Freddie Prinze Jr. Points To Indie & WWE Stars For How Wrestlers Can Use Social Media

As professional wrestling continues to evolve in the 21st century, social media has become an important tool for wrestlers to use in their neverending quest to get over. For actor turned former member of the WWE creative team, Freddie Prinze Jr., it may also be what helps separate the garden variety pro wrestler into those who establish themselves as stars.

Appearing on "The Masked Man Show" last week, the "Wing Commander" was adamant that those in wrestling not using social media more to establish themselves could take a hint from some of the top stars in wrestling, including one of the biggest names currently on the independent wrestling circuit.

"If you're a professional wrestler out there and you're not using it [social media], it's the biggest mistake in the world," Prinze Jr. said. "You can look at it all the way to the top of the game, which is The Rock, all the way to the independents, which is Matt Cardona. And the way that both of these men have been able to use social media, master social media...it's not just tweeting out. You have to get good at it, and you have to watch what other people are doing. 

"But Cardona's a brilliant example of getting these indie shows and getting indie wrestlers over. His use of social media is nothing short of masterful, masterful. And he's done such an amazing job with it, and he's created his own sort of corner of the universe, where he literally is the king of it. 

Prinze Jr. also talked up how The Rock uses social media, noting that his work on X and Instagram was similar to Cardona's, only with the benefit of having a far wider reach due to Rock's Hollywood fame. However, Prinze Jr. pointed out how Rock's use of social media had been strengthened recently by the Rock's heel persona, one he adopted upon returning to WWE this past January and joining The Bloodline.

"Brand-building Rock is not my favorite Rock, because sometimes it can feel rehearsed, and it's trying to appeal to everyone," Prinze Jr. said. "But this Rock is like 'If you like me, that's great. If you don't like me, that's great.' And it's the exact same response to you either way, which is the alpha response. The beta response is more susceptible to compliments and criticism, the alpha doesn't care, and the omega personality just wants to know the motive...

"This alpha Rock is top, top, top shelf. I mean, he's doing 20-minute promos on Instagram, he's doing 15-minute promos on social media. He may as well just film his workouts now, and just livestream his workouts and talk trash while he's lifting 10 lbs instead of 210 lbs...I just think it's genius, and I think it's a shiny example of what other wrestlers could and should be doing. Even if it's just live streaming your workouts, just get out there and promote yourself, because nobody else is going to do it as well as you because nobody's going to know you as well as you."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Masked Man Show" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription