Has Pro Wrestling Finally Caught Up..?
Whilst watching the latest episode of Lucha Underground—I came across this vignette:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2DXYgjaBq4&feature=youtu.be
Regardless of whether you consider this type of vignette "pro wrestling", or not -- Suffice to say Lucha Underground are attempting to break through certain conventions of the Pro wrestling genre, and it’s when people do make these attempts that we start seeing changes in how this industry evolves to the next level.
My problem here, is personally I’m not a fan of the Lucha style of wrestling--nothing against those who do it, I just find it to be very flippy-floppy-repetitive high spots-one after the other, after the other—to the point where every single match looks and feels the same—I like some diversity in my wrestling. Being a child of the ‘Attitude Era’, I like my wrestling cards to be made up of a variety of different types of matches, styles and techniques—not just, the same thing repeated.
(Authors Note: This isn’t just a problem for me watching Lucha Underground, I also experience this problem when the WWE)
I’m a guy who knows exactly what he likes—and I don’t like the fact that every single wrestler has to wear a mask! I just don’t like it! But, I respect that it’s a tradition and I also respect that technically, although anyone can watch it, Lucha Underground is in fact aimed solely at the Hispanic demographic—they cater for them.
But what if this type of concept was brought over to an American audience. The fact is Pro Wrestling needs to catch up, it’s become tiresome, with its cheesey and predictable storylines. It has gotten to the point now where all aggression and attitude has been taken out of American Pro Wrestling and now, to the untrained eye (The casual viewer), it just looks like two guys in leotards putting on a ballet performance.
The internet has not killed the wrestling industry. People go to the cinema all the time to watch movies where they know the ending—why do you think remakes are so damn popular! People go for the illusion, to suspend their disbelief. Everybody and their Mothers knows that pro wrestling is fake! And everyone knew this during the attitude era! It wasn’t because people actually thought that The Undertaker was dead! People didn’t tell their friends “Oh My God! You HAVE to watch WWF Raw is War—They have a talking DEAD guy on it!” – they watched because it was quite frankly f**king awesome TV—they watched for the same reasons people watch ‘Game of Thrones’ in 2016 – Because its sh*t hot – MUST SEE TV!
The reason pro wrestling was so popular in the 90s was because it was reality television before reality television was even a concept! – Why do you think the NWO was so popular? The codes and conventions used in the 90s were perfect and they fit the product so well! The WWE’s problem now? Is it is STILL in the Attitude Era – just a watered down, corporate version.
They still use the same process’ to build a star, they still use the same techniques, they still use the same format, they still use the same codes and conventions of 90s professional wrestling and its gotten to the point now where everybody can predict exactly what’s going to happen, even to the point of when a heel is going to powder from the ring! – instead of trying to evolve, the WWE are chasing the hypothetical ‘Attitude Era’ Dragon – Like a junkie looking for that first fix! And the reason its NEVER going to happen, is because the 90s were 16 years.
What if this new ‘Prime Time Drama’ style of storytelling was brought to an American product? With its gorgeous cinematography and fantastic camera work.
Maybe Pro Wrestling could stand a chance!
Ive been Jake Jesus, thanks for reading – I’ll see you down the road!
Follow Jake on Twitter @IAmJakeJesus
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