Embracing the fun in Wrestling
Typically, when I write these retrospective pieces, I try to stay as professional as possible and avoid using the phrase “I.” Speaking in the first person should be done in a column and not in an article setting. However, since this week’s article took inspiration from something personal, I figured I would make a one-week exception and talk about …
If 1985 was the year the mainstream accepted professional wrestling, 1986 was when the medium found its identity within that mainstream. While Wrestlemania 2 might not have been a critical or creative success, it made a lot of money at the box office. More importantly, it helped push the WWF’s brutal national touring schedule. During this era, the Fed …
Coming off the heels of Wrestlemania, the WWF and pro wrestling itself could do no wrong. In the months leading up to Wrestlemania 2, the WWF’s penchant for bigger and better left them with a show that on paper should have been epic but turned into a bloated mess. The week after Wrestlemania 1, the WWF surrendered its TBS …
In the territory days, the NWA Champion served many roles. The most important was making sure when the champion was on the card, the houses were up. If the NWA Champion couldn’t move tickets in multiple territories, they would be replaced by someone who could. The NWA Champion was constantly shuffling between the various territories, balancing threats from multiple …
On March 4th, one of the greatest professional wrestling promoters in history succumbed to liver and kidney failure after battling through a bout of COVID-19. Jim Crockett Jr. was a brilliant promoter with an eye for talent whose unique insight for understanding the human condition helped shape the professional wrestling landscape of 2021. For more than a generation, WWE …
“He can’t draw.” “He’s not a good promo.” “He’s average in ring, at best.” “He’s overrated.” For more than a generation, a section of wrestling fans have balked at the idea that one of the most talked-about stars in pro wrestling history isn’t as good as advertised. When the man called Sting made his return to mainstream pro wrestling …
On February 5th, Bruce “Butch’ Reed passed away after complications from two separate heart attacks and a COVID-19 diagnosis. Though the former star had largely faded from the pro wrestling spotlight since the early 90s, Reed and his story’s impact helped shape the landscape of the pro wrestling business. Reed got his start playing football as a linebacker at …
“You say you want a revolution, well you know, we all want to change the world.” Set amidst fireworks and fanfare on a sunny day in Jacksonville Florida, some of the hottest acts in professional wrestling gathered together to make a statement that would define the world of wrestling for years to come. “We are going to Change The …
This weekend, WWE presents the 35th annual edition of a pay per view show named for its most successful gimmick match. Pat Patterson spent his formative years competing in Roy Shire’s San Fransisco-based Big Time Wrestling. The famed Cow Palace was home to promotion’s annual 18-man battle royal, Shire’s most popular event. Inspired by his mentor, Patterson pitched the …
At its core, pro wrestling is an intricately planned dance. A brutal and hard hitting dance, but a dance nonetheless – one that requires coordination and pinpoint accuracy to succeed. Something going wrong is the biggest fear of every performer in the ring, but also inevitable given the sheer number of wrestlers and performers participating in wrestling matches every …
