Topic: Professional Wrestling, AKA, WWE

After doing something a bit girly the last few episodes, I figured something manly was in order. This week we talk about Professional Wrestling on way to WrestleMania on April 7th. We'll watch some of the matches from the event and give you a brief review of what my Mom thought of it all. Spoilers, I probably will enjoy it.

Wrestling is Not Fake, wrestling is scripted

Terms / Ideas:

• Kayfabe (Wrestling Illusion, wrestlers as their Characters in public)
• Shoot (Unscripted event in wrestling, not expected)
• Rules of Wrestling (Pin Fall, Submission, Count Out, Disqualification, etc)
• Tag Teams
• Finishers
• Characters/Gimmicks
• Lucha Libre (Masks are sacred)
• Stories
• Championship belts

History

Has existed since before 19th century.

Golden Age (40s/50s)

Becoming a staple outside of circuses and side-shows

Territory System

NWA (National Wrestling Alliance)

• Lou Thesz
• Gorgeous George
• Bruno Sammartino
• Verne Gagne

Silver Age (60s-70s)

Modern TV begins showing wrestling (local Only)

Beginning of the WWF (80s)

Vincent James McMahon sells Capitol Wrestling Corporation> Worldwide Wrestling Federation > World Wrestling Federation to his Son Vincent Kennedy McMahon

Coined wrestling product as “Sports Entertainment”

Poached Wrestlers from other promotions because it had National TV Shows, thus bigger appeal

Creation of Wrestlemania, annual show that culminates lots of stories in WWF

• Hulk Hogan
• "Rowdy" Roddy Piper
• Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (manager)
• Andre the Giant
• Iron Sheik
• Randy Savage

Early 90s

Jim Crockett controls major interest in NWA and begins consolidating territories/promotions for his own promotion.

Unable to complete with WWF, Jim Crockett sells his promotion/interest to Ted Turner to create WCW(World Championship Wrestling)

WWF Sees drug scandal due to steroids, gets out of it just barely.

WWF introduces Monday Night Show (Monday Night Raw)

• Sargent Slaughter
• Bret Hart
• Yokozuna
• Shawn Michaels
• Diesel
• Razor Ramon
• Ric Flair
• Undertaker

Monday Night Wars (Mid-late 90s)

WCW makes push to fight openly with WWF by having competing Monday Night Programming

WCW gets older, name brand wrestlers to complete with WWF

• Hulk Hogan
• Ric Flair
• Randy Savage
• Kevin Nash (Formally Diesel)
• Scott Hall (Formally Razor Ramon)

WCW Begins beating WWF in ratings with mature/aggressive story lines

• NWO(New World Order)

WWF Pushes new starts and begins making bigger names out of younger talent

WWF Begins pushing more mature story lines and moving away from Characters

NWO and older wrestlers have monopoly on top positions in company, many younger wrestlers leave for WWF

• The Rock
• Stone Cold Steve Austin
• Mankind
• Big Show
• Triple H

Attitude Era (Late 90s to 2001)

WWF Continues beat WCW and absorbing wrestlers other Promotions

WWF beats WCW with more diverse talent, WWF Buys WCW and ECW(Extreme Championship Wrestling)

Invasion Storyline allows WCW and ECW wrestlers to show up and get signed for WWF

Introduction of more Hardcore/dangerous stunts (Tables, Ladders, & Chairs Match / Hell in a Cell)

Introduction of Second TV show (Smackdown)

• Chris Jericho
• Eddie Gurerro
• Chris Benoit
• Edge & Christian
• Hardy Boys
• Dudley Boys

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) (2002-2007)

WWF loses court fight with World Wildlife Fund over name, changes to WWE (Get the F Out, Campain)

WWE Fully integrates WCW and ECW wrestlers, but too many wrestlers

Brand Split: Different wrestlers for each show, Raw & Smackdown

Also known as Ruthless Aggression Era

• Randy Orton
• Batista (Drax)
• Kurt Angle
• Brock Lesnar
• Rob Van Dam
• Rey Mysterio
• Booker T
• John Cena

Chris Benoit Murder Suicide

Horrible Murder of his Wife and Son

Nearly Killed Pro-Wrestling in the west

WWE Institutes # of new policies in light of the events

• Wellness Policy to curb drug use
• Elimination of Chair Shots to Head
• Concussion studying and prevention/recuperation
• Lack if blood of TV
• Tone down of language and storylines to be less aggressive
• PG Rating for TV programming moving forward

PG Era (Late 2000 to now)

WWE’s Switch to more family friendly affair brought children and more revenue to Wrestling

Brand Split comes to an end in 2011, begins again in 2016

Introduction of WWE Performance Center to train wrestlers, Creation of NXT (Developmental Brand)

Women’s Revolution

Other Promotions fill gap of Territory system

• Ring of Honor
• Impact/TNA (Total Non-stop Action)
• New Japan Pro Wrestling (IWGP: International Wrestling Gran Prix)
• Pro Wrestling Guerilla
• Too many to Count

Review:

Wrestlemania 35

More information:

WWE.Com

Wrestler (Movie)