Why are you a wrestling fan?

krudler

I dont know if this topic has ever been discussed but hey we may as well bring it up, pretty simple, why do you watch wrestling? I've loved it ever since i saw wrestlemania 3 on a copied tape i got from my cousin, both been huge fans ever since, now my faith has waned somewhat at times, i stopped watching from about 1994-1996ish until when Austin came around and it started getting a bit more adult friendly again, and again in around late 2002-mid 2003 when i lost sky sports and didnt really keep up with what was going on online.

To answer my own question, its just the spectacle, yeah its ludicrous and at times childish,stupid and downright offensive but when they (and im pretty much talking about WWE only here) get it right, man theres nothing like it, just 2 guys putting on a show and making every person in the audience buy into the story that they're telling in the ring, i love the entrances, the promos they use to build the matches, look forward to seeing what they've come up with for the ppv entranceways and stages, its lost a lot of its unpredicabilty (remember in 1998-2000 when 9pm on sky sports 1 was UNMISSABLE, to see how Austin would piss Vince off or what huge brawl would break out or what crazy angle they'd come up with next)

any other thoughts?

rossie1977

i was a pro-wrestling fan long before i ever saw the WWF/WWE, it was shirley crabtree (aka big daddy) that got me hooked, he oozed charisma and all the kids (including me) looked upon him as some sort of super-hero. His clashes with Giant Haystacks were the ultimate good vs evil, of course looking back 25 years later those matches stank to high heavens but at the time the quality of the match wasn't important.

The first WWE match i saw on TV was around 1985 featuring Hulk Hogan and Bob Orton. I had heard of Hogan but my first impression was one of disappointment actually, in comparision to Daddy, hogan looked a mere mortal, nobody ever hurt Daddy not even Haystacks

Vince135792003

My reasons have changed over time. When I was a kid, it was basically a show that had real life super heroes, with Hulk being the biggest of them all fighting against the bad guys. For me what separated wrestling from Batman or Heman or Bravestar was that these guys were real. It had nothing to do with athleticism or good matches. It was all about seeing the good guy prevail and I totally bought into it.

As I got older, say around 11-12, I started to appreciate the actual matches alot more. I used to watch matches from Japan on Eurosport and they blew my mind away.

And then really, I've just watched it out of habit. Some years were great and some years weren't but I just kept watching although I don't watch it at a certain time like I used to do 4 or 5 years ago.

I'll catch bits and pieces throughout the week and know whats going on. If I miss a bit, it's no big deal. There's very rarely an edge to mainstream wrestling anymore. WCW dieing was a huge blow to wrestling. I've also moved on to watching alot more MMA.


I think the internet was also a big thing that kept my interest going. It opened up so many more aspects of wrestling to me like the history of wrestling which I love. Maybe I would have stopped watching if I didn't have it.

Fozzy

When I started watching around 1998, it was the good characters that drew me in. Mainly Mankind, I wasn't a fan of Austin back then because I thought he was a bit of a prick. But Mankind was a good guy and I just wanted to see him do well every week

These days I'm not a massive fan of WWE, but I still watch Raw most weeks because every now and again there is something good. I'm a bigger fan of New Japan though, I like them because they've got some really cool characters and everyone can back it up in the ring. The feuds are usually kept simple, which is something I really appreciate at the moment because I also end up watching TNA now and again and their shows just frustrate me so much

Most of all I think I just really enjoy watching good wrestling matches. It's just something I like

I'm also going to stick around because I actually believe that some day someone in charge of TNA will wake up and figure out why they're doing so bad, and on that day TNA will begin to produce the most fantastic wrestling show ever

Vince135792003

Fozzy wrote: »

I'm also going to stick around because I actually believe that some day someone in charge of TNA will wake up and figure out why they're doing so bad, and on that day TNA will begin to produce the most fantastic wrestling show ever

Not wanting to hijack the thread but they just broke their tv rating record with a 1.22 for this week (www.pwtorch.com). See, everything they are doing is RIGHT!!

Seriously though, I guess it's good news. It doesn't mean their buy rates will go up but it's something.

Fozzy

Vince135792003 wrote: »

Not wanting to hijack the thread but they just broke their tv rating record with a 1.22 for this week (www.pwtorch.com). See, everything they are doing is RIGHT!!

Seriously though, I guess it's good news. It doesn't mean their buy rates will go up but it's something.

Haha. The funny thing is that all the reviews/feedback I've read say that the Global Impact show was much better than the two hours that came before it. And it sounds like it was basically like a New Japan build to it rather than a TNA build. And like I said already, New Japan's simple builds are what make me like it so much. If TNA took the same approach they could possibly be the main reason that I watch wrestling

Dean820

I dunno why I watch wrestling. I hate it and everything it stands for at most times. I always watch Raw and think about how much better it could of been if little things were done differetly. But as much as it irritates me to watch every week I just continue to watch week after week. Its like a bad habit I have since childhood.

Someone help me.

Ruu_Old

Childhood habit I suppose and I was a big Hulk fan and Sting in WCW, started when I got a few Wrestlemania videos many years (Wrestlemania 3 and 8, both some of the best there is today) ago then would watch WCW on Saturday afternoon on UTV. I loved watching Austin stick it to McMahon week after week, never got old. I used to stay up for the special events, buy the In Your House shows, etc.

Although I don't want it near as much as I used to, I would flick on to see what is going on every once in a while. I might even buy the Royal Rumble this year, especially to see how my #2 man will do.

ed: Oohh Smackdown will be on shortly.

RebelRockChick

My brother would always watch wrestling in the early days of Tatanka and Duggan and I would just watch it and got hooked on it after a while. Kinda got sick of it in the mid 90's and early 00's but always seem to end up watching it again. I think it was the storylines, humour and awe of what they were doing that had me at first before I actually looked more into the wrestling side of it.

The Sparrow

When I first started watching wrestling as a kid it was the whole superhero thing with Hulk Hogan too. I loved the whole pageantry of it but even then I remember being kinda bored by the matches. I loved the entrances and the finishes but for the most part I was pretty bored with most WWE matches.

Then I ended up not really having access to the Sky TV and I left it behind. I really didn't think about wrestling for most of the nineties and never watched it all. But like a lot of ppl that I know I was looking at the TV listings in Jan 2000 and I saw that the Royal Rumble was on Channel 4. Just for pure nostalgia I set up the video to record it. I was still expecting to see Hulk Hogan, JYD and Jake Roberts! But I was blown away by HHH v Cactus Jack. It was like nothing I had ever seen before and didn't know what to make of it. Then soon after one Sat morning I was flicking around the channels and I saw Smackdown on Sky 1 and switched it on. Then The Rock took over and I thought it was amazing and was hooked so I started watching more.

But I was such a mark. I didn't understand a thing. And because Austin was injured I had no idea who he was. At that time I didn't have Sky Sports so I couldn't watch RAW and I would only get the short recaps of it on Smackdown. I remember when Austin returned on RAW after his big injury I saw him for the first time on the Smackdown opening sequence. And Michael Cole was saying that Stone Cold stunned everybody in sight. Well I had no idea what a stunner was or anything to do with Austin so I assumed he must be doing the same gimmick as The Mountie did when I was a kid going around with a cattle prod electrocuting everyone!!:o:p

Obviously I wised up and found my way to the internet and started to figure stuff out. Now tbh I'm pretty bored with wrestling in general. i watch RAW every week but sometimes I fast forward through a lot of it. MMA has really taken its place but I listen too a fair few wrestling/ MMA podcasts and to me they are usually more entertaining that the actual wrestling shows. So I kinda keep up to date so that I know what they are talking about. I find that at this stage I can call a lot of wrestling matches and predict pretty accurately what is going to happen and I actually think that being smart to it means that I enjoy it less...

Bounty Hunter

The exact reason why I started watching eludes me although I would think it had something to do with the great Characters being portrayed. Similarily to Fozzy i used to love Mankind and Foley in general, although The Undertaker always touched a nerve with me. There was something different about the guy, we all knew he wasnt dead (that wrestling isnt "real") but it didnt Matter he portrayed his character so well the crowd loved him and wanted to watch him kick ass in the ring.

As i got older i did start to more appreciate the technical side of Wrestling and loved to watch matches like Benoit vs Angle etc.. but I did begin to ask what is probably a more appropriate question: why are you still a wrestling fan?

I think its cause I can see the potential the product has, be it in ring or promo wise the total package can be amazing if done right. Ive seen it done before and know that even the reaction that can be got from the crowd when its done right can be something to behold. However these days be it cos of my changing tastes or the current standards I watch often in vein hoping for its potential to be reached but ultimatley being dissapointed.

Its kinda like a soap opera. I know loads of people who watch Eastenders etc because they know it can be great except its usually ****e. WWE is like the worlds biggest soap opera except when someone cheats or pisses someone else off they get hit by a chair or powerbomb instead of a dirty look or solitary weak ass punch. not the best explanatin i know but Raw is my Eastender, Smackdown which i watch less is my Corrie and i guess ECW would be something like Emerdale:p.

The Sparrow

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

not the best explanatin i know but Raw is my Eastender, Smackdown which i watch less is my Corrie and i guess ECW would be something like Emerdale:p.

TNA must be Fair City!

pingu_girl

My older brother and sister watched it for years when I was younger so it was always on in my house they grew out of it but I just never did.

I love the characters and the over the top storeylines the amazing agility of the performers, the glamorous costumes the flashy lights yes the flashy lights are pretty! The crazy stunts the entrances (especially the undertakers entrance its magical and mystical just like Christmas!). Basically It all entertains me in one way or another and has nothing to do with the whole 2 guys beating each other up part of it as I wouldn't watch boxing or UFC.

Ive watched from 92-2001 then I went off it until 2005.
I think the 18-24 age group kind of grew up with the wwe as we did it did too with its storeylines and characters if that makes any sense?

Bazuki

My father and cousins used to watch it, so basically I had it in my life since I could walk :P

I really startred getting interested when I was 6 or 7, around 94. Whilest other kids would want to see Undertaker and Hogan, I was more interested in the smaller guys. I had it put into me by my cousins to enjoy the techincal wrestlers more so than the "big guys". Kinda boring for a kid you might think, but I loved it. How many 7 year olds would say that their fav match was Steamboat/Savage?

As I got older, I began to apriciate the story-driven angles more and more, and I was introduced to Japan and Mexico. By the time I had hit my teens my fav wrestlers where the likes of Bret Hart, Dean Malenko and Chris Benoit.

I'm a wrestling fan because I grew up watching it, and like most kids I enjoyed seeing two guys go out there and fight :P But I apriciated the true sport of it from a young age, and I think thats why it's stuck with me for all these years. Plus how many other times can you go crazy for a man putting a sock in someones mouth?

Mr.Nice Guy

I recall liking the cartoonish aspect of it when I was about 5 or 6 and I recall having a Hulk Hogan doll (actually probably one of those cheap knock offs not that I would have known) and I recall knowing names like Jake the Snake, Big Boss Man, Undertaker, Hogan obviously and Ultimate Warrior. Then when I was a little bit older my cousin shocked me by telling me that it was all fake and when my family confirmed this I pretty much gave up watching it, only checking in on it occasionally. (There was actually a brief phase where I watched because I thought Sycho Sid was cool )

When the Attitude era kicked off though everyone in my school was talking about it and I finally decided to give it a proper chance. I remember the exact angle that got me hooked on it. People will find this funny no doubt but it was actually Triple H that got me properly interested in wrestling as it was late '99 and it was the skit where he marries Steph in Vegas. I thought this was hilarious stuff and so I kept an interest in the storyline.

However there was one guy that made me check the Smackdown morning shows religiously and that was The Rock. He was so damn entertaining that I had to watch and even though my family didn't have Sky Sports back then, sometimes me and my sister would listen to Raw on Friday nights whilst the channel was blocked out. :rolleyes: :cool:

Not sure why I'm a wrestling fan to this day as sometimes it's been really tough to stay one but like krudler said when they get it right there's nothing like it. It's also great to look back on some of the older stuff and I've become a bit of a collector of the old matches.

There's something quite unique about being a wrestling fan I find because even to this day it doesn't seem to have garnered mainstream respectability. It's like a bizarre brotherhood!

orestes

I've always been a fan, I never thought of why though. When I say fan, I mean I've watched wwf/wwe for as long as I can remember. I remember being four years old and staying in my grandparents house and walking up and down the sitting room with my arms going up and down cos I wanted to be a Bushwhacer, I remember yelling at the tv and nearly crying when Shawn put Jannety through the window, I remember freaking out when Papa Shango made people get sick, I remember that my entire family was in my house for Wrestlemania Six cos it was on my birthday, and since I was a Warrior fan it was one of the best days of my life.

Then the attitude era kicked in, just as I was growing out of childhood. I saw Austin covered in blood pass out in the Sharpshooter at Wrestlemania, I watched Hell in a Cell, I watched the Rock when he took the mic and said "Die Rocky Die", I watched Foley get thrown off the top of the cell, I watched DX, I watched TLC, I watched Mankind win the title and I watched Shawn beat Bret for the title in the Iron Man match. I still can't decide which win I prefer, because each one is so damn emotional and as soon as the bell rings in each match they both go beyond being in character and you can tell that it is not just a script win for them, it's the realisation of a dream that they have have worked towards and hoped for their entire lives.

For me there is no better reason to watch wrestling than the image of Shawn on his knees finally looking down at that belt or Foley looking into the camera and saying to his kids that Daddio did it. I love watching a good match, but it's moments like that that will stay with me for ever. That;s why I watch wrestling, because you can't get moments like that anywhere else. And if you were there for them then you don't need to ask why you are a wrestling fan, they say it all as far as I'm concerned

Kane-N-Nite

There is one reason I got into wrestling, & that was, surprise surprise, Kane. I got into the WWF in a big way in 2000, but I was too young then to actually see wrestling as a whole, I knew nothing about spoilers or wrestling web sites like I would so now. But all in all Iam an obsessed WWE fan, but I would find no attraction to TNA. The WWF reeled me in & im still biting. :D:D

Vince135792003

orestes wrote: »

For me there is no better reason to watch wrestling than the image of Shawn on his knees finally looking down at that belt or Foley looking into the camera and saying to his kids that Daddio did it. I love watching a good match, but it's moments like that that will stay with me for ever.

I would have said the same thing. But it seems like the more I watch wrestling, many good memories like that turn into tainted ones. I've said this a few times on here and I feel like such a bad guy saying it because there are good things in wrestling too.

For me though, I genuinely don't think I'll ever have a "WWE moment" again. Too much stuff has happened.

I'll watch it. I'll enjoy it but I'll very rarely truly care about any of the current stuff.

I'd also disagree saying you can't get emotional moments like Shawn or Foley winning the belt. I mean geez, Munster are playing a crunch game today and they've provided more moments than probably any team I know over the last 10 years!

Danger_Dave

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

As i got older i did start to more appreciate the technical side of Wrestling and loved to watch matches like Benoit vs Angle etc.. but I did begin to ask what is probably a more appropriate question: why are you still a wrestling fan?

Leave it to BH to change the question into a better one, if it was ATH you'd be docked points for not answering the question as asked , also i think someone esle should do the marking and asking next time to let you comment youself, id be more than happy to do it

Why i love wrestling well to be honest Ive only got back into wrestling from id say about after last years WM. I lost my love for it around 2002, it just was not the same, and i dont think it ever will be, mabye if TNA step up.

I started watching wrestling when i was 7-8 years old, seeing hulk hogan do his stuff. Then very like Mr Nice guy it was only around the attitude era that i really start watching it every friday night from early 1999, i was one of the lucky ones to have sky sports. It became unmissable, The Rock, HHH, Mankind, Angle, Benoit, Y2J, DX, Shane O Mac, Undertaker, a tag team divison that i loved. From 1999 when i started to watch wreslting again not only did i like it for its entertainment value i loved it for the techincal skill involved. as mentioned by a few people there are moments were they just get it right, but there few and far between .

Double C

Bounty Hunter wrote:

As i got older i did start to more appreciate the technical side of Wrestling and loved to watch matches like Benoit vs Angle etc.. but I did begin to ask what is probably a more appropriate question: why are you still a wrestling fan?

Just when you think you have the answers, Bounty Hunter changes the question!

I got into wrestling first at a young age watching WCW back when it was on ITV. Flyin Brian Pillman was my favourite back then, and I liked Sting and the Steiners. It was only when my friend got Sky in 1995 that I took an interest in WWF. I loved Shawn and Diesel, and weirdly enough, I was a big fan of Hunter Hurst Helmsley, the blue blood gimmick. I remember being really upset with the Michaels 'lost my smile' thing tht he had to give up the belt.

I remember seeing Hall debut on WCW by chance when it was on TNT. I was really confused by that! I never did get to see much WCW though which is a shame because any time I did see it I liked what I saw. After that I just watched wrestling as a force of habit. The attitude era really was must see tv. Then I went to college around 2002 and lost interest. I'd check it every so often and always watch the Rumble and Wrestlemania, but tbh I never enjoyed it as much.

Say what you want about ROH, but it was the catalyst for me regaining my interest in wrestling (TNA to an extent as well). I guess that's the answer to BH's question of why I'm still a wrestling fan. I really took an interest in the technical and athletic style. Also, CM Punk had a big role to play. It was like he was the HBK or the Austin of ROH. I got back into WWE about two years ago and now it's just part of my weekly routine, just like watching shows like Lost and the Wire. While it's not as good as it used to be, I can't help but watch it!

Terry

Like rossie1977, I started off watching big daddy when I was a kid.
Got back into it through friends in the late 80's when Sky first started broadcasting their one channel and showed some of the PPV's.

Lost interest again for a while until I was blown away after watching WM10 in a friend's house.
At that point, I would watch the Saturday morning shows on Sky 1 and then happened upon WCW on that fateful night. I'm still hooked to this day.

Also, because Stone Cold said so.

gimmick

Ive been a wrestling fan since about 1986. I have fallen out of love with wrestling time and time again. I very almost gave up on it completely about 2 years ago, when a very odd thing happened. I watched The Rise & Fall Of ECW which made me want to see more ECW, the hot crowds and insane angles in more depth. So I bought 20+ ECW DVDs in the next few months.

I got kind of sick of the trahiness of that, but i watched a few of Eddie Guerrero, Benoit and Jericho matches which kind of opened my eyes to good technical wrestling. As I was not getting this consistantly with WWE, I began to look further afield into the American indies, where matches were not rushed, where a good story would be told, and where the main event would not invariably have a run in or a ref bump. I picked a few PWG and ROH DVDs and got more into it. I saw Bryan Danielson for the first time in a match Vs Homicide and was blown away.

Through watching ROH then my eyes were opened to what was going on in Japan from seeing guys like Marufuji, KENTA, and Kobashi. From seeing these guys then i wanted to see what happened in the past to make Kobashi and Misawa the legends that they are. From there I heard about the Super j cup, and picked up a few of them.

Bounty Hunter wrote:

probably a more appropriate question: why are you still a wrestling fan?

I am still a wrestling fan because I branched out from only watching WWE. Had I not moved away from only watching that single product, I would not be a fan anymore. Thats not to say that I don't watch WWE anymore, it's to say that I don't watch it as much and I don't place as much store in it as I once did.

So Im not sure does that answer any or all of the questions, but there you go.

EdK

We didnt have Sky till the 00's but I used to go to my Nan's every Saturday and watch Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels etc when my brothers would want to turn it off in favour of Gladiators or something

Then I feel out of it again until my brother got into it eventually and starting bring home Wrestlemania in 99' after that we got Sky and the rest is history, and although my interest is fleeting these days as i mourn what once was when I find myself watching Brian Pillman or Ric Flairs dvd's which i enjoy more than any current product watching the first 2 discs of the Raw 15 year dvd almost made me cry hehe so many classic moments which are few and far between these days

But its two months from Tuesday until I hit Orlando to begin a wrestling pilgrimege and i'm hoping good live wrestling will reawaken my interest because if not i think it's all over

Bounty Hunter

Danger_Dave wrote: »

Leave it to BH to change the question into a better one, if it was ATH you'd be docked points for not answering the question as asked , also i think someone esle should do the marking and asking next time to let you comment youself, id be more than happy to do it

Double C wrote: »

Just when you think you have the answers, Bounty Hunter changes the question!

all i can say is a net expression i try to avoid usually LOL. Didnt think people would pick up on that like they did, though i suppose i asked for that. I assumed that people would have all started for similar reasons i.e the spectacle, the great character and storylines & just the fact that you get to see two (or more people) just go at each other in the ring.

Danger_Dave I did actually ask in the last version of ATH for anyone interested in being a guest host to PM me as i will not always be able to commit the time needed to run it. I'll make a note of your interest and if I cant ever do it prehaps give you a heads up (and maybe see if i still have the time to compete) and see if you still want to. Despite it being my idea I wouldent necessary suggest I would be likely champion as i would imagine i would post my answers like i do all posts off the cuff, therefore with less forethought and detail prehaps than some. sorry for going off topic

Mr.Nice Guy

Double C wrote: »

I got into wrestling first at a young age watching WCW back when it was on ITV.

Actually I remember watching that as well although I can't remember if anyone really caught my eye.

Shame wrestling's not on terrestrial TV any more! I also used to love watching the PPVs on Channel 4. Had to keep the TV quiet in case I woke anybody up...

Ruu_Old

One moment that really stands out from watching WCW on UTV/ITV was when Ron Simmons won the world title from Vader from the first time. A friend of his from his football days was in the crowd and so on. I think he lost it a week or two later though.

Brolly

I got into it just before Undertaker started at the WWF. I was only 4 at the time and my brother was a bit of a fanatic - we would go to my cousins every weekend to watch it. When Undertaker came along, I was hooked! Thought he was great from the first match.

Then for about 3 years, I lost abit of interest. My brother moved away and watching it alone (poor me!) became a bit boring.

And then, 3 years ago, I got Sky - I watched the odd show and after a few months I was hooked again!

And here I am - I went to RAW and Smackdown live last year and I am going to Mania 24, RAW in Belfast and both live shows in London this year. It will be a great 4 weeks of wrestling action for me!

jesusjones

My addiction for wrestling never leaves me and it never will. I grew up with the Hogan and Warrior era on Sky when I was six or seven watching these larger than life heroes being completey memorized by them. When Sky left the screens for a while so did my intrest in wrestling but I started watching it again in 94. What really sparked my intrest was when my uncle(REF:SHINZON) got the analouge digital and we got WCW friday nights and being amazed that Hulk Hogan turned into a bad guy and Diesel and Razor as I still called them being with him. The NWO was the first thing that really got my attention and never left go. Never had Sky Sports so Id watch WWF saturday mornings watching the highlights. The Whole Bret Hart screwjob was the next thing that cauht my attention and then I started to understand more of the business than just the spectacle. Watched WWE religiously for the next 5 to six years. Alos started watching ECW as my friend got a load of tapes from America and being totally blown away by it. Shame it was not here earlier. Terry funk and the super nintendo was always a favourite! Got into ROH which is my favourite promotion at the moment through going to International Showdown three years ago. It opened my eyes to really good wrestling and got to see AJ/DANIELS and PUNK/JOE how bad! Nwever saw the WWE in the same light again! Now I hope in vain that TNA realises what a crappy show its putting out. I think Joe getting the belt is a good start. WWE does still have good moments but it has not been the same for a number of years and wont have the memories I have of the Attitude era. I always hope but if it never comes at least I have the great memories I have of years gone past.