Cornette Face

2010reaction imageclassic

Published August 17, 2026

Cornette Face is a reaction image of pro wrestling commentator Jim Cornette pulling a stunned, wide-eyed expression. Wrestling fans use it as a Photoshop template and shock-face reaction, particularly for botched spots or absurd industry moments. The image first spread through 420chan before entering wider wrestling meme culture through Botchamania in 2010.

wrestling memesreaction memesfacial expression memesphotoshop memeslate 2000s memes

Overview

Cornette Face is a reaction image of pro wrestling commentator Jim Cornette wearing a stunned, wide-eyed expression, typically used by wrestling fans to react to botched spots, bad matches, or absurd moments in the industry4.

The photo shows Cornette staring blankly with his mouth slightly open. Wrestling communities use it as a straight reaction image and as a Photoshop template for edits placing the face into other scenes3. Its circulation sits almost entirely inside pro wrestling online spaces, where it works as shorthand for stunned disbelief2.

Origin & Background

Platform
420chan (early circulation) / YouTube via Botchamania (viral spread)
Date
2010

The source of the original photograph was never confirmed, with wrestling fans generally attributing it to an interview held with Cornette sometime around 20002. A GameFAQs discussion archived on LurkerFAQs traced its earliest online circulation to the drug-focused imageboard 420chan, where wrestling posters passed the still around as a reaction image before it broke into wider fandom2.

How It Spread

The image broke into broader wrestling meme circulation on January 21st, 2010, appearing in the crowd during episode 114 of the YouTube series Botchamania1. On February 16th, YouTuber Maffew's third account uploaded a photo of Cornette standing next to a fan holding a printed Cornette Face1.

Edits multiplied through the early 2010s. YouTuber Sorantheman posted a slideshow of edited Cornette Face variations on April 25th, 20113. GameFAQs member DrDedal opened a Pro Wrestling: WWE board thread hunting for the photograph's origin on August 18th, 20112. The FWc Wiki added a dedicated Cornette Face page on August 5th, 20133, and Redditor saigern posted about the meme to r/SquaredCircle on February 25th, 20155.

Cornette played along publicly. In an October 21st, 2010 wrestleviewradio interview, he said he got "a kick out of it" from the meme4. He then referenced it in a tweet about TNA's Victory Road 2011 pay-per-view, writing "Just watched #TNA...I have to come up with a new face"6. On March 12th, 2018, an episode of WWE Photo Shoot captured Cornette producing the face on camera when a career photo shocked him, marking the first time the meme was formally acknowledged on WWE programming7.

How to Use This Meme

Post the photo in reply to something ridiculous happening in pro wrestling, or paste the face into another scene through Photoshop to signal shocked disbelief. It typically works best inside wrestling-focused communities like r/SquaredCircle, where the reference is instantly recognized5.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cornette Face

2010reaction imageclassic

Published August 17, 2026

Cornette Face is a reaction image of pro wrestling commentator Jim Cornette pulling a stunned, wide-eyed expression. Wrestling fans use it as a Photoshop template and shock-face reaction, particularly for botched spots or absurd industry moments. The image first spread through 420chan before entering wider wrestling meme culture through Botchamania in 2010.

wrestling memes reaction memes facial expression memes photoshop memes late 2000s memes

Overview

Cornette Face is a reaction image of pro wrestling commentator Jim Cornette wearing a stunned, wide-eyed expression, typically used by wrestling fans to react to botched spots, bad matches, or absurd moments in the industry4.

The photo shows Cornette staring blankly with his mouth slightly open. Wrestling communities use it as a straight reaction image and as a Photoshop template for edits placing the face into other scenes3. Its circulation sits almost entirely inside pro wrestling online spaces, where it works as shorthand for stunned disbelief2.

Origin & Background

Platform
420chan (early circulation) / YouTube via Botchamania (viral spread)
Date
2010

The source of the original photograph was never confirmed, with wrestling fans generally attributing it to an interview held with Cornette sometime around 20002. A GameFAQs discussion archived on LurkerFAQs traced its earliest online circulation to the drug-focused imageboard 420chan, where wrestling posters passed the still around as a reaction image before it broke into wider fandom2.

How It Spread

The image broke into broader wrestling meme circulation on January 21st, 2010, appearing in the crowd during episode 114 of the YouTube series Botchamania1. On February 16th, YouTuber Maffew's third account uploaded a photo of Cornette standing next to a fan holding a printed Cornette Face1.

Edits multiplied through the early 2010s. YouTuber Sorantheman posted a slideshow of edited Cornette Face variations on April 25th, 20113. GameFAQs member DrDedal opened a Pro Wrestling: WWE board thread hunting for the photograph's origin on August 18th, 20112. The FWc Wiki added a dedicated Cornette Face page on August 5th, 20133, and Redditor saigern posted about the meme to r/SquaredCircle on February 25th, 20155.

Cornette played along publicly. In an October 21st, 2010 wrestleviewradio interview, he said he got "a kick out of it" from the meme4. He then referenced it in a tweet about TNA's Victory Road 2011 pay-per-view, writing "Just watched #TNA...I have to come up with a new face"6. On March 12th, 2018, an episode of WWE Photo Shoot captured Cornette producing the face on camera when a career photo shocked him, marking the first time the meme was formally acknowledged on WWE programming7.

How to Use This Meme

Post the photo in reply to something ridiculous happening in pro wrestling, or paste the face into another scene through Photoshop to signal shocked disbelief. It typically works best inside wrestling-focused communities like r/SquaredCircle, where the reference is instantly recognized5.

Frequently Asked Questions