Being a wrestling fan isn’t all the time straightforward. Irrespective of which wrestlers, storylines, or promotions we help, we’ve all skilled the sting of judgment when somebody discovers our fandom.
“ that stuff is pretend, proper?”
Sure, professional wrestling is scripted — a fantastical world of make-believe, very similar to comedian books, Recreation of Thrones, or Arcane: League of Legends. But, when confronted with such skepticism, we regularly want we might sit these critics down and present them what makes wrestling so charming.
Not too long ago, The Rock tackled this situation on Complicated’s 360 With Speedy. He was requested to select one occasion to introduce somebody new to professional wrestling. His reply provided a glimpse into what defines the magic of the style.
“I might say come try a WrestleMania,” mentioned Rock. “We’ve labored for your entire 12 months of storyline after storyline, which means good versus unhealthy, the ups and downs, ebbs and flows. And it’s all going to culminate to this large occasion in some large stadium.”
When requested which WrestleMania he would suggest, The Closing Boss mentioned, “WrestleMania 1, Madison Sq. Backyard. Hulk Hogan and Mr. T.”
Whereas professional wrestling had hosted main occasions just like the NWA’s Starrcade and WWE exhibits at New York’s Shea Stadium, the primary WrestleMania in 1985 set a brand new normal. By integrating celebrities similar to Muhammad Ali, Cyndi Lauper, and Mr. T into the fierce rivalry between WWE legends Hulk Hogan and Rowdy Roddy Piper, WrestleMania 1 marked a turning level. It solidified WWE’s place in popular culture and reworked the occasion into a world phenomenon.
As somebody who has adopted professional wrestling for practically 40 years, I agree with The Rock that WrestleMania is the perfect occasion to showcase this style. However selecting which WrestleMania to focus on is difficult.
For me, WrestleMania III stands out as the best professional wrestling occasion of all time. It featured iconic matches that captured the timeless battle between good and evil, notably the primary occasion.
Punctuated by Hulk Hogan battling Andre the Large, Hogan’s good friend who betrayed him months earlier, this match finest captures the essence of larger-than-life characters, intense feuds, and unforgettable moments. The sight of Hogan slamming the 500-plus-pound Andre, mixed with the huge response from 93,000 reside followers, turned a defining second for the business. It showcased professional wrestling’s skill to create drama, mixing athleticism with storytelling, to seize an viewers’s creativeness, making it a historic occasion that transcended the ring.
The issue, nonetheless, is that WrestleMania III was practically 40 years in the past. I couldn’t, in good conscience, present somebody an outdated match to get them enthusiastic about right now’s product. Thus, my alternative for a extra trendy instance can be WrestleMania 39.
Highlighted by Cody Rhodes difficult Roman Reigns for the Undisputed Common Championship, the storyline was easy but compelling: Rhodes, the son of legendary wrestler Dusty Rhodes, sought to win the title that eluded his father whereas finishing his arduous journey to the highest of his career. In his manner stood Roman Reigns, the evil tyrant who dominated wrestling for 3 years.
Apart from the backstory and in-ring motion, what makes this match good is its end. All the things prompt Rhodes would prevail. As an alternative, he loses spectacularly. He’s cheated out of the title and is left sitting heartbroken in entrance of 70,000 followers in attendance and hundreds of thousands extra watching on TV. Rhodes’ gut-wrenching second ought to encourage newcomers to ask, “What occurs subsequent? Does Cody ever get to complete his story?”
Not like Hogan and Andre, the place the hero prevails, Rhodes versus Reigns invitations viewers to rally behind Rhodes or a minimum of stay interested by his journey. That curiosity might encourage a beginner to stay round, probably creating a brand new fan.
So, finally, I select WrestleMania 39.
Now, I flip it over to you, Cagesiders. What single occasion would you present to somebody that finest captures all the things proper about professional wrestling? Pontificate within the feedback part.