[WNS Column] Is Wrestling Really That Bad?

I like to consider myself somewhat of a wrestling ambassador; in the past 6 months I’ve moved house twice and in that period have had a total of 9 house mates. Obviously I have been watching wrestling throughout that period and none of those 9 people were active wrestling fans. Of those 9 people, 3 of them were fans of wrestling in their childhood so when they started watching it again with me they slotted back into in easily, but of the other 6 people, wrestling has never been a part of their make-up and were of the “why are you watching this for - don’t you know it’s fake?” brigade.

I’m 30 years old; I obviously know it’s not a real fight but these people like to think they’re catching you out by saying that to you, and they look particularly smug about it as well, until I point out that their favourite TV show is also scripted and not real, then their smug faces suddenly drop when I catch them out with that bombshell. I then proceed to explain why I’ve been watching sport entertainment for the past 16 years – and I’ve had many “discussions” with non-wrestling fans about this so my arguments are well practiced and successful.

What I noticed over the passing weeks is that these people who initially tell me it’s fake and stupid suddenly start to become invested in the stories and characters. Some of my house mates have taken longer than others, but, as is the case with my current house hold, they eventually come to me asking when the next PPV or show is because they can’t get enough. I’ve even converted one girl from watching soaps to just watching wrestling because while it contains the same amount of bad acting, the resolutions are far more interesting than soap operas.

Now to us, hardened and seasoned WWE fans, we can say from our standpoint that it’s not exactly going through a vintage period, granted, it’s getting better than it has been, but it’s still not as hot as the “golden attitude era” that we all crave, but in the last 6 months I’ve managed to convert 6 people I’ve lived with, plus a mate who has now become a huge wrestling fan.

You also get some golden gems coming from these new wrestling fans, such as John Cena’s attire on recent episodes of Raw causing my house mate to comment that he looks like an employee of Dixie Chicken (he really does!) that corporate Kane looks like Meat Loaf (he really does!) and that William Regal’s commentary on NXT sounded like Ron Atkinson (he really doesn’t, but I like that he has an opinion!)

So to put things into perspective; as wrestling fans we may moan about the product not being as good as it has been in the past, but to these newly converted people it’s bloody great! So it can’t all be that bad after all can it? Or maybe I’m just really good at promoting and talking about wrestling. Ladies and gentlemen my name is Dave Timms, and I am the advocate for MY CLIIIIEENT sports entertainment…

- Dave Timms
- www.facebook.com/dirtydiscoclub
- www.facebook.com/ninetiesnight