Professional wrestling
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Professional wrestling, often referred to as pro wrestling, or simply, wrestling, is a form of athletic[2] theater[3] centered around mock combat with the premise that its performers are competitive wrestlers.
Professional wrestling gradually developed from competitive catch wrestling in the late 19th century, when wrestlers and promoters began staging fake matches to exhibit more excitement and draw larger audiences. Over the course of the 20th century, it was increasingly known that professional wrestling was scripted, but the appeal for fans shifted from its competitive element to the entertainment value; wrestlers subsequently responded by incorporating drama, gimmickry, and outlandish stunts into their performances, while maintaining the pretense of engaging in a competitive sport. Eventually, the term "professional wrestling" was legally defined as a non-sport by various government regulators because legitimate wrestling was effectively confined to amateur enthusiasts.
Professional wrestlers perform as characters and usually maintain what is known in the industry as a gimmick—the persona, style, and traits conveyed by their distinctive attires, ring names, entrance music, and other distinguishable attributes and characteristics. Matches are the primary vehicle for advancing storylines, which typically center on feuds between heroic "faces" and villainous "heels", although more modern wrestling has increasingly featured morally ambiguous "tweeners". A wrestling ring, akin to a boxing ring, serves as the main stage; additional scenes may be recorded for television in backstage areas of the venue, in a format similar to reality television. Performers generally integrate authentic wrestling techniques and fighting styles with choreography, stunts, improvisation, and dramatic conventions designed to maximize audience engagement.[1] Unlike in other forms of entertainment, wrestlers usually remain in character even when they are not performing; this dedication to presenting scripted events as authentic is known as kayfabe.
Professional wrestling is performed around the world through various promotions, which are roughly analogous to production companies or sports leagues. Promotions vary considerably in size, scope, and creative approach, ranging from local shows on the independent circuit to internationally broadcast events at major arenas. The largest and most influential promotions are in the United States, Mexico, Japan, and Europe (particularly the United Kingdom, France, and Germany/Austria),[4] which have each developed distinct styles, traditions, and subgenres within professional wrestling.[5] Many professional wrestlers also perform as freelancers and make appearances for different promotions.
Professional wrestling has developed its own culture and community, including a unique glossary of terms. It has achieved mainstream success and influence within popular culture; many wrestling phrases, tropes, and concepts are now referenced in everyday language and in film, television, music, and video games. Numerous professional wrestlers have become national or international sports icons with recognition by the wider public, with some finding further fame and success through other endeavours such as acting and music.
- ^ a b Levi, Heather J. (2001). Masked struggle: An ethnography of Lucha Libre (PhD thesis). New York University. p. 57.
In the [flying crossbody] ... [the defender] lift her arms slightly, in order to catch her opponent and minimize the impact of the technique.
- ^
- Atkinson, Michael (2002). "Fifty Million Viewers Can't Be Wrong: Professional Wrestling, Sports-Entertainment, and Mimesis". Sociology of Sport Journal. 19 (1): 47–66. doi:10.1123/ssj.19.1.47. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
Specifically, professional wrestling's mandate is to excite audiences via contrived and hyper-violent athletic competition.
- Rossen, Jake (15 May 2013). "In World of Wrestling, Trying to Keep It Real". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- Fargiorgio, Joseph. "WWE: Wrestling, Wellness & Entertainment – An Analysis of Work and Health in Professional Wrestling". University of Guelph. p. 8. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
Indeed, professional wrestling is art and sport, athletics and theatre, graceful and brutal, entertainment and business.
- Wood, Robert. "About Professional Wrestling". TopEndSports. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- Ezell, Jon (2017). "The dissipation of "heat": Changing role(s) of audience in professional wrestling in the United States". Performance and Professional Wrestling. Routledge. p. 10. ISBN 978-1138937222.
The small television screen, better suited for the close-up than the panorama, could effectively convey wresting's athleticism, drama, and personalities in the ring
- Chow, Broderick (2017). "Muscle memory: Re-enacting the fin-de-siècle strongman in pro wrestling". Performance and Professional Wrestling. Routledge. p. 151. ISBN 978-1138937222.
While pro wrestling is a hugely athletic form, wrestling itself does not produce the sculpted bodies of wrestling's most famous body guys
- Atkinson, Michael (2002). "Fifty Million Viewers Can't Be Wrong: Professional Wrestling, Sports-Entertainment, and Mimesis". Sociology of Sport Journal. 19 (1): 47–66. doi:10.1123/ssj.19.1.47. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ Eero Laine (2017). "Stadium-sized theatre: WWE and the world of professional wrestling". In Chow et al. (2017). Performance and Professional Wrestling, p. 39: "The business of professional wrestling is the business of theatre. Even if on the surface professional wrestling seems anathema to theatrical sensibilities, it is hard to deny the formal similarities. After all, professional wrestling is scripted entertainment performed live in front of an audience by actors portraying characters."
- ^ Shoemaker (2013). Benjamin, p. 27: "... the people who were clued in were happy to play along to further their enjoyment."
- ^ "Promotions Database". Cagematch.net. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.