A World Like No Other

There is no fantasy world that has captivated its’ fans more than professional wrestling (sports entertainment). The love for wrestling is so uncontainable, it has survived decades, while commanding the loyalty of people of all generations and livelihoods. If you started watching wrestling as a child there was a moment in time when you truly believed that these men and women really hated/loved one another and wanted to stomp a mudhole in each other. No one thinks that the One Ring being destroyed in Mount Doom was a documentary. People are not running into walls at the 9 ¾ platform trying to catch the train to Hogwarts. The world knows Bran Stark does not govern over anyone and no one is waiting on a Jedi to finally make sure the Empire stops striking back. Sadly, heels (the antagonist) of professional wrestling have been stabbed, attacked, harassed, and threatened by “fans” who are too consumed by the fantasy. So many people got hurt trying to mimic the dangerous pro-wrestling moves, the WWE used to have a disclaimer telling fans "to not try this at home." On several occasions I saw my life flash before me, as my brother and his best friend did the Dudley Boyz special on me. The moment I recovered I went right back to play fighting with them. People are so engrossed with the wrestling world, danger and reason are of no concern to them. I can guarantee that countless people believed Diamond Dallas Paige kidnapped Undertaker’s wife Sarah. There were several thousand people who thought Stone Cold was beating on a truly hospitalized Vince McMahon. Fans felt personally betrayed when The Heartbreak Kid gave Marty Jannetty sweet chin music in the Barber Shop. The soul captivating immersive nature of the wrestling world even caught hold of my psyche for one distinctive instance. I have an image of The Rock bloody in the middle of the ring at the end of a Smackdown episode that has not left my brain since the night I saw it. The image that follows that one in my mental View Master is of a very young version of myself on my knees in the middle of living room with tears and snot pouring out of me.

The characters professional wrestling has blessed the world with are extraordinary. There have been Kings, Queens, a Dead Man, a Sergeant, a High Chief, Warriors, a Hawk, a Viper, a Beast, the Brahma Bull, an assassin, the 9th wonder of the world, a Snake, Vampires, a Pall Bearer, Luchadores, Olympians, Giants, the strongest man in the world, Rockers, and so many more. A character can only go over (be well received by the fans) if the wrestler is fully committed to it. It is hours upon hours, week following week, and year after year of method acting. Through the televised shows, the smaller city venues, interviews, meet and greets, pay-per-views, and make-a-wish commitments you must give the fans that person they love to hate or the person that inspires them more than any other entertainer on Earth. The showmanship does not negate the fact that they are consummate athletes. These are some of the most agile, strong, acrobatic, and daring people who put their bodies through hell. We have seen a person speared off the tallest ladder, jump off scaffolding, carry two men over 200 pounds each on their shoulders, a man thrown off the top of a 16-foot steel cage to the announcing table below, and people wrap their body around their opponent bending their own bodies to put more of a strain on the other person. You are watching it, so you know it is happening, but it feels fantastical.

Pro-Wrestling sets itself apart from other fantasy worlds because it is ever-expanding. It started so much smaller and is so much bigger than just the WWE (formerly WWF). Different territories building up their rosters and fan base. Now the way the WWE has monopolized and propelled the industry has taken the sport past what most people could have ever expected. I say “monopolized” in the least judgmental way possible. They saw the business for what it could be and that their company could eliminate their competition. Monday Night Wars which was a face-off between WWF’s Raw and WCW’s Monday Nitro, is a probably the most polarized example of wrestling factions competing against one another. The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) consisted of almost 100 territories spanning 46 cities across the world. Wrestling promotions in Japan, Florida, the mid-west, Georgia, Texas, Australia, Hawaii, and beyond. Wrap your mind around all the wrestlers attached to each territory and then imagine their fan base spreading across the planet as a lot of these promotions gained popularity. This is so much more massive and personal than any other fantasy world. Each show they put on is adding to the fantasy, so we are discussing a world with weekly additions to the story for decades upon decades. I cannot envision this universe ever ending. It is 2021 and for blocks of years in the past WWE did not have any real competition. AEW has broadened the industry over the last few years, though. Providing a space for even more amazing talent to tell different stories and put on equally spectacular performances. Sports entertainment has also adapted to kayfabe, which is the acknowledgement of the fact that matches are pre-determined, no one is really trying to hurt one another, and the storylines are scripted. Fans are using language they’ve never used before. We are aware of when a wrestler is getting a “push”, which is when the company believes in a character and wants the fans to do the same. Handling the removal of that allure takes skill. A major aspect of the wrestling world was altered, and they were able to keep the fantasy going. Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Star Trek, Divergent, and all the others never had to overcome that obstacle.

Other fantasy worlds are not afforded the possibility to change and adapt to the evolving times. Pro-Wrestling has finally incorporated diversity in a refreshing way. In the past you could count on one hand the number of Black superstars who were at the top in this industry. There was even less Asian representation. Hispanic and Pacific Islander performers were rarely given the well-deserved acclaim of being the face of the company. Now people of color are being respected more in the world of wrestling. They are holding more championships, main-eventing more shows, and portraying more diverse types of characters. Women’s role in professional wresting has progressed in such an overwhelmingly beautiful way too. Women used to predominantly serve as valet/managers to male wrestlers and they did that flawlessly. There were so many incredible female wrestlers who were not given the opportunity to showcase themselves in long matches and were not trusted to headline pay-per-views. There was a significant amount of time where the women’s division consisted of lingerie/chocolate/swimsuit fights. Pro- wrestling was able to correct the narrative they created around women wrestlers. There is now a Women’s Royal Rumble and tag team Women’s championship belts. Women are having hour-long matches, Steel Cage matches, headlining their respective shows, being the face of their companies, and getting the tv time to show they are as legendary as their male counterparts. When a fantasy world can acknowledge the change happening in the real world, the connection between the fans and that universe is strengthened. As much as I love Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Star Wars, and the Hunger Games inclusion in those worlds are severely limited. In the first Hunger Games film, Amandla Stenberg, a young Black skilled child actress was harassed and petitioned against when she played the fictional white character, Rue.

I don’t think I need to say anything else. It must be clear to you now.