Pro wrestling: Fake sport or real entertainment?
In the world of sports, one stands out among them all: professional wrestling. More than any sport, it blurs the line between athleticism and Hollywood entertainment and has profoundly impacted pop culture. It's no secret that professional wrestling matches aren't legitimate contests. They are more like choreographed performances. Professional wrestlers are athletes playing characters and following storylines for an audience. However, more work goes into this industry than many expect.
Professional wrestlers must be aware of their own abilities and limitations and keep themselves in a healthy physical state to perform at their optimal levels. They must know how to safely execute wrestling moves and keep their opponents and themselves safe at all times. Pro wrestling moves can be extremely dangerous. The wrestler receiving said moves can be seriously injured or even killed should the move be performed incorrectly.
On a recent episode of "AEW: Dynamite," Jon Moxley was set to defend the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) world championship against 'Hangman' Adam Page in the main event. The match seemed to be going to plan until Moxley performed a “lariat” on Page. While selling the impact of the move, Page landed awkwardly on his head and neck and was knocked unconscious. Ringside doctors immediately came to Page's aid and stopped the match. Page was stretchered out and rushed to a nearby trauma center. This noticeably worried both Moxley and the fans. Later, AEW management revealed that Page, real name Stephen Woltz, suffered a concussion. Concussions are no laughing matter, as there's not really a way to treat them. You have to wait for them to heal naturally, meaning it can take considerable time for a concussion to heal fully. Repeated concussions can result in lasting brain damage, such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy. The harsh reality is that Hangman could've come out of this situation even worse than he did.
Serious injuries have been known to end careers long before they should have ended. In 2011, World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler Adam Copeland, better known by his ring name Edge, was forced to retire at the age of 37 after several neck injuries, out of fear he could've been paralyzed or even killed should he have taken a hard enough fall. Fortunately, Edge fought hard to recover and was able to return to action in 2020, but by that point, he was 46 years old and had missed nine years of his career.
More appreciation should be given to professional wrestling and should not be dismissed as a 'fake sport.' Even though it's built on scripted storylines, it's still very much an athletic sport with real risks that take training and care to avoid. Professional wrestlers put their bodies and well-being on the line for our entertainment, so they deserve the same appreciation all other athletes receive.
By: Evan Majors