David Arquette has been getting grief for 20 years now for a brief championship run that he had in WCW to promote his 2000 film Ready to Rumble. The title reign may have only lasted 12 days, but his haters have been around for decades. That could all change, though, with a run in the WWE.
At the age of 48, the actor and legendary Scream star has been on a redemption run of sorts, with appearances on the independent circuit earning him respect among fans and “the boys” in the back. He has a new documentary coming out later this year, titled “You Cannot Kill David Arquette,” which chronicles his return to the squared circle. He's been working to erase his past and cement himself as a serious worker in the wrestling industry.
Many fans may scoff at the idea of Arquette wrestling in the WWE and say there are already too many undeserving stars hogging up television time. But he’s already had an appearance in WWE, teaming with Alex Riley in a 2010 handicap match against Randy Orton on Raw. Why not give him an actual program and opponent to work with? His body of work since his return more than proves he's capable of succeeding.
Arquette made his return to wrestling in 2018 and quickly became the talk of social media. He had been trained by AEW star Peter Avalon and taken on a new, surprisingly fit physique. Arquette wrestled during one show that was filmed and aired by Impact Wrestling. But it was his battle against CZW legend Nick Cage — a man who once served four years in prison for robbing a bank — that put Arquette on the map. The pair squared off in a deathmatch, one of the most dangerous matches a person can have in wrestling. During the match, Arquette suffered a severe gash on his neck during a botched spot, which bled profusely and earned him a trip to the hospital — where he had to have surgery. The Hollywood heavyweight admitted to that he got in over his head that night and ultimately “learned a huge lesson.”
What many fans don't realize is Arquette's now-infamous match with Gage - which will be featured in his documentary - almost didn't happen. He wasn't the scheduled opponent that night but volunteered after Gage’s opponent got hurt.
“Part of the thing was that everyone thought I was just this punk actor who got this opportunity,” Arquette explained. “So when it came up that Joey Ryan had injured his shoulder and he couldn’t wrestle Nick Gage, well, he’s one of the toughest guys in the business. I was like, oh, this is kind of a perfect opportunity to show people that I’m tough, that I’m not scared, that I can do whatever.”
There’s no better time for Arquette to make a run in WWE than right now, especially with WrestleMania around the corner. Even if it’s just an appearance in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal or some matches on the lower card. The man deserves redemption on the big stage.