Unless you're a 10-year-old kid, saying that you love pro wrestling is often met with confusion and embarrassment and having to answer the same questions. Yes, I know the matches are scripted and the outcomes are predetermined. Yes, I know that the acting can be corny and over the top. Yes, I know that pro wrestling is "fake." But if these are the arguments that can be made against pro wrestling, then they can be made against movies, live theater, reality television, and sports as well. But what wrestling is able to do is take the good parts of all four of those and combine them into one show. It's like if the people from "Duck Dynasty" challenged the Kardashians to a tug-of-war match, and then spent an entire month to build it up on TV and social media. Then added fireworks. That's pro wrestling. It's drama, action, performance, and competition all in one.
When we watch movies, we know what we see on the screen is fake. It's no surprise that Robert Downey Jr. can't design an actual Iron Man suit and fight an alien army lead by Loki. But we don't go to the movies to point out what we know is scripted. We go to watch fantasy play out on the big screen and that's why I watch wrestling. I want to see a guy with leopard print hair and fresh Jordans call himself a "Certified G and a Bonafide Stud." Then fight a high flyer known as "The Phenomenal One." Do I believe that these two are really punching each other in the face? Of course not. But when I'm watching wrestling, I suspend my belief and accept what I'm seeing.
And this is a live event. Regardless of how real or fake you think this is, it's hard to discredit the show that pro wrestlers put on. It's taking a high risk ballet and giving it a ridiculous story. It's a dance between two competitors, exchanging high flying moves, technical skills, and on occasion, tables, ladders, and chairs. All of this takes place in front of a live audience. Sure, wrestling may be fake on many levels. But what the competitors do in (and out of) the ring requires an incredible level of skill.
I can already feel the hate. Pro wrestling IS NOT a real sport. True. But notice how over the last year or so, it's become mainstream again? To the point that wrestlers from the WWE appear on talk shows and host award shows? ESPN (a company that covers real sports) now has segments on shows and their website devoted to pro wrestling. Feel free to call it fake. But I say it's as real as a fantasy football roster any day.
Am I expecting this to be something everyone enjoys? Nope. Is everything about wrestling good? Absolutely not. There are bad wrestling promotions and even worse wrestlers. Even at the highest level (I'm looking at you Roman Reigns), the WWE can put on a lousy show. A great example being the last WrestleMania. But more often than not, especially over the past few years, wrestling has become more surprising, more creative, and more enjoyable for real fans. If you find yourself looking to get into something different or spend hours of your time watching something other than Netflix, give wrestling a chance. Check out the WWE. Look into their developmental brand NXT. It's often even better than Raw and Smackdown Live. Give lesser known promotions like Lucha Underground and Ring of Honor a once over. Just give wrestling a chance.
