The Pro Wrestling thread

[Medway Blue]

Been thinking about making a thread for this for a while but often get put off by the sniggers (even virtual ones) and scoffs of "you still watch that!?".

But IDGAF. Yeah, I'm 34 and I still watch wrestling. I've dipped in and out at points of my life, and yes some might say it's nowhere near as good as it was in the 80s or the late 90s, but I'm enjoying it more than I have in years at the moment.

So I thought I'd start this little thread as I know there are some wrestling fans lurking on here!

I'm hoping for some pretty broad strokes. Whether you're WWE or AEW or Impact or NJPW.....whether you want to reminisce about the 80s or the Attitude Era......tall about classic British wrestling and WoS on ITV......wax lyrical about the excellence of the storytelling in the Bloodline storyline.....talk about a wrestling documentary you've watched, podcast you've listened to or article you've read......pop it in here!

I'll engage, even if nobody else does :)

 

[Medway Blue]

Also, I'm going to Wembley for AEW and looking forward to it but struggling to get invested in their product at the moment.

 

[Medway Blue]

I guess my username and profile picture may finally make sense...

For years I was actually a wrestling journalist, reporting on and interviewing many of the biggest names in the 'sport', but I'm most proud of making this back in 2017.

This is awesome. Some recognisable faces in there! I haven't been to a PW EVE event, but I know all about them. They really rode the crest of that wave after 2016 of the increasing popularity of British and women's wrestling. They've had some talented women pass through there. Jamie Hayter, Kay Lee Ray, Millie McKenzie, Nina Samuels, Emi Sakura. Great stuff.

 

[Kenny]

There is a promotion that runs events in Bangkok, seems to be Japanese talent passing through often. Keep meaning to check it out.

Way too much content being pumped out a week, I usually try and make time to watch Dynamite on a Thursday as well as any WWE Premium Live Events.

Hopefully they’ll do Punk & FTR vs Bucks and Page at Wembley, that’ll put bums on seats and drive PPV buys for sure.

Dark Side of the Ring has been enjoyable this season, watched the Doink episode the other day.

 

[Medway Blue]

There is a promotion that runs events in Bangkok, seems to be Japanese talent passing through often. Keep meaning to check it out.

Way too much content being pumped out a week, I usually try and make time to watch Dynamite on a Thursday as well as any WWE Premium Live Events.

Hopefully they’ll do Punk & FTR vs Bucks and Page at Wembley, that’ll put bums on seats and drive PPV buys for sure.

Dark Side of the Ring has been enjoyable this season, watched the Doink episode the other day.

Japanese wrestling is just a different breed, isn't it? I wanted to get to a show at Tokyo Dome or Korakuen Hall when I was out there in 2019, but couldn't make it work with dates.

Agree to an extent though. I had stopped making time for AEW recently as I've been finding it difficult to get into, but plan to try again imminently, especially with Wembley coming up. Plus I'd like to check out Collision now that Punk is back.

There's talk of Smackdown going 3 hours when its TV deal is renewed too.....mental.

I've got my hands on Dark Side of the Ring. Need to watch them. I've also managed to get hold of the WWE/Biography collaborations that air on A&E in the US - Biography: WWE Legends and WWE Rivals. They're really good.

 

[Mad Cyril]

I have always fancied going to one of those amateur wrestling events - the kind held in local sports halls and advertised in local shops.

 

[The General]

Tried to get tickets for this weekend but they were way too expensive and I'm in Spain when AEW are in town which is rather annoying as they were much more affordable and much easier to get your hands on. I think both WWE and AEW are both producing too much content so it makes it hard to keep up with. I do enjoy NXT the most I must say out of all the shows. Good to see the up and coming guys and the good ones really shine.

 

[Medway Blue]

I have always fancied going to one of those amateur wrestling events - the kind held in local sports halls and advertised in local shops.

Me too, that would be fun. Plenty of local and regional wrestling shows around the UK.

Tried to get tickets for this weekend but they were way too expensive and I'm in Spain when AEW are in town which is rather annoying as they were much more affordable and much easier to get your hands on. I think both WWE and AEW are both producing too much content so it makes it hard to keep up with. I do enjoy NXT the most I must say out of all the shows. Good to see the up and coming guys and the good ones really shine.

Yeah MITB tickets were very expensive. Although that's probably because the cheapest ones went super quick as the O2 only holds 21,000.

Agreed on too much content. NXT is the one I don't bother with, funnily enough. I think it's gone right downhill since Triple H's black and gold. 2015-2020 was peak NXT. Probably the best pro wrestling on TV between 2016 and 2019 in particular.

 

[Napster]

Not a massive fane but saw this and thought you guys might like this

 

[Kenny]

Agreed on too much content. NXT is the one I don't bother with, funnily enough. I think it's gone right downhill since Triple H's black and gold. 2015-2020 was peak NXT. Probably the best pro wrestling on TV between 2016 and 2019 in particular.

When NXT was an hour, that was perfect.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I can't wait to see Mick McManus(Dirty wrestler) v Catweazle.

 

[The General]

When NXT was an hour, that was perfect.

Theyve started to bring in the unused "named" wrestlers to NXT (Corbin, Dana Brooke) which I'm not a big fan of. I notice Carmello and Bron are starting to get more TV time so can't see then hanging around in NXT for another 9-12 months.

Watched SD last night and nothing special happened but the UK fans got their fare share of local talent being used and mainly lost, bar Pete Dunne, who has zero chance of winning the briefcase tonight.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Theyve started to bring in the unused "named" wrestlers to NXT (Corbin, Dana Brooke) which I'm not a big fan of. I notice Carmello and Bron are starting to get more TV time so can't see then hanging around in NXT for another 9-12 months.

Watched SD last night and nothing special happened but the UK fans got their fare share of local talent being used and mainly lost, bar Pete Dunne, who has zero chance of winning the briefcase tonight.

Some of the new younger wrestlers are not so polished with the timing and acting, so a punch or elbow can be short a few inches, but the recipient still has to pretend they were hit. It doesn't look good.

 

[united we stand]

Not really my thing, but I do acknowledge the skill levels and pain they go through.
Really liked the films “the wrestler” and “ fighting with my family”. Couldn’t believe the later was a true story

 

[class]

Only just seen this thread! I'm off to AEW at Wembley in August and looking forward to it!
Also see that WWE are hinting at Wrestlemania coming to London soon, bet the price for that will be ridiculous considering the tickets prices of MITB this year and Clash at the Castle last year.

 

[The General]

Only just seen this thread! I'm off to AEW at Wembley in August and looking forward to it!
Also see that WWE are hinting at Wrestlemania coming to London soon, bet the price for that will be ridiculous considering the tickets prices of MITB this year and Clash at the Castle last year.

I feel like it's been muted many times before. But maybe recent success and WWE noticing the success they've had in Saudi, Puerto Rica, the UK and elsewhere they need to make the effort outside of thre UK a bit more. For me, Summerslam would be better due to mainly, the weather, as they would need to do it at a stadium.

 

[Ricey]

A guy I went to college with was always a massive wrestling fan. For years he had a great career as a motorbike salesman, did a great job for BMW and used to do really well. Couple of years back he gave that up, does a bit of wheeling and dealing on the side with used bikes but his main focus is his wrestling promotion. CXW

Championship Xtreme Wrestling

British Wrestling Promotion

cxwrestling.com

He’s done numerous shows in Braintree, I haven’t had a chance to get down but looks great fun.

My favourite thing about Wrestling is when people who don’t like it go “it’s so fake” well done mate! It’s entertainment, and yes the acting/storyline is scripted but a lot of wrestlers have serious injuries throughout their career.

Love it back in the day through the Hogan and Bret Hart era. Was a big fan of Edge in the later years! Spear has and will always be the best finisher! FACT! END OF!

 

[Mad Cyril]

I used to love the American Wrestling highlights on ITV sport on a Saturday lunchtime in the late 80s.

I remember seeing Papa Shango win a match using Voodoo magic without even leaving his changing room.

 

[Medway Blue]

Not really my thing, but I do acknowledge the skill levels and pain they go through.
Really liked the films “the wrestler” and “ fighting with my family”. Couldn’t believe the later was a true story

My favourite thing about Wrestling is when people who don’t like it go “it’s so fake” well done mate! It’s entertainment, and yes the acting/storyline is scripted but a lot of wrestlers have serious injuries throughout their career.

Love it back in the day through the Hogan and Bret Hart era. Was a big fan of Edge in the later years! Spear has and will always be the best finisher! FACT! END OF!

Worst thing is when they say it in a sneering way, as if they're making some kind of ground breaking revelation. Yeah mate, I found out when I was 9 and I still love it.

I always say it's pre-determined and scripted in some cases, but I'll never have that it's fake. I'd challenge any of the weapons who tell me it's fake to do what these wrestlers do for a week and then tell me it's fake. They'd all fold and cry like little bitches. Some of the injuries are gruesome.

Maximum respect too for the travelling, the workload and the strain it puts on families. Even more so for the wrestlers of the 80s and 90s when there were no guaranteed contracts and they'd get hooked on pain killers and muscle relaxants so they could work through injuries because if they declared an injury, they wouldn't get paid.

Great call on the Spear @Ricey - but who has the best version?

Only just seen this thread! I'm off to AEW at Wembley in August and looking forward to it!
Also see that WWE are hinting at Wrestlemania coming to London soon, bet the price for that will be ridiculous considering the tickets prices of MITB this year and Clash at the Castle last year.

Me too! What seats did you get? Only problem is I've dropped off with AEW recently. Need to get back into it but I'm struggling a little bit with their product. Will still be a great experience though.

I do think a UK WrestleMania is gathering steam. I'd have said unlikely a year or two ago but I think the direction of travel is there now.

If so, count me in. I did WM30 in NOLA and WM33 in Orlando and both were massive life highlights for me. The energy of WrestleMania week is electric.

I used to love the American Wrestling highlights on ITV sport on a Saturday lunchtime in the late 80s.

I remember seeing Papa Shango win a match using Voodoo magic without even leaving his changing room.

Name a wrestler who is a better personification through 2 characters of the change in the pro wrestling product in the 1990s - Papa Shango -> The Godfather
Voodoo magic -> the Ho Train.

 

[ian_the_girth]

Tried to get tickets for this weekend but they were way too expensive and I'm in Spain when AEW are in town which is rather annoying as they were much more affordable and much easier to get your hands on. I think both WWE and AEW are both producing too much content so it makes it hard to keep up with. I do enjoy NXT the most I must say out of all the shows. Good to see the up and coming guys and the good ones really shine.

Did you go to SummerSlam 1992?
I guess they could have it at the Principality Stadium and close the roof. But i'd love to see them have WrestleMania at Wembley. Lot's of talk about a PLE event coming out here to Perth WA.