If you’ve ever wanted to jump on the professional wrestling bandwagon, now is the time to do it.
Professional wrestling is the hottest its been in over 20 years, making it a great time for old fans and newcomers alike to head toward the squared circle. Not only that, it’s one of the few forms of entertainment still producing despite the actor’s strike.
That’s not in defiance of the actors’ worthy cause, but simply because wrestlers are not members of SAG-AFTRA. In fact, the strike has allowed John Cena to return to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on a regular basis over the past several weeks.
Obviously, if pro wrestling has never been of interest to you, then it just might not be for you, and that’s OK. This unique form of entertainment, like all other media, isn’t for everyone.
That said, even if you’ve had a passing interest in wrestling, I highly recommend now. Not only is it the biggest boom the industry’s seen since the early 2000s, but there is so much of it that’s readily available to fans, both old and new.
Professional Wrestling: The Unique Storyteller
Let’s first acknowledge the elephant in the room. Professional wrestling, for the most part, is scripted. While matches are mapped out and finishes predetermined, what happens in the ring isn’t entirely fake.
Wrestler still take hits and falls, known within the industry as “bumps,” and engage in similar risks that professional athletes do during their respective games. Still, these wrestlers are professionals and know how to minimize damage but the danger is real.
This gives professional wrestling the other name of sports entertainment. Former longtime owner of WWE Vince McMahon explained his product was sports because of the athletic nature involved, but entertainment because of the storytelling aspect.
This is where, in my opinion, pro wrestling thrives. This is such a unique form of storytelling that really is unlike any other.
Wrestlers are telling a story not only through pre-match promos or segments, but also during the match. Not only do these wrestlers have to keep their entire match in mind, but also any story beats that comes with it mid-match.
And the storytelling is some of the best ever.
Take WWE. It has been telling a three-year story about Roman Reigns assembling his family together to create a dominate faction called The Bloodline. He gives himself the name “the Tribal Chief” and rules over his cousins with an iron fist.
What makes this story compelling are the details. Reigns, as a bad guy or heel, manipulates and abuses his cousins into submission. He even welcomed in an outsider late last year only to force him to constantly prove himself.
All this comes from story beats in and around matches but that’s not all. Reigns does a masterful job at conveying the story in the ring with his mannerisms and body language. He can convey the story through how he delivers his moves.
Wrestling matches aren’t just senseless violence that awards the winner the championship. Sure, that’s part of it but the stories are on part with some of the best on television.
And it’s not just WWE. Rival promotion All Elite Wrestling has its fair share of stories to tell. AEW leans more to the athletic nature of sports entertainment, but still has some fun stories to tell.
Fresh Faces and Competition
Storytelling has been a bit of a weakness for WWE in recent years. That was until McMahon finally stepped down and handed the reigns to his son-in-law.
Paul Levesque, known in the ring as Hunter Hearst Helmsley or Triple H, took over WWE creative in 2022 and has brought a fresh approach to the product. This has allowed the rise of new stars that McMahon may not have given a shot.
It is this freshness that has led to some of the best WWE programming in years. Triple H is a big fan of wrestling history and viewers can see that passion during all shows.
Again, it’s not just WWE. AEW is fairly new to the market, having opened in 2019 and introducing the world to Tony Khan’s booking style. Offering an alternative to WWE’s product has benefited both promotions.
The last time WWE has competition, it brought the promotions famed Attitude Era (1997-2001). World Championship Wrestling forced the then-World Wrestling Federation to change its product and create a more contemporary approach. This redefinition led to a boom that lasted well into the 2000s.
Competition always breeds the best in a product. It’s never good for one brand to dominate because it gets stall and complacent. Having two quality wrestling brands allows both to put forth their best and that’s exactly what they’re doing.
Both companies recently went head-to-head in the ratings. WWE’s developmental brand NXT 2.0 went up against AEW’s Dynamite, which usually airs Wednesdays but moved to Tuesday for a week.
The result was two phenomenal shows that really rewarded wrestling fans. It is this type of competition that makes wrestling fun each week.
Professional Wrestlers and Superstars
We can’t forget the wrestlers themselves. Not only does each brand have some phenomenal athletes, but they all are fantastic storytellers. Their personas rival many big names in entertainment.
Over on WWE, fans enjoy Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Jimmy and Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, L.A. Knight, Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, and Asuka. AEW boasts a roaster with Adam Copeland (formerly known as Edge), Christian Cage, Maxwell Jacob Friedman, Adam Cole, Sammy Guevara, Toni Storm, Jamie Hayter, and Saraya.
I truly believe that the collection of wrestlers on both brands are some of the strongest in years. Each one brings the stories to life and make for compelling television each week.
What is lacking is a transcendent star such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, or Hulk Hogan. While each of these stars are great, they aren’t quite on the level of these stars. Roman Reigns is probably the closest, but even he has his limits.
Still, you won’t be disappointed in what stars there are because each one can perform at a level that few can reach.
The Finishing Move: Wrestling is Here to Stay
Look, professional wrestling definitely isn’t for everyone. It’s unique and can be campy. For some, that’s a deal breaker but for others, it’s just what they need.
What’s always bugged me is people who look down on the product as inferior to others. There are many who have envisioned a pristine cathedral of television filled with “legitimate actors” who don’t want to let the wrestlers in because they fear they’ll poop all over the carpets.
Sure, wrestling isn’t your traditional form of television, but that doesn’t make it any less. In a lot of ways, it does more than any scripted sitcom or drama. Wrestlers are telling a story on live TV while also putting on an athletic match. They don’t have the luxury of a scene break.
Every form of entertainment is unique and carries different challenges. Wrestling shouldn’t be discounted because of any perceived faults of not being true TV or sport. In fact, it is this weird space that should invite all to come and see what wrestlers are cooking.
What better time to jump in when the rest of the entertainment world is stagnant.
Featured Image: WWE (via eWrestling News)
The Boss Rush Podcast: The Flagship Podcast of Boss Rush Media and the Boss Rush Network
The Boss Rush Podcast – The Boss Rush Podcast is the flagship podcast of Boss Rush Media and the Boss Rush Network. Each week, Corey, Stephanie, LeRon, and their friends from around the internet come together with other creators, developers, and industry veterans to talk about games they’ve been playing, discuss video game and entertainment based topics, and answer questions solicited on social media and the community Discord.
New episodes of The Boss Rush Podcast release every Monday morning on YouTube and all major podcast applications like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Patreon supporters gain one week early access.
Listen on your favorite podcast application or watch on YouTube!
Anchor | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | Twitch | Overcast | Pocket Casts | Stitcher | Amazon Music
Follow The Boss Rush Podcast on Social Media:
Twitter | Discord | Instagram | Twitch | YouTube | Facebook Group | Facebook
Leave a Reply