Welcome to the third edition of The Ring Announcer.
For this edition, I want to help break down the wrestling world to those wanting to start watching. But, I feel as though they don’t know where to look, when, how or even why to watch.
First of all, this isn’t like Marvel or DC where you have to watch from the beginning to understand. Not in wrestling! Stories are always changing, performers are always on the move. At one point you could be cheering on a wrestler, while in the next minute you’ll hate his guts. It's that athletic entertainment soap opera that know one wants to say it is. Funny to think about, but it is true.
It is never too late to start watching wrestling! Some ask, what should someone that is getting into wrestling start to watch with all these promotions, federations, and entertainment companies out there? What should you start with?
Everyone has different opinions on where to start watching. But, the best place is the WWE. The WWE has been around since 1953, and they know the exact formula to keep people entertained. WWE’s form of entertaining audiences around the world has brought so many crazy moments and memories. One example is Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant match at WrestleMania Three. “The irresistible force meets the immovable object,” those few words said by Gorilla Monsoon still speak volume to this day, and that was 34 years ago.
The WWE is now connected with the Peacock Network, you can now start watching yourself at any time. The best thing about the new connection with Peacock is that you can watch any decade of wrestling, any era and any match.
Image: WWE
In every story it's a good guy vs. bad guy, and at the end, the good guy finds a way to defeat the villain, and he lives happily ever after...Well...not exactly in wrestling.
Since the “Attitude Era” in the late 90’s, that good guy vs. bad guy storyline changed. Now in the current product we are seeing more good vs. bad entertainment. It makes for great entertainment especially for newer fans to the wrestling world.
Image: Essentially Sports
The best part in wrestling other than the match is the promos. Promos are mainly used to move a current storyline along. This is also another way for the audience to define who they like or dislike as far as wrestling personality goes. A great example is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson! Yes, before being the mega-star that he is today, he was cutting promos every Monday night!
“Finally…. The Rock, Has come back to …” or even to the “If you smell what The Rock... is… Cookin!” Just those examples had crowds going crazy, copying what he said, sticking their tongues out to emphasize on the “Smell” that The Rock was cooking. There are so many different examples of great wrestlers cutting promos like, “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes talks hard times, to CM Punk's pipe bomb in Vegas, to Randy “Macho Man” Savage’s Cream of the Crop.
Image: Bleacher Report
For any wrestler it is all about what you do in that wrestling ring. Many matches have similar aspects of storytelling.
Exposition means that two wrestlers in the ring are ready to go, then the bell rings which brings us to the Rising Action.
Following this is the Climax, where we now see the “bad guy” in the match get a few more shots in there to the “good guy.” We then see the “good guy” finally get up and take action and start to beat up the “bad guy.”
Next, is the Falling action. This is when we see the “good guy” in the match start to make a comeback. Like a Tom Brady 28-3 comeback.. After we see this comeback we get our Resolution. Which would be the win.
Now you may be asking yourself when do I start watching?
There is no wrong answer when to start watching the product, but in my honest opinion it is the day after WrestleMania.
The day after Mania, Monday Night Raw is one of the craziest nights for the fans.
This is also the start of brand new stories so it’s back to square one and for new and old fans a clean slate. Not only do we see new stories in the works but we also see that change in character for some of the guys you cheer on, or the guys you love to hate.
I think I have answered everything but one thing and that is the why?
Why watch wrestling, why tune in every week, hell why are you reading this? For some it is an escape from the real world while for others it is just entertaining. Before when someone said they watched wrestling they might have had to take a double take.
Now, it is normal to watch wrestling like anything else. You go out for a beer, you talk football, you talk baseball, hockey whatever now wrestling is added into the conversation.
Wrestling even is part of new trends if not starting trends. An awesome example is Daniel Bryan and the “Yes Movement”. Just from him coming down the ramp with his arms above his head saying “Yes, Yes, Yes” all the way down the ramp it caught fire.
It is those moments that are made to create something that is cherished around the world.
Whether you are a fan today, fan tomorrow, or not a fan at all, that is all by your choice. This is just that spark note of what you would see, hear or feel about wrestling.
Give it a chance.