Professional Wrestling: Storytelling for the Masses.

Feb 21, 20214 min read

Updated: Feb 25, 2021

"Start doing articles for the website, mark", said Co-host of the most entertaining podcast in the world and second sexiest man alive Walker Stewart.

".......Fine", said Ethan, wondering what the hell he was going to write.

Before I start doing weekly articles reviewing whatever shows I will be reviewing, I thought it would be nice to just write in general about the art of professional wrestling, and what it means to me. As early as I can remember I have been a wrestling fan, I can vaguely recall my brother giving the command to watch Monday Night Raw with him, and from there a love like none other was cultivated. Wrestling has been a constant, a constant that has been called on an unknowable number of times for comfort in my life, no matter what I got up to or what torment I went through I always knew that on Monday nights I could escape into the pageantry, the drama, and the glorious violence of professional wrestling. But why? Why even after all of the inexcusable schlock that I have been exposed to because of wrestling do I still tune in, why do I continue to watch even though it is not viewed in a positive light by almost everyone I know, and after all, it's fake! Why watch something if it is all just fake! Well, if we go down that road, why watch movies? They aren't real, they are merely scripted events occurring chronologically. Why watch TV? It is the same level of phoniness. Why read fiction? these events that the author is presenting as important and real didn't even really happen. I love wrestling because it is extreme theatre, it is Shakespeare with a dash of violent insanity, it has the same power over me film does, but while film can achieve the development of a story through an almost unlimited amount of options, wrestling is confined to in-ring action and short interactions between its players, it is storytelling that is unique in its execution, yet unmistakeable in its effect.

You go to a play and you watch actors fully immersing themselves in their world, they use their body language, their inflection, and their action to tell you a story.

You go to a wrestling show and you watch the wrestlers fully immerse themselves in their character, they use emotion, punches, body language, kicks, dialogue, Canadian destroyers, and their action to tell you a story.

This is how I think of pro wrestling, the wrestlers are actors in a play, but instead of soliloquy’s and asides they cut promos and knock each other out, not "for real" of course, just like how the actor for Macbeth doesn't "for real" get beheaded, but what to me is hugely impressive and admirable is that wrestlers are actually out there risking their health for their art. Yes, not every punch connects like an MMA bout, but if you believe that wrestlers go to the back after a match as healthy as they were at the bell, I implore you to watch more closely next time. These men, these artists, they go out and they hurt themselves for you, full stop. It takes an unbelievable amount of faith in your platform to each and every week put yourself through unimaginable pain to satisfy your audience, and yet, they are seen as mere actors, shunned by the mainstream for their silly wrestle games when in reality they have more balls than any Hollywood actor could ever have. It may not be "real", but it is far from "fake".

Each and every time two wrestlers lock up, there is a possibility for one of their careers to end, yet they still come out and do it... why? To entertain you, to tell you a story, to get you to put your hopes and your energy towards someone you believe in, and when it is done right, wrestling is downright fucking unforgettable. It may tell the most simplistic story imaginable, good vs. evil, but I believe beauty belies in simplicity, and in a world full of grey a tale of bad vs. good where the villain actually gets delivered justice is so, so needed. It is one of my strongest convictions that everyone can be a wrestling fan, they are just mistaken in believing the preconceived notion of its intention, pro wrestling is not trying to swindle you into believing it is real, but instead trying to connect with you, and, if you watch the right product, even the most jaded wrestling hater will surely have no choice but to smile a bit. Wrestling is for everyone, it shows us that through limitless tenacity anything is possible, it is storytelling for the masses.

The play ends, and you leave the theatre, you wonder if this production will ever be recorded or revived so you can enjoy it again, and a fleeting thought saddens you that it most likely will not.

The bell rings, a new champion is crowned, you wonder who will next step up to take on the king, a fleeting thought worries you that you will not feel this elation again, but then you remember, it all begins again next week.