Since Wrestlemania there’s been nothing but stories about John Cena winning an amazing 17th title, blah blah blah… It’s a “History making moment”, yadda yadda yadda…

Like…of course he did. It’s the storyline. It’s quite literally “in the script”.

This isn’t an achievement. Why is this in my sports news next to last night’s hockey scores instead of next to an article about who was the bitchiest on the lastest episode of Real Housewives?

I get it. I loved Wrestling growing up. Back when we all WERE pretending it was real; Macho Man, Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, etc… But I thought at some point they steered into the whole “entertainment” aspect when most of us grew the hell up and clued into the absurdity of it all.

  • DicJacobus@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Wrestling is a form of theatre.

    Its just the high octane, sensationalized, ridiculous, coked up, american pop culture version of Theatre.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnvSs3HEz2o excellent video where someone talks about why Wrestling got popular

    Wrestling Isn’t Sports. But it also isn’t fake. Not entirely. the outcomes are usually scripted, and theres a card they are usually following (Sometimes, they aren’t. Whether its a botch, a shoot, etc) (botch means a mistake, a shoot means someone’s not acting, and they’re throwing real punches)

    but the acrobatics and "stunts’ people are doing, are very real. an incredible amount of effort and skill is needed to have the physical ability and timing to make the stuff look real for the kids and cameras

    thats why its called sports entertainment,

    • the_trash_man@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      I think OP is specifically asking why Pro Wrestling is being treated like it’s real in some sports publications.

    • ragepaw@lemmy.ca
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      4 months ago

      Just to further your point. It’s like Cirque du Soleil, scripted, but they are really doing those moves.

  • CarbonatedPastaSauce@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Counterpoint- all sports are silly. That’s why they are called games.

    I don’t dunk on wrestling fans anymore because people are free to enjoy whatever they want. But it’s always been like this. It didn’t change - you did. Personal growth!

  • Carrolade@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Yeah, that’s kinda silly. I can see an argument that WWE wrestlers are athletes, no problems there. But they don’t actually perform in any sort of athletic competition, which makes thinking of it as a “sport” a little weird. If WWE is a sport, then so is ballet.

  • FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    No, we know the outcome’s predetermined. Last year’s Wrestlemania was basically written six-months ahead of time.

    It’s still fun to watch though, and the athletes do some amazing shit.

  • Tarquinn2049@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Wrestling and the media surrounding it will always be written/performed as though it is real. There were just as many adults that knew it was fake when we were kids that didn’t. It’s santa clause and easter bunny style culture. Once you are disillusioned, if you want to continue being involved, you join in on the act.

  • DJKJuicy@sh.itjust.works
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    4 months ago

    I know professional wrestling is as real as the MCU or the latest episode of Severance. I am still entertained by all three.

    Wrestling winds up in the “sports” section because news outlets have to classify it somehow. That’s not the fault of wrestling fans.

    There’s really no need in life to yuck other people’s yum. If it’s not for you, that’s cool.

    • mysticpickle@lemmy.ca
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      4 months ago

      Sports is kind of a stretch. Professional wrestling should be classified as entertainment with the soap operas and marvel slop.

      • DJKJuicy@sh.itjust.works
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        4 months ago

        Totally agree but for the opposite reason.

        Wrasslin’ is very story driven. Not everyone has time to watch, and the sports news outlets is all spoilers.

        It’s like a Harry Potter fan opening their news feed to “Snape kills Dumbledore after epic battle!” plastered all over the news on the day after the book came out. (my apologies to any Harry Potter fans who haven’t read all the books or seen all the movies by now, in 2025).

    • Hemingways_Shotgun@lemmy.caOP
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      4 months ago

      Since when is that allowed!? /s

      I’m fine with that. My bigger question was simply why am I seeing it in sports news instead of entertainment news all of a sudden? It’s not a sport. it’s a variety show sponsored by the makers of steroids.

  • vxx@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    It’s a soap opera with fighting. Of course fans are talking about the characters and the story. Nobody talking about anything that happens in a soap Opera will add that it’s just fiction, they’re talking about the events.

  • Lighttrails@sh.itjust.works
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    4 months ago

    I wouldn’t call myself a wrestling fan but I see the entertainment/art in professional wrestling. Like anything else entertainment wise it’s an escape for the viewers. Sure the outcome of matches are pre determined but it’s the entire spectacle that you get lost in and forget about the forged display. I never watched WWE growing up but I always heard about John Cena being a charismatic well liked person in and out of the ring. I’m sure the headlines fit more into sports feeds rather than the arts/theater section.

    • EK13@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      I remember liking that video the first time I saw it. If I remember correctly though, the creator of that video had quite a few sexual abuse allegations against him and I wasn’t really into it after that came to light.

      • Stonewyvvern@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        I had no idea. Thanks for enlightening me. I’ll forgo referencing Landis from now on. Learn something new everyday…even if the new knowledge is old and awful.