Do You Think Wrestling Is Fake - Movies Message Board

PART ONE

"Fake” is such an ugly term. Can’t we be satisfied with “predetermined outcomes"? Then again, it might depend on your definition of "fake."

In his recently aired special “The Unreal Story of Professional Wrestling” (aired on an evil network we shall NOT name here), writer and producer Chris Mortensen likens modern-day professional wrestling to an addictive sports soap opera, albeit a soap opera viewed by over 25 million Americans a week. In tracing the history of professional wrestling in America, Mortensen describes how early 20th century wrestling matches could last as long as 5 hours--not conducive to most attention spans.

Adapting a more flamboyant and intriguing style, wrestling became more vaudevillian and was a staple of traveling carnivals and the like, until the First Golden Age of Wrestling, which began with the advent of television. The interview segment was created, and now wrestlers could expound upon their personas--ranging from Gorgeous George, who came to the ring wearing gaudy robes, golden bobby pins, and golden ringlets on his hair (which he had shaved as per a condition in a match he lost) to Classy Fred Blassie, who ridiculed the fans by calling them “pencil-necked geeks."

Reply #41. Jun 21 06, 11:25 AM

ice____cold

Part Two

Popularity waned throughout the 60’s and 70’s, but the 80’s saw a huge resurgence in the appeal of professional wrestling, culminating with a crowd of over 93,000 on hand to view Wrestlemania III in a sports arena. Today, pro wrestling is consistently the most watched show on cable televsion. But all this doesn’t answer the question--is it faked?

Considering some of the moves utilized, it has to be. Consider the piledriver, wherein one standing grappler takes his (or her) opponent, turns them so that their feet are up and the head is down, puts the head between his knees and drops heavily to the floor--who needs a spinal cord anyway? Any martial artist can confirm that the wrist and elbow locks that are staples of pro wrestling are incredibly painful if done correctly, and I will attest to the fact that when a friend of mine and I were goofing around and he slapped a figure-4 leg lock on me, I howled and did everything possible to alert him to the fact that he could break my leg with only a slight bit more of pressure.

Reply #42. Jun 21 06, 11:27 AM

ice____cold

Part Three

Wrestlers are pummeled with folding chairs, dropped onto wooden tables, thrown, punched, kicked, etc., yet seem to find some inner strength when the crowd rises to their defense and cheers mightily. Think of it as highly trained stuntmen taking abuse to their bodies for entertainment. Make no mistake, fake or not, for the most part these wrestlers are athletes in top physical condition, most with a background in amateur or college wrestling. The overall goal is to keep the viewer coming back for more. The fans have their favorites. That means that more often than not, the crowd favorite is going to win.

Not that there aren’t mishaps. In 1953 Walter “Killer” Kowalski, a crowd favorite, was wrestling against Yukon Eric. After immobilizing his opponent in the ropes, Kowalski climbed to the top rope and jumped off the top turnbuckle ... and his shinbone ripped Eric’s ear right off his head. Although he was declared the winner when Eric was unable to continue (big surprise there) Kowalski found that overnight, he had been transformed into a villain, a role he accepted and enjoyed. Kowalski’s take on the incident? “These things happen.”

Reply #43. Jun 21 06, 11:27 AM

ice____cold

[b] PART FOUR [/b]

Marcus "Buff" Bagwell just underwent neck surgery as the result of a mishap in the ring - he was hit accidentally by another wrestler (yes, I was watching at the time) and slumped to the floor. The wrestler who had unwittingly injured him while "aiding" Bagwell against his opponent then dragged Bagwell on top of the opponent, allowing the incapacitated Bagwell to be declared winner. He was then carted off on a stretcher--he is not expected to fight again.

I was tempted to call the World Wrestling Entertainmant (WWE, same initials as the World Wildlife Fund, anyone see the irony in THAT?) in Stamford, Connecticut, and ask someone there point-blank if wrestling is fake, but then I remember what happened to Richard Belzer (facelock by Hulk Hogan) and John Stossel (clocked in the head by Dr. D) when they asked, so unless Cecil starts providing a medical benefit plan for the SDSAB, you’re on your own in that department.

Reply #44. Jun 21 06, 11:28 AM

ice____cold

PART FIVE

Instead I'll close with this comment from the Slammer, a masked writer who covers professional wrestling for the New York Daily News. Commenting on the A&E wrestling special in his May 15 column, he concludes, "Then came the classic question: 'Is wrestling real?' Well, let me ask you this: Is Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny or the Great Pumpkin real? Of course they are, and so is wrestling. So we say to those 'experts,' get real, guys."

Reply #45. Jun 21 06, 11:28 AM

figureskater1

FAKE! They are totaly fake. They are just good actors there.

Reply #46. Dec 26 06, 7:26 AM

Lilady

Back in the early 70's wrestling was a new kind of entertainment for the young people especially, in my neck of the woods. It wasn't like anything you see since the sport has been commercialized so. Back then, it was in-between fake/real. Today, to me, it is just so fake. After seeing it, I cherish my memories of it when I first saw it back in the 70's. As it was once said: "Nothing seems to stay the same".

Reply #47. Dec 26 06, 9:02 AM

Scotty2Hotty87

"Scripted"

"Fake" is an ugly term.

Reply #48. Feb 12 07, 4:33 AM

jericha

It is sport entertainment. Are movies real? No, they are not. It for entertainment purposes only. Now some movies are based on actual facts. And, in wrestling there are actual moves that are done. But, down to the nitty gritty, like I said before they are for entertainment.

Reply #49. Feb 12 07, 4:29 PM

AceGolfer1234

How do you watch wrestling? It is so fake!

Reply #50. Feb 19 07, 7:46 AM

linkan

Totally fake! I recorded a match between the Hulk and someone else and I saw later in the recording that the Hulk got a blood packet for his eye from under the mat.

It's still fun to watch, but totally fake.

Reply #51. Feb 22 07, 2:23 PM

buffy98

I think some is real and some is fake.

Reply #52. Feb 23 07, 6:43 PM

DakotaNorth

The wrestling moves are real, however, it is choreographed and the outcome is predetermined.

I wouldn't call it "fake"...let's face it, how many of the people here could do what the wrestlers do? Not many.

The wrestlers are taught how to fall correctly, how to punch (although there are a few wrestlers that are considered "stiff" meaning they actually hit). And let's face it, we all know that the "steel" chairs are not really "steel", but rather light aluminum.

Even though the moves are choreographed, the wrestlers can and do get hurt. Cases in point: Triple H's torn quad; Scotty2Hotty's foot; Undertaker's elbow; Mankind's ribs. And...the biggest one of all: the death of Owen Hart.

If professional wrestling was as fake as everyone thinks, Owen Hart wouldn't be dead, Triple H wouldn't have hurt his quad, Scotty2Hotty wouldn't have had a broken foot, Undertaker's elbow wouldn't be injured, and Mankind's ribs wouldn't have been broken.

Reply #53. Feb 25 07, 2:20 PM

Your_Momma

I think it is totally fake!

Reply #54. Feb 25 07, 3:48 PM

MandyL

Most pro-wrestling nowadays just seems like a soap opera to me. Way too much drama. I do believe that the fights are scripted, and some of the moves are "toned down" so as not to seriously hurt the other. However, there are some moves that obviously must hurt, no matter how you do it!

Reply #55. Feb 25 07, 4:57 PM

Dr_Evil_

Wrestling is fake but fun to watch. Bruno Sammartino was fired from a WWF commentater position for saying wrestling was fake on live tv.

Reply #56. Apr 14 07, 7:55 PM

bottle_rocket

It's a glorified stunt show masquerading as a fake competition.

Reply #57. Apr 17 07, 2:03 AM

deltasdawning

I think wrestling is choreographed, definitely.

Reply #58. Apr 22 07, 9:04 AM

Magilla747

The participants have to be good athletes to pull off all those stunts, but the fighting itself is fake.
How I miss Andre the Giant!

Reply #59. Apr 28 07, 8:38 PM

mike32768

Sure they might get bruised and banged up, but it's like a couple of kids rough housing, with lots of preplanned (choreographed) moves.

Fake, fake, fake.

Reply #60. May 02 07, 9:00 PM

311 replies. On page 3 of 16 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Legal / Conditions of Use