We’ve all been there—standing on the outside of a fandom looking in, wondering, “How do people actually watch this?”
For the longest time, that was me and professional wrestling. Growing up in the 90s without cable, my only exposure to the “sport” was via dusty 80s cassette tapes. I’d see guys like Hulk Hogan, Yokozuna, and The Ultimate Warrior lumbering around the ring. To a kid watching Mike Tyson highlights, those matches felt slow, clunky, and—let’s be honest—incredibly fake.
Even when the industry exploded with stars like The Rock and John Cena, I remained a skeptic. To a non-fan, moves like the People’s Elbow or the Five Knuckle Shuffle don’t look like devastating finishers; they look like choreographed theater. I knew the names from the news or movies, but the magic just wasn’t there.
Then, in my mid-30s, something shifted.
The Turning Point: 2K23 and the Attitude Era
It started, unexpectedly, with a video game. Picking up WWE 2K23 opened a rabbit hole I wasn’t prepared for. The gameplay was addictive, but it was the history that hooked me. I started researching the legends I’d missed: the high-octane energy of Goldberg, the pure charisma of the Attitude Era, and “new-to-me” discoveries like Scotty 2 Hotty, Billy Gunn, and Edge.
When you stop looking at wrestling as a failed attempt at a “real fight” and start seeing it for what it is, the perspective changes entirely.
Scripted? Yes. Fake? Not exactly.
The biggest hurdle for any skeptic is the “it’s fake” argument. But here’s the thing: once you actually watch the athleticism involved, you realize that while the outcomes are scripted, the gravity is very real. These athletes are flying off ladders, slamming onto canvas, and putting their bodies through grueling physical tolls for our entertainment.
It looks like it hurts because it does hurt.
Beyond the physicality, there’s an art form to the storytelling that other combat sports are currently lacking.
Why Wrestling is Winning Me Over
I find myself watching more pro wrestling these days than boxing or MMA, and for a few simple reasons:
-
The Storytelling: MMA can feel “dull” when there’s no emotional hook. Wrestling thrives on promos, rivalries, and long-term arcs that hype a match into a must-see event.
-
The Entertainment Value: Wrestling embraces the ridiculous. It’s funny, dramatic, and over-the-top. It knows it’s a show, and it plays to the cheap seats.
-
The “Scripted” Irony: Ironically, modern boxing often feels more “scripted” in its matchmaking and politics than wrestling does. In wrestling, at least the payoff is guaranteed to be a spectacle.
The Takeaway
If there’s one thing this journey taught me, it’s this: You should never judge a hobby until you’ve actually tried it. I spent twenty years rolling my eyes at the ring. Now, I’m the one cheering for the entrance music. Whether it’s the nostalgia of the 90s or the technical spectacle of today, there’s a seat at the table for everyone—even the late bloomers.
Are you a lifelong fan or a recent convert? What was the match or moment that finally made it “click” for you? Let me know in the comments!