What exactly is the role of a ref in a fake wrestling show? Like if he's "blind" wasn't that just part of the show?

The ref helps the wrestlers with the pacing and timing of the match. He's also there to be a part of the show. He's part of the imagery that an actual contest here. Sometimes they play dumb or are easily knocked out as part of an angle, but in this case the ref was a real life idiot who failed to improvise. The ref was supposed to call a two count, but the spot was botched and the wrestler landed on his belly. The ref proceeds to look like a retard as he makes the two count anyways.

Cena is all over the place.

The ref's job mainly is to do as much to help the match surreptitiously as possible. They know everything that is supposed to happen in a match, and act accordingly if something goes wrong. They can also draw attention to themselves when necessary (if you're not supposed to watch the performer that's cutting his forehead with a razor, for instance). And in major promotions, they will have an ear-piece with the promoters and can call audibles real-time during the match.

They also feature heavily in the story of a match, such as when they're knocked unconscious and the wrestlers start breaking the rules, or when they miss illegal things wrestlers do, etc.

I thought TNA would be the answer to the stale WWE in the same way that the WWF Attitude era destroyed the stale WCW. Instead, it's just become the same stale WCW of the late nineties with largely the same people (funny that...)

TNA fans are hilarious. They act like TNA is all about wrestling, but can't see through all the horrible crap they do. They have some great talent, but like WCW the talented young workers are pushed to the background by geriatric has-beens.

Raven is in my top 5.

Who else is in your top 5?

I think that random guy pulling Raven out of the ring is the best thing to have ever happened on Thunder.

These are my top 5. Most of these guys need to retire. I don't really base this list on anything more than these wrestlers having a special place in my heart.
5. John Cena
4. Raven
3. Dean Malenko
2. Ric Flair
1. Sting

Undertaker, Jericho, Austin, Matt Hardy, and Mysterio for me. Sting explains the ICP makeup, but Cena is only number five? And lower than Raven?! Come on, man! It's Cena_mark, not Ric_Raven or Dean_Sting.

Well Cena is the only one on the list who should be wrestling. The rest should be like Malenko and retire gracefully. Cena means a lot to me because I quit watching wrestling after the Monday Night Wars. When I started watching again Cena was the first new wrestler I could mark for. Maybe Cena will climb the list, but those are some legendary boots to fill. And don't poo poo Raven, he's one of the best gimmicks ever.

Hey, no disrespect to Mr Raven. I missed most of ECW and never cared for WCW, so I didn't see many of his fights, but my middle-school aged self thought the whole grunge rocker thing was the raddest gimmick outside of being a vampire.

Dean Malenko is still working?

My top five of all time would be something like this:

5. Manami Toyota
4. Ultimo Dragon
3. La Parka
2. Tiger Mask 1
1. Keiji Mutoh

I think he still works for WWE developing young talent, but he gracefully retired from the ring in 2001.

My top 5 would destroy yours. I haven't even heard of most of the losers on your list.

Manami Toyota invented like half of the moves your idols use. You need some history classes.

Doink
Dink
Pink
Wink
Marty Janetty

5. Ric Flar
4. Randy Savage
3. Akira Hokuto
2. Bret Hart
1. Mitsuharu Misawa

I think we know the answer to that...

I'm just saying, he really choked during that DDP match. I hope his family wasn't watching, they'd be mighty disappointed in him.

La Parka is still the man. Beats the hell out of fucking Ciclope.

Ciclope was Dean Malenko. He was going through a losing streak and he left WCW. He came back in disguise as Ciclope as you can see he didn't just disguise himself with a costume, but he had to disguise his wrestling. So he looks a bit clumsy doing moves that weren't in his repertoire. It was an awesome angle.

Now, how could the man with 1,001 holds possibly disguise his wrestling? Did he figure out a 1,002nd hold? Possibly Ciclope related??

No sir, I don't believe it, you are just being ridiculous.

La Parka was/is the shit. The only wrestling shirt I've ever owned in my entire life was a La Parka shirt.

The luchadors and cruiserweights were the under-appreciated workhorses of WCW. They provided the show with exciting matches that kept you watching as the main-eventers like Nash and Hogan grew more and more stale.