For years, wrestling fans could enjoy the air guitar stylings of their favorite rockin’ wrestler in a vacuum. Like one, like them all. Cheer because it’s awesome, or laugh cause they do it ironically. It was entirely up to you.
Then, the divisive (at least in the Cageside Seats offices, where staff either loved or hated the bro-tastic rocker Drew Gulak accurately slammed as “Ben Stiller from Dodgeball”) Eric Bugenhagen strutted his way onto the Feb. 6 NXT, and nothing would ever be the same again.
As since they started it by booking the metalhead beefcake, WWE piled on:
The guitar heroes we deserve. @KORcombat @metalHAGEN pic.twitter.com/sb8YuJIAFi
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 12, 2019
Kyle, glorious d-bag that he is, rejected the whole premise:
“I don’t play AIR I only play GOLD. When the UE gets the gold back perhaps I’ll serenade you all once again while my title gently weeps. But perhaps NOT given this blatant disrespect! And for the record, I tear the house down every night ‘air/title instrument’ or not.”
And numerous NXT stars past & present weighed in, often by nominating themselves:
Is whatever though... pic.twitter.com/4bcOiX1HGE
— Shane Solo (@ShaneThorneWWE) February 12, 2019
Or leg guitar???! ♀️ pic.twitter.com/ADwY8YHO0j
— Sarah Schreiber (@sarahschreib) February 12, 2019
Or by (we think) sticking to their anti-sports entertainment gimmick:
Kyle, because he loves the business.
— Scott Dawson (@ScottDawsonWWE) February 12, 2019
Meanwhile, fans chimed in with their own nominees.
Like LA Parka:
HH...
And lots, and lots of Ace...
Hiroshi Tanahashi even voted for himself!
♂️ #GOACE https://t.co/LVKYZps9qo
— 棚橋弘至 (@tanahashi1_100) February 13, 2019
Which pretty much only someone as cool as Tana would be able to get away with.
There’s probably no wrong answer. Except KOR, apparently, since he doesn’t play air guitar. Which I guess also rules out Hollywood and the skeleton luchador, who both use props. Ace, of course, is hardcore - he plays both IWGP belts and the air itself.
Anyway, let us know who you’ve got below. GIFs are optional.