Why I’m a Wrestling Fan

Ok, so I’m going to sidetrack back into the wacky world of wrestling for a moment. Sorry this thing is going to be a bit video heavy, but if you’re interested they are worth checking out. Also a side note, the links in here will be bracketed for your ease. By this point in time almost everyone who is aware of professional wrestling is also aware that it is scripted and predetermined. That’s not to say fake however. While the matches themselves and the storylines surrounding them are planned out in advance that doesn’t stop the actual performers from going out in front of an audience of thousands and actually performing. Yes, the wrestlers know who win before the match starts, but they will still have to go out there and have the match. They still have to go out there and entertain the masses. They have to go out there and convince a room full of people that what they are seeing is real. These performers have to make a room full of people and the world at large believe in and react to the pure madness that they are seeing

That is why I love wrestling, because by all accounts it’s complete madness. It’s absolutely insane. And it works! Under no normal circumstances should the events of wrestling ever be believable, no one should buy into it. Look at it, how would this make sense? You have men strolling down to the ring in what amounts to little more than a speedo and kneepads while some rock song plays over the loudspeakers. And the audience goes absolutely nuts for it. It is the simple act of a guy walking down a ramp while music plays that can make a room full of people cheer him incessantly, or boo him mercilessly. Can anyone else see what’s crazy about that? That is part of the reason why I love wrestling. The presence of a single person can change the entire atmosphere of a room. Perhaps one of my favorite examples is the debut of (Enzo and Cass). These two look and behave ridiculous, and yet the crowd absolutely love them. In what world should something like this happen? Listen to the reactions of the crowd, really listen. They chant along with every word. That’s what I love, the fact that outlandish characters such as these two can get so much love from the audience for a gimmick that would have them ignored in the real world. That is awesome to me.

There is also the art of the promo, where one of the superstars addresses the crowd. This can draw cheers or boos in equal measure and can set a person up for stardom. That is another thing that baffles me about wrestling; that a person can get a room full of people to cheer or boo them with just a few words. One of the best promos from recent memory is the “Pipe bomb” that a man named (CM Punk dropped). This is basically everything you need to know about the promo as we see practically every reaction from the crowd possible. WE see the audience cheer him, and then a few minutes later they are booing him. That a man can control an audience to such an extent in the insane world of wrestling is incredible. Think about it for a minute, everyone and their dog know wrestling is staged, they know this isn’t real. But these people are still able to sway their emotions so easily. Am I the only one who sees how nuts this is and how incredible pro wrestling is as a result?

Where else am I going to be able to see an undead wizard/mortician/zombie/wrestler use his force lightning to destroy a swamp-man messiah dead sister’s rocking chair? (That happened). That actually happened. It was a thing that WWE showed on live T.V. That was a thing that a group of writers agreed was a good thing to do. Wrestling is stupid. And I love it for that very reason. I love it for the fact that I can see something as batshit crazy as that make it onto live T.V in a manner that makes it look 100% serious. There have been so many ludicrous things happen over the course of pro wrestling that it’s hard to keep track of.

Another aspect that I love is the drama that is able to unfold. Take a look at this (video). Here we see lovable underdog Daniel Bryan finally stand up to his tormentors, and the crowd lose their fucking minds. Seriously just look at how the audience reacts, that shit is insane. Watch how he conducts the crowd. One man, just by standing up for himself is able to control a crowd to this extent. How does anyone not get goosebumps from that shit? This is one of the best examples of the ability of pro wrestling and the wrestlers themselves to really impact an audience. Seriously, just look at that, those people have lost their collective minds because the characters and story are so goddam compelling. While we’re at it, let’s look at one of the Undertakers entrances. You remember that wizard/mortician/zombie guy? (This) is how he typically makes his way to the ring. I don’t care what anyone says, that shit is fucking theatre. Everything about this is outlandish, but listen to the reaction of the crowd when they hear the gong go off. Listen to how excited they are. That amazes me. This spectacle we have all just witnessed brings so much joy to so many people. That is why I am a wrestling fan.
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The fact that pro wrestling appeals to so many people from so many age groups is astounding. People from every generation love it. Even with how ludicrous the shows can get people still flock to watch it. Grown-ups can still have very real and visceral reactions to what they see in the ring, and that is incredible. Watch the first minute or two of this video (here). Anything that can make an adult man react like this cannot be a bad thing.