wrestling related I might be inclined to sing along, but until then at least I can enjoy this funny meme.
16 Need Help With Your Computer?
Brock Lesnar is one of the toughest competitors in the WWE. After failing to make it in the NFL, the amateur wrestler turned to WWE to make a career. He was incredibly successful and became one of the youngest Heavyweight Champions of all time before crossing over to the UFC. This was another incredible notch in the talented big man's career as he claimed the UFC Heavyweight title before eventually having to retire due to diverticulitis. After a few years, he returned to WWE and is currently the WWE Universal Champion, having beaten all comers since acquiring the title last year.
Although you wouldn't want to meet Lesnar in a dark alley this meme takes an old high school photo of Lesnar and makes him appear to be a dork, although one who is ready to hand out a devastating F5 at any moment.
15 Diamond Dallas Cage
Ok, this one is just plain stupid but gave me a good chuckle. Diamond Dallas Page is a former WCW and WWE star who only got into wrestling in his late 30s. Despite his age, the blonde haired Page worked his behind off and became a star of WCW during the Monday Night Wars, claiming a number of major titles. While his career in WWE never hit the same heights he is fondly remembered and has gone on to have success with his DDP Yoga fitness program.
This meme depicts DDP in his classic pose but photoshops the one and only Nicholas Cage's head onto his body.
Cage is an acting enigma who's been in some of the best and worst films of the past few decades. While this meme doesn't really make much sense, it's hilarious to see Cage's face on DDP's body and I can only imagine how crazy he would have been as a professional wrestler.
14 Macho Man Taking A Moment
Few wrestlers were as intense as the great Macho Man Randy Savage. Known for his gravelly voice, colorful outfits, driving elbow drop, and hilarious promos, Savage always seemed to be in the zone when on camera. He would often utter the famous catchphrase, "Oh yeah," during promos so it's funny to see him contemplate the use of the phrase in this meme.
It's almost like he's wondering if it's all been worth it.
What makes this meme even funnier is Savage's outfit. Decked out in double denim and wearing a red bandana, Savage sits near the ocean contemplating his life, with the text perfectly capturing the moment. We really miss the Macho Man. He was an amazing wrestler and an even better entertainer.
13 Please Don't Hurt Me
Seth Rollins is a fantastic wrestler but also one who always provides great content for WWE fans. Another meme centered around The Architect stems from the ongoing rivalry between Daniel Bryan and The Miz. The two went at each other during a live segment of Talking Smack! where The Miz let it be known he's never been seriously injured while wrestling in 10 years while Bryan has been hurt multiple times, including three years retired with a neck injury.
While Rollins has battled back from rupturing his ACL, he's also been responsible for injuring a number of Superstars, including Finn Balor, John Cena, and the legendary Sting. This cheeky meme hints at The Miz's long run of being injury free coming to an end if he steps in the ring with Rollins.
12 The Same But Different
Last year, a new women's faction called Absolution debuted on RAW. Comprised of Paige and NXT graduates Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville, the three terrorized the rosters and laid waste to Sasha Banks, Bayley, Mickie James, and Alexa Bliss. It was shocking and most wrestling fans didn't see it coming.
The next night on SmackDown a similar group called the Riot Squad arrived and decimated the women' division. The group contained NXT talents Ruby Rose, Liv Morgan, and Sarah Logan, with all three women being similar in appearance and personality to those in Absolution. Fans found it strange WWE would feature two new stables that are pretty much the same but with different wrestlers. This meme likens the two groups to copying someone's homework, changing a few details but being pretty much being identical.
11 Thriller
The Micheal Jackson popcorn meme/gif is an absolute classic and one you'll often notice in comments sections when people are having an argument. Wrestler Dean Ambrose is also a fan as during one segment of RAW he got himself some popcorn and proceeded to munch away like Jackson did in the film clip to "Thriller" while watching a match on television. The WWE universe saw this as too good of an opportunity to good to miss and inserted the image of Jackson eating popcorn into the telly, making it look like Ambrose is watching Jackson. Things got even more meta when fans then turned the image into Ambrose watching himself eating popcorn and watching himself wrestle. There's even a couple of images where Ambrose is watching some lewd images from WWE's past.
10 Paige's NXT Belt
Last year one of the biggest stories in wrestling didn't actually occur in the squared circle. Norwich lass Paige hit the headlines when her phone was hacked and a large number of explicit pictures and videos leaked onto the internet. One video, in particular, featured former wrestler Brad Maddox defacing the Women's NXT Championship belt with a little help from Paige.
A number of high profile talent have won the belt after and many have kissed it to show what it means to them, but after seeing the video I think most of them would look like the women in the image above. It's probably best just to hold the belt high in appreciation rather than give it a kiss as you never quite know where it's been.
9 Soccer Mum Hair
AJ Styles became a wrestling superstar rising through the ranks of TNA (now Impact) wrestling as a short-haired baby face. After years of loyalty to the company he helped build, Styles went to Japan and became an even bigger personality as the head of the Bullet Club. His journey eventually led him to the WWE where he is the current WWE Champion. The Phenomenal One had possibly the greatest debut year in the company's history and continues to put on 5-star matches most weeks.
The funniest thing about seeing Styles now is his flowing long locks.
Once sporting a crew cut and a clean face, Styles hair is often likened to that of a soccer mum, considering how long and shiny it is. Styles obviously looks after his hair and isn't fazed by the comparisons.
8 That's Called A Right Angle
It's taken longer than most would have liked but Kurt Angle finally made his return to the WWE last year and I for one couldn't be happier. Despite being a heel during his early run with the company, Angle quickly became a fan-favorite, continually trying to get people to follow the three I's; Intelligence, Integrity, and Intensity. His match at Wrestlemania with Ronda Rousey against Triple H and Stephanie McMahon proved the old dog still has a few years left in him.
This clever image is a little more intelligent than the usual lower-class memes wrestling fans love to create. It features four different angles, with the last being Kurt putting someone in his finishing move, the Angle Lock.
7 The Self-Destruction Of The Ultimate Warrior Doesn't Exist
When Ultimate Warrior parted ways with the WWE in 1996, it was acrimonious, to say the least. Warrior constantly took shots at the company over the years with the WWE releasing the DVD, The Self-Destruction Of The Ultimate Warrior, a doco that explored Warrior's career and his eventual downfall, painting his failure in the WWE as his own fault and not the company.
It seemed like Warrior would never return to the company that kick-started his career, but as is the case with the WWE, time heals all wounds and Warrior was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013. He then appeared at Wrestlemania 33 and on RAW the following night before tragically passing away due to a heart attack. This meme perfectly sums up how the WWE feel about the controversial DVD they released, wishing they could make everyone forget like the Men In Black.
6 And Then Sin Cara Said...
Of all the memes on this list, this one featuring R-Truth and Vince McMahon engaging in hearty laughter has featured more catchphrases than I can count. The majority of memes using this image contain some kind of text wrestling fans understand, such as the one above pointing out Sin Cara completing a match without making a mistake. Any regular WWE fan understands Sin Cara is prone to stuffing up moves during his matches and both R-Truth and McMahon get a kick out of this. Another version of this meme features the text, "And then I told Drew McIntyre he was the chosen one." Wrestling fans understand this one as McIntyre was given this moniker by McMahon when he first debuted, but within a year had gone from champion to chump, with his most embarrassing gimmick being one member of the 3 Man Band with Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal.
5 The Greatest Of All Time
When it comes to the best wrestlers to ever step foot in the squared circle, Ric Flair's name is always mentioned. The 16 time world champion had a long and decorated career in NWA, WCW, TNA, and WWE, before eventually giving it away in 2011 due to an injury. Throughout his colorful career, Flair was known for his outrageous lifestyle, tremendous in-ring ability, and his amazing mic skills, delivering some of the best promos in wrestling history. One such speech included Flair uttering the famous line, "To be the man, you gotta beat the man," before his heavyweight championship match with Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat.
This meme pokes fun at Flair's insistence that he's still the man despite having lost thousands of matches during his long career. Even though that's the case, Flair will always be remembered as one of the greats, no matter how many losses he suffered.
4 Salt Vince
For the past few years, Roman Reigns has been forced down the throats of fans as the face of the company. While there is no doubting he's a top-shelf wrestler, WWE fans are a fickle bunch and like their stars to grow organically, point in case, Daniel Bryan. The reason for Reign's continual promotion is down to WWE head honcho, Vince McMahon. McMahon hand picked Reigns as John Cena's successor to carry the company into the next decade but things haven't gone to plan, with fans unhappy about seeing The Big Dog given opportunity after opportunity when other talents are just as deserving.
Some clever WWE fan has used the famous salt bey meme from last year, replacing his head with that of McMahon and having him sprinkle Reigns on the WWE audience. While the old man continues to push Reigns, it's only a matter of time before he runs out of patience and reinstates Drew McIntyre as the chosen one.