Last night’s WrestleCade Supershow in North Carolina was headlined by a four-way match between Impact Wrestling stars Rosemary, Taya Valkyrie, Su Yung, and Jordynne Grace headlined. Yung was a last minute substitution for Tessa Blanchard, who wasn’t medically cleared to compete. Before their match, according to Grace, the women were approached by former ECW star Sandman (famous for drinking beer, hitting people with a stick, and never being much of a wrestler) who just had to tell them that he disapproved of their main event. Women main eventing is “wrong” according to Sandman, and he claimed any experienced male wrestler would agree.
Here’s Jordynne’s tweet from last night:
Hey remember that time The Sandman came up to four women about to main event to tell us that women main eventing is “wrong” and “any male wrestler with any sort of experience would agree”?
Was this in 1998?
No, it was tonight. December 2019.
— Trisha Parker (@JordynneGrace) December 1, 2019
Responding to people’s questions and comments on Twitter, Jordynne added that it wasn’t a quiet exchange, and was worse than you’d think.
Oh yeah, saying it loud enough for the whole locker room to hear and then asking other wrestlers if they agreed with him sure is private. https://t.co/Lzb7gATvyl
— Trisha Parker (@JordynneGrace) December 1, 2019
Too long for Twitter, but it’s worse than you’re probably even imagining https://t.co/L4Fjcs8P1o
— Trisha Parker (@JordynneGrace) December 1, 2019
Apparently Tessa Blanchard told him off in the moment, which we sadly don’t get to hear.
And Tessa FLAMED his a$$ proper!! https://t.co/HID6lvWPR1
— Big Swole 💪🏾 (@SwoleWorld) December 1, 2019
Tessa is the baddest bitch I know https://t.co/D0KYmTn7u0
— Trisha Parker (@JordynneGrace) December 1, 2019
Sandman thought experienced male wrestlers would back up his opinion, but Le Champion of AEW, a 29-year veteran, begs to differ:
I don’t agree! https://t.co/XfOpgsMHRB
— Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) December 1, 2019
Will Ospreay, not always known for his good takes, also responded with a full-throated endorsement of women’s wrestling:
Really???
Most of the women wrestlers are pulling off more innovating & exciting stuff then the ever before.
Can’t tell you the amount of times I go watch a Stardom match & want to retire cos their matches are INSANE!
Let’s not interfere with progress, everyone keep killing it https://t.co/dbHTDSTZuG
— ᵂⁱˡˡ ᴼˢᵖʳᵉᵃʸ • ウィル・オスプレイ (@WillOspreay) December 1, 2019
Several women responded on Twitter as well, including a surprisingly restrained reaction from Reby Hardy.
w o w https://t.co/0wHhgnLsUS
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) December 1, 2019
Gross. I hope he stuck around to see the match and eat his words.
— ❌adison Rayne (@MadisonRayne) December 1, 2019
What the fuck….. Wow. https://t.co/L4zlQrtxq4 pic.twitter.com/pVrMNoZ9G6
— Melissa Santos (@ThisIsMelSantos) December 1, 2019
😂😂😂
Imagine anyone taking that alcoholic loser’s opinion seriously, right?Hey, at least he had those classic matches.
Like….against…….um……..
Attitude era was so good tho https://t.co/zBkzAIIaqI
— Nicole Matthews (@nmatthewsninja) December 1, 2019
It’s not surprising that there are still old guys in wrestling who hold opinions like Sandman’s, which is all the more reason that it feels rewarding to see those opinions met with more mockery than agreement.