The 3 Stupidest Arguments Against Pro-Wrestling

If you're a wrestling fan like me, it might be hard to talk about your interests in front of people who don't share them. Professional wrestling has developed such a strong stigma that it can almost be considered taboo in social life. But what makes professional wrestling so socially unacceptable? These three arguments are what you'll probably hear the most from non-wrestling fans, and I'm here to show you why these views are not only incorrect, but are simply ignorant and uninformed.




3. "It's just a bunch of men touching each other"

We've all heard this guy before. While this argument is so utterly stupid that it shouldn't even be acknowledged, it's one that wrestling fans have all heard. This is the type of argument you'll get from the guy who has never actually watched a professional wrestling match before, and has only briefly heard of The Rock or Stone Cold. Here are just a few examples of times when even ignorant macho dudes can agree that his argument is clearly so utterly incorrect that it isn't even worth refuting in a serious way.

Undertaker vs Mankind at the 1998 King of the Ring PPV is the prime example of how wrestling is much more than two guys wearing tights running around a ring. The simple example of Mankind being tossed off the cell is only the tip of the iceberg in this match, which is full of memorable, insane moments.

Oh yeah, plus there's that entire division of the WWE dedicated to female wrestlers. Now, the WWE Divas division isn't as well put together as the normal matches, but you can't deny that there are tons of female wrestlers out there. Plus there are plenty of female promotions out there like Shimmer.


2. "It's for little kids"

Now sure, in recent years, the WWE has been trapped in what is referred to as the "PG-era", meaning that a lot of the programming is dedicated to and marketed towards younger viewers. However, professional wrestling, much like every other form of popular media, has a dark side as well. It's not as prevalent on the WWE stage, but extreme wrestling is very much alive, and has been for a long time.

In case the name didn't give it away, Japanese death matches are not family friendly, and are no joke either. However, you don't need to search your way through sketchy websites in languages you don't understand to watch extreme wrestling. Just a few years ago, the WWE put on a fantastic hardcore match at Wrestlemania 22. 

 

While these are some great examples, extreme violence isn't the only reason that professional wrestling isn't a kiddie sport. Just looking back on the various story-lines through the years, some very adult themes come up. For example, Matt Hardy, Edge and Lita were involved in an angle involving Lita leaving Hardy to hook up with Edge...oh yeah, and it was completely real. Obviously, the segments on RAW and Smackdown about it were staged, but the whole situation was very real. Lita really did leave her boyfriend Matt Hardy to date Adam Copeland (Edge). 

1. "It's fake"

Here it is, the argument that every single wrestling fan in every part of the world has faced multiple times. This issue could take an entire essay to tackle, however, I don't even think that's necessary here. Take a look at these two clips:

Now think about this: In the Breaking Bad clip, Bryan Cranston is not really a chemistry teacher who makes meth. In the WWE clip, Glenn Jacobs (Kane) is not really a masked monster. Bryan Cranston doesn't really hate the actor playing his enemy in that clip. Glenn Jacobs doesn't really hate Phillip Brooks (CM Punk). Bryan Cranston didn't really blow up that building. Phillip Brooks didn't really hurt Glenn Jacobs. So tell me, what is the real difference?

Bryan Cranston doesn't have to perform in front of a live crowd of rabid fans who can turn on him very quickly if he makes one wrong move. If Bryan Cranston messes something up, he says cut and they can completely redo the scene, replacing the old version. If Bryan Cranston has to perform an especially dangerous physical task, he can call in a stunt double. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with television shows or their production, but why is it okay for us to suspend disbelief when we watch Breaking Bad, but not when we watch RAW? If anything, what Glenn Jacobs and Phillip Brooks do is thousands of times harder than what Bryan Cranston does on Breaking Bad. Not only are they required to be actors, they have to be athletes, they have to live their lives on the road, they have to be able to stand in front of thousands of people every week and put on a convincing show. 

As a wrestling fan, hearing these things can be difficult, but when you really look at it, we're no different from the people who crowd around their TVs every week to watch Breaking Bad or Modern Family or whatever else might be on.