I love wrestling. Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t actively watch modern wrestling and it’s not “still real to me dammit”. However, wrestling will always hold a special place in my heart.
When I was in my early tweens circa 1993 my Mum got a job at Sky TV, the largest Satellite TV broadcaster in the UK. This meant we had access to a Digital Decoder box along with free PPV access as one of the perks for working as Sky.
Being used to “terrestrial television” which later became known as “Council Telly”, we had never seen The Simpsons or any wrestling before. So as we scanned through the new channels we came across an incredible event and sight.
Summer Slam 93’ was an outdoor wrestling event that was like watching Superheros and Action Figures fighting on the screen. Tatanka, Macho Man, and Hulk Hogan were some of the main eventers we were introduced to for the first time. Then, as if the setting and visual stimulation weren’t fantastic enough, the big finish was a competition where the strongest wrestlers on the roster took turns attempting to body-slam a Sumo Wrestler by the name of Yokozuna.
These incredibly well-built characters failed one after the other until a Helicopter landed in the outdoor arena and outstepped Lex Luger. The man looked like He-man in carnate, maybe a bit shorter than the Dolph Lundgren incarnation but with a winning American smile. He made his way to the ring, stood up to Yokozuna, and in front of the 10’s of thousands in attendance and a worldwide television audience, picked up the 267 kg man and slammed him to the ground.
The roster of babyfaces (good guys) ran to the ring, put Lex on their shoulders, and paraded him around as he swung the American flag.
From then on I was hooked and grew up with what I consider the Golden Era of Professional Wrestling - The Attitude Era. Where every week there was a 2hr live recorded show of the most iconic characters in the most ridiculous storylines with some of the greatest feats of athleticism outside of traditional sports.
The older I get the more I am still in awe of the ability of professional wrestling to still be a huge powerhouse of entertainment. As much as the music and games all had a pivotal role in my coming of age, recognizing the large-scale production that became a twice-weekly show with a monthly 3-hour PPV event with the annual Superbowl equivalent now becoming what’s known as Wrestlemania Weekend (a 2 - 3 day event) is astounding to me.
I lived through the Monday Night Wars where the two biggest promotions battled for ratings supremacy. I’ve seen Legends born and Heros die. I’ve cried while watching some of my childhood heroes be broken by addiction, only to rise from the ashes through rehabilitation.
While I don’t think modern Wrestling has what it takes to recapture the glory days, I have hope that the ones who work, who put their all and give fans the total package will bring wrestling back to the mainstream as it once was.
This was a bonding experience for my family, my dad laughed at the absurdity while secretly enjoying the pantomime of it all. My mother cracked up at how excited I would get when the show's theme and certain wrestlers made an appearance. My sister and I would copy our favorite tag teams' gestures and dances, and for the longest time every Friday night, we would watch together as a family a modern Gladatorial Pantomine.
I still follow recent events through TikToks but also enjoy breakdowns of old ridiculous shows, behind-the-scenes accounts of the glory days, and yurn for a day when watching an episode doesn’t make me cringe at some of the less successful “booking” choices. But with that all being said, I still love wrestling.
