Cagematch Implements New Role To Combat WWE/AEW Tribalism

Cagematch makes another change due to review bombing.

Cagematch is a great resource that keeps track of pro wrestling matches from all around the world. With that not only can you see matches by searching just about any pro wrestler or event, but you can also review matches as well. With that review bombing has become a thing and they are trying to fight back at that.

Today they issued a statement regarding AEW and WWE match ratings after the recent Will Ospreay vs MJF match was review bombed on the site by seemingly anti-AEW fans.

It’s Groundhog’s Day, everybody!

Back in January, when I introduced a new rule for the ratings system, which as stupid as still sounds to an observer, has actually made a (minor) positive difference. Unfortunately, the fight against tribalism and review bombing is a fight of attrition. On one side are thousands of expressive “enthusiasts” of the WWE and AEW fanbases with highly different backgrounds, motives and motivation for engaging in tribalistic behaviour, some even without realizing that they do so. On the other side, there is… well… me. I guess if I wanted to enjoy wrestling without the ugly side of the IWC, I shouldn’t have made a wrestling database, right? Ha ha. So instead of being able to watch a show unspoiled and pretend to be a normal wrestling fan, yesterday on top of my normal real-life workday I had to react to review bombing, reactionists, dozens of emails from users complaining about the tribalism, and basically a complete disregard for the rules of the ratings system because apparently the pairing of MJF and Will Ospreay in a match has encouraged almost more polarized opinions than John Cena and Roman Reigns did in their heydays. The biggest issue for me? I got the match spoiled for me, I got yelled at (again) by both sides for being pro/anti-“their view” and I got yelled at by “neutral observers” for letting the tribalism get out of hand. When I went to bed last night, I did so with the intention of shutting down the ratings system today and tell all of you to fuck off.

Anyways, in that post back in January I wrote the following:

“Stop dragging us into a painfully unnecessary and embarassing “flame war” between two fucking world-sized companies. The next step is to lock down WWE and AEW ratings to long-term registered users and I don’t fucking care if half of you leave at that point.”

Let’s find out together if I meant it.

From this day onwards, for WWE and AEW events and matches, the following “user moratorium” rules are in effect:

[1] If a user’s first valid rating* is less than 12 months before a show’s date,
then they have to wait until 24 hours after the show before they can leave a rating.
Comments are allowed.

[2] If a user’s first valid rating* is less than 6 months before a show’s date,
then they have to wait until 48 hours after the show before they can leave a rating.
Comments are allowed.

[3] If a user’s first valid rating* is less than 1 month before a show’s date,
then they have to wait until 72 hours after the show before they can leave a rating.
Comments are allowed.

*The “first valid rating” is reset with warnings that include ratings removal.

This user moratorium is in addition to the existing ratings moratorium that requires a longer comment for the first couple of hours after a show.

Example:
– WWE or AEW show is on 23 July 2024 (the reference hour is always 23:00 CEST)
– Show is in North or South America
– User is in category [2]
==> User can start rating on 25 July 2024 23:00 CEST with the ratings moratorium in effect, i.e. using at least 500 characters for their comment
==> User can start rating without comment on 26 July 2025 10:00 CEST with no restrictions

My rationale for introducing this rule is that most of the review bombing happens in the first 1-2 days after a show and is executed mostly by newer accounts. If you are affected by these rules without ever having engaged in tribalism, I am sorry, but I will not make exceptions.

I know this is all very complicated. Now we know why bureacracy exists in civilized countries, because assholes exist and ruin fun for everyone.

This rule is my salvation. I don’t care if you are offended by it in any way. I don’t care if you are leaving the site because of it. You are not paying for this thing, you get no voice in the decision-making. This rule is very selfish, as I hope it reduces the review bombing (as mentioned, the first few days and often newer users are the worst) or delays it at least enough so that I, yes I, can watch shows unspoiled and get to actually enjoy wrestling myself again, just a little bit. And ideally the rest of the community experiences a positive side effect to this as well, as I am sure the civilized ones of you are as sick of the tribalism as me and probably as sick as I am of continually having to address it and change the rules. Again, it’s a war of attritition and the trolls will find another way to circumvent the rules to make my life hell and I know I am inciting them just by writing this. But for me, coding these rules and writing this message have been cathartic.

If you understand, thank you.

The one thing to learn here is to just do the right thing. If you like a match then say so. If you don’t like a match then say so. Yet, don’t talk down about a match or give it a low score on purpose just because it is from a company that is not your favorite. Be cool and do the right thing people.