Both my kids like nothing more than an hour or two watching these wrestlers. While some of this can be cringy some of it can be quite entertaining. Never been able to make my mind up if they are more actors than athletes or vice versa.
Hundred percent professionals athletes. There schedule is ridiculous. Most wrestle almost 200 nights a year including travelling round the USA or Europe. A mate of wrestles locally and the shit he does for about £20 in front of 15 people is mental
There’s a reason why Dwayne Johnson is the highest paid actors in the world. His work rate is mental.
They put the bodies through more than what a lot of sportsmen do, particularly in relation to the amount of constant travelling they do. WWE in particular have their wrestlers touring on a non-stop basis. Literally non-stop.
However, the biggest names in the industry aren’t necessarily famous for how athletic they are - but for their charisma, personalities and ability to tell a story.
In the 80s, many of the wrestlers got through the strain through the use of drugs and alcohol. This has lead to a scary amount of young deaths in the business.
Nowadays, the industry is much cleaner and WWE have a zero tolerance policy towards anything drug related.
If you need any kind of reminder of how athletic these people can be - just take a look at any clip of Brock Lesnar. A freak of nature.
To answer the question - they’re both athletes and actors, but more than anything they are entertainers.
When the kids were young we watched WWF, as it was then, all the time. It was entertaining which is what it was supposed to be. You knew it was choreographed but they still got some serious injuries. I still remember when Owen Hart fell onto the ropes and died.
Modern wrestling, probably the last 5 to 10 years, is much more like choreographed gymnastics.
Wrestling up until the mid 80s was much more like the simulation of a real fight.
I don't watch any of the current product but I still watch stuff mainly from the 80s and 90s and listen to pod casts about it.
To answer the question the fact that there is real prospect of wrestlers joining the screen actors guild is a give away. I can't imagine busier brody doing that!
For me, if it has a predetermined result, a script if you will, it is not a sport.
That's why darts is a sport, and WWE is not.
Having said that, it is amazing what those people do, and they are incredibly athletic, but for me, sport has to have a real element of competitiveness and a winner (that is not predetermined).
Having said all that, if you're over 15 and watch WWE, you need to have a word with yourself, and discover UFC.
They are athletes in the sense that they have to be in peak physical condition and they perform incredibly powerful and agile moves upon eachother, but the things that they do are choreographed and scripted, so yes they are also stunt people, and then the lines they have to deliver and the roles of heroes/villains that they portray make them actors. They are unique in that sense in my opinion, and it's this mix of strengths that has helped Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson become the megastar that he is today, and it seems John Cena will be following in his footsteps
Have been a big wrestling fan all my life. The late 90's- early 00's was the best time to be a wrestling fan. What was dubbed the 'attitude era' was a lot more adult themed. The fact WCW really pushed WWF/E in the ratings made everyone up their game & made for a great product.
It's definitely aimed a lot more at a younger audience these days with much tamer storylines.
Of course It's choreographed & should be enjoyed for the form of entertainment tha it is, but it's certainly not 'fake'
it’s sports entertainment - as WWE had to concede as sports pay a higher tax than entertainment so they had were forced to admit it is a sporting event following a set script to pay the lesser tax.
it’s sports entertainment - as WWE had to concede as sports pay a higher tax than entertainment so they had were forced to admit it is a sporting event following a set script to pay the lesser tax.
The wrestlers are phenomenal athletes though.
I miss the days when the state athletic commission would actually try and stop a show because there had been too much blood.
The formation of AEW (All Elite Wrestling) has definitely given the industry a bit of a shot in the arm. It was becoming very stale with WWE’s overly clean product as the only promotion on regular television.
Tomorrow night AEW have their quarterly pay-per-view, and the main event is going to involve barbed wire ropes and explosives....
No doubt it will be full of blood and guts, and incredibly dangerous (no matter how scripted it is).
For me, if it has a predetermined result, a script if you will, it is not a sport.
That's why darts is a sport, and WWE is not.
Having said that, it is amazing what those people do, and they are incredibly athletic, but for me, sport has to have a real element of competitiveness and a winner (that is not predetermined).
Having said all that, if you're over 15 and watch WWE, you need to have a word with yourself, and discover UFC.
Have tried to get into UFC various times, but have just found it incredibly boring to watch. Too much time watching the fighters cuddling on the floor. What they do must take extreme conditioning and bravery, but don’t find it exciting.
In my attempt to get into it, I actually went back and watched the first five UFC shows from the mid nineties. Obviously less professional than it is now, but it felt more watchable purely from a ‘fun’ perspective.
Steroid fuelled soap operas. No denying they have to be quite fit and strong to do it.
Think you’ll find that steroids are absolutely a thing of the past at the top level of the business, and has been for about 14 years (ever since the tragic Chris Benoit incident)
Steroid fuelled soap operas. No denying they have to be quite fit and strong to do it.
Think you’ll find that steroids are absolutely a thing of the past at the top level of the business, and has been for about 14 years (ever since the tragic Chris Benoit incident)
They may not be using once they reach the top, but they certainly seem to use them to get their initial size and leanness
Steroid fuelled soap operas. No denying they have to be quite fit and strong to do it.
Think you’ll find that steroids are absolutely a thing of the past at the top level of the business, and has been for about 14 years (ever since the tragic Chris Benoit incident)
Bar the odd genetic anamoly it is largely impossible to get so big and lean wholly naturally.
Big, lean, natural- choose 2 is a general good rule of thumb (bar genetic outliers)
Remember the big daddy vs giant haystacks match remember seeing it as a kid think it was about 1980ish and always had this memory of it but rewatched it a couple of years ago good was it poor!! Do watch a bit of indie wrestling locally Progress,rev pro,southside
Comments
Certainly not sportsmen, but definitely athletic.
There’s a reason why Dwayne Johnson is the highest paid actors in the world. His work rate is mental.
That doesn't take away from the athleticism needed to perform at a high level though.
However, I agree that they are very athletic and talented at pretend fighting.
They put the bodies through more than what a lot of sportsmen do, particularly in relation to the amount of constant travelling they do. WWE in particular have their wrestlers touring on a non-stop basis. Literally non-stop.
Nowadays, the industry is much cleaner and WWE have a zero tolerance policy towards anything drug related.
If you need any kind of reminder of how athletic these people can be - just take a look at any clip of Brock Lesnar. A freak of nature.
It was entertaining which is what it was supposed to be.
You knew it was choreographed but they still got some serious injuries.
I still remember when Owen Hart fell onto the ropes and died.
Wrestling up until the mid 80s was much more like the simulation of a real fight.
I don't watch any of the current product but I still watch stuff mainly from the 80s and 90s and listen to pod casts about it.
To answer the question the fact that there is real prospect of wrestlers joining the screen actors guild is a give away. I can't imagine busier brody doing that!
That's why darts is a sport, and WWE is not.
Having said that, it is amazing what those people do, and they are incredibly athletic, but for me, sport has to have a real element of competitiveness and a winner (that is not predetermined).
Having said all that, if you're over 15 and watch WWE, you need to have a word with yourself, and discover UFC.
It's a live performance and obviously a very dangerous one.
It technically is acting...but the only way the acting will improve, is if you actually have a genuine dislike towards the "opponent".
It's definitely aimed a lot more at a younger audience these days with much tamer storylines.
Of course It's choreographed & should be enjoyed for the form of entertainment tha it is, but it's certainly not 'fake'
Last rides , suplexs, chokeslams RKOs the lot
Tomorrow night AEW have their quarterly pay-per-view, and the main event is going to involve barbed wire ropes and explosives....
No doubt it will be full of blood and guts, and incredibly dangerous (no matter how scripted it is).
In my attempt to get into it, I actually went back and watched the first five UFC shows from the mid nineties. Obviously less professional than it is now, but it felt more watchable purely from a ‘fun’ perspective.
Bar the odd genetic anamoly it is largely impossible to get so big and lean wholly naturally.
Big, lean, natural- choose 2 is a general good rule of thumb (bar genetic outliers)
Do watch a bit of indie wrestling locally
Progress,rev pro,southside