How Have You Changed As A Fan?

[The Brain]

I think it's safe to say that most members of this forum have been a wrestling fan for at least a few years. Over the course of several years people's opinions and preferences tend to change. An opinion you had ten or twenty years ago might be completely different than an opinion you hold today. If this forum existed in 1994 you might be reading some posts from me that don't fit in with my posts from the past couple years.

I started watching wrestling at a very young age in late 1986. As you might expect I liked all the good guys. Hulk Hogan, Junk Yard Dog, and Brutus Beefcake were among my early favorites. I hated The Honky Tonk Man, Ted Dibiase, and Rick Rude. I hated Randy Savage at first, then loved him, then hated him again. Guys like Ricky Steamboat and The Rockers were fun to watch but it was Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior that always had the best matches.

As the Hulkamania era ended and the New Generation began my tastes began to change. Guys like Hogan and Warrior were getting boring. I was all about technical wrestling in the mid 90s. Bret Hart was the man and Shawn Michaels and Owen Hart were awesome too. In fact in 1994 I would have told you Owen Hart was a much better wrestler than Hulk Hogan ever was. Some of you might hold that opinion today but me typing that now seems completely ridiculous. That opinion may have also been influenced by my loyalty to the WWF during a time when a lot of guys, including Hogan, were jumping to WCW. I could justify anything Vince McMahon did but could not give Eric Bischoff an ounce of credit. Also with more wrestling experience I was “cool enough” to recognize how good the bad guys were and was starting to pull for some of them.

After Bret and Shawn left the WWF I was enjoying the storylines of the Attitude Era but really missing my technical wrestling. In those days I used to mail in my votes for the year end awards to Pro Wrestling Illustrated. I remember in 1998 my vote for match of the year was Owen Hart vs. Edge from Breakdown. This was a meaningless opening match on a pay per view. There was no storyline. It was a write in vote because it wasn't on the ballot, and honestly it shouldn't have been. It wasn't as good as the classics from 1991-1997 but it was the closest match to my favorite style as the more aggressive brawls that were becoming popular. The infamous Hell in a Cell between Undertaker and Mankind won match of the year. I didn't think so at the time but that match absolutely deserved to win. I was a little stuck up in my thinking and didn't appreciate a match that just had a couple big bumps and a bunch of brawling. Owen and Edge were wrestlers, not just brawlers. I've changed my way of thinking. All these years later people remember Taker vs. Mankind and the falls off the cell whereas there are probably people reading this now that don't even realize Owen Hart and Edge wrestled on ppv.

Today I understand and accept WWE is a variety show. There is room for action, drama, and comedy. There is room for technical wrestling, brawls, and high flying matches. If I had to choose I still prefer the technical matches but I definitely find enjoyment with other styles. Now I am of the opinion that while being a technical wrestler is great it doesn't really mean anything if you don't connect with the fans. Storylines are at least as important as matches if not more improtant. Drama is probably more important than action. I recognize that a three hour Raw doesn't have to have to be three hours of matches. Interviews are good. Backstage segments are good. There's even plenty of time for recaps and plugs. They may be a little annoying but no harm done. And I'm back on board with Hogan and Warrior. Love ya Owen, but Hulk Hogan you are not.

What's your story? Have your opinions changed over the years during your evolution as a fan?

 

[thebigbadfox]

I began a kid in the 80s eating my vitamins and saying my prayers as the Hulkster told me to.... Then I went onto college and had an attitude just as the Monday Night Wars did. Then I got bored and left. I am more interested in great wrestling now. I watch for the in ring action and storytelling. Doesn't have to be a spot fest but a great match it a story in it is so important. I also appreciate the wrestlers more now. If Cena was a 15 time champ when I was in college I would have booed the crap out of him.... but now I appreciate his work, workload, and the fact that he gives it his all every time out and does so much for the fans and communities he visits.

 

[Slash-LN]

I started "watching" in 1988 and by that I mean my mom would sit me in front the of the television and I would be glued to the floor. That's a pretty big thing for a 3 year old to sit there for that long. So as I was getting a few years older and kind of understanding things better I decided to stick with it.

I was never a fan of Hogan back then but I also didn't think of him in a negative light the way I do now. I was just into other people. I liked The Rockers and Legion of Doom. I like Ultimate Warrior and Bret Hart and The British Bulldog. When Kerry Von Erich came along I liked him.

At that time I was strictly a WWF kid. I didn't even know there was anything else. Then one year for Christmas or my birthday my mom bought me WCW trading cards. Suddenly there was this whole other world of wrestling with all these guys I never knew existed. I didn't know how or where to watch WCW though so it would still be a while before I started getting into it.

I think the biggest change over all the years is the way I approached it. As a kid I just accepted anything that happened. Remember when they ran that angle that was leading up to Kama and The Undertaker? On Superstars they had a man and woman dressed in all black sitting in the front row with a black wreath. Then one week Kama finally pulled the man out of his chair and beat him up in the ring and the lights flickered and it started "thundering" in the arena.

As a kid I ate that up. I hated Kama for doing that and I wanted the Undertaker to get revenge for his fans.

Older me would have found that cheesy. As I got older and started reading more books and learning more about character changes and reading stuff on the internet I started over analyzing stuff. I forgot how to be a fan is the way I see it. I started focusing on what I didn't like about shows and I let it ruin things for me.

Now I'm not saying that I never do that now because I totally complain about stuff but I've made it a point to also find positives and enjoy it again. Not just to watch it out of habit but watch it because I actually want to see what happens.

The other big change is in hindsight. There were so many wrestlers I didn't appreciate back when I was younger. Guys like Vader and Bam Bam Bigelow who I largely ignored for no other reason than they were fat. Mr. Perfect and Owen Hart who are examples of guys I didn't appreciate even though they were actually good wrestlers. You could add Ted Dibiase in there too. I didn't realize how brilliant the evil Doink character was. How well it was played.

I also gained respect for the legacy of certain wrestlers. I've never liked Ric Flair and I probably never will but he busted his ass to establish himself and to help the business be more successful. I respect what he did in that regard.

 

[Wrestlingfan100]

I've gotten smarter and I feel I respect the business more than most people here probably do. I love journeyman jobs, huge stand up fan, into music of course and I even went to wrestling school for a b-day present for 2 hours( Monster factory who's trained Sheamus, a young CM Punk, Bam Bam Bigelo) and having met Balls Mahoney multiple times

 

[Mustang Sally]

In fact in 1994 I would have told you Owen Hart was a much better wrestler than Hulk Hogan ever was.

I sooner recognize that to be true today....back then, I probably wouldn't have seen it that way....and that's one of the ways I've changed as a fan.

To me, Owen Hart was a wrestler, while Hulk Hogan was a performer. Yes, they both engaged in professional wrestling, yet I didn't understand back then what it was I liked so much about Owen; he knew how to work a match....and I loved watching him do it although I didn't really know why. He could mesh his ring repertoire with anyone and make both he and his opponent look good. That's what a technical wrestler can do. It's one of the reasons I've adopted the rather unpopular view of being a big fan of Alberto Del Rio's work. He's as fine a technician as Owen ever was, yet far more fans seemed to take to Owen back in the day than ADR now. Today, many people want the "performer" more than the "wrestler," and ADR's routine apparently doesn't translate well. That I wouldn't have appreciated this distinction is one of the ways I've changed as a fan.

Then, there's Hogan, a total showman. It's interesting to watch many folks completely detesting John Cena's "superman" routine (able to kick out of any pinning attempt in a single bound!).....yet, they loved watching Hogan doing the same thing. As a wrestler, I don't think Hogan was worth much.....but I don't think I knew that back then.

I thought it totally realistic watching all seven of Nexus charging down the aisle toward Cena; and seeing him turn tail and run in the other direction, apparently realizing that discretion is the better part of valor. That's reality.

Can you imagine Hogan doing that? Hell, no.....he would have taken 'em all on. Yes, he would have been beaten down, but he would have fought all seven and the fans would have gone crazy watching it. The difference in myself as a fan is that I would have accepted Hogan's actions as proper to the situation....while today, I would consider it ridiculous, viewing Cena's actions as much more realistic.

And "realism" is the key: if pro wrestling is a reality show, the stuff they do today is far more likely to happen in real life. As a fan, I had no notion of this back in the day....but I like to think I see it more clearly now.

Sure, there's still plenty of "larger than life" stuff going on (such as Cena's kick outs against seemingly impossible situations......and I would also include nonsense such as the sight of Rey Mysterio defeating men 150 pounds heavier than him). On the whole, though, while I enjoyed pro wrestling back in the 90's, and still do today, I like to think my viewpoints have changed to reflect and appreciate how it takes a wide variety of storylines and characters to put together this truly unique form of entertainment.

 

[Rayne]

The most important way I've changed as a fan has been cancelling my cable. Professional wrestling is no longer just on in the background; if I want to watch it, I have to hunt it down. Originally writing this post, this was an "also this" type point, but it's probably the most important factor in what I'm exposed to as a fan. I check in on WWE and TNA; what I see doesn't really interest me in investing a weekly two to three hours per program.

But besides that, the way I've changed as a fan is that I get bored with most professional wrestling, much, much easier than I used to. Which is entirely understandable. I'm thirty-three years old, I've been watching wrestling for twenty years, and that's not a statement meant to brag; at this point, I've seen all the stories. CM Punk drops a 'pipebomb', and I think "Madusa's was better". The WWE isn't marketing towards me, they're marketing to people either too young to have seen it all, too stupid to recognize it, or perfectly happy to keep rereading the same book. TNA is, sorry fans, a piss-poor copy of the WWE where they try to sell you on how much edgier it is, but it's the same fucking product in a smaller building. Been there, seen it, TNA has nothing for me except the American Wolves, and if you want to see them when they were worth seeing, check out YouTube.

Ring of Honor is suiting me lately, because their pace is much slower and while they're selling familiar stories, most of the stories they're selling are classic '70s and early '80s stories, back before professional wrestling started peeling away the fourth wall between fan and product. Not having a television audience worth mentioning, they don't have to book their product around furthering stories and plots every Monday, which means their storylines burn much slower than the top two companies. They spent damn near forever building up the tension towards Michael Elgin's eventual victory. The WWE can't stretch out a story over more than two months; TNA can't stretch out a story over more than two months without boring the shit out of people and having people group up into factions. Some people- I think it's safe to say the majority- prefer those faster storylines. (That's a real chicken/egg scenario though.) I prefer slower ones.

 

[Slash-LN]

The most important way I've changed as a fan has been cancelling my cable. Professional wrestling is no longer just on in the background; if I want to watch it, I have to hunt it down. Originally writing this post, this was an "also this" type point, but it's probably the most important factor in what I'm exposed to as a fan. I check in on WWE and TNA; what I see doesn't really interest me in investing a weekly two to three hours per program.

But besides that, the way I've changed as a fan is that I get bored with most professional wrestling, much, much easier than I used to. Which is entirely understandable. I'm thirty-three years old, I've been watching wrestling for twenty years, and that's not a statement meant to brag; at this point, I've seen all the stories. CM Punk drops a 'pipebomb', and I think "Madusa's was better". The WWE isn't marketing towards me, they're marketing to people either too young to have seen it all, too stupid to recognize it, or perfectly happy to keep rereading the same book. TNA is, sorry fans, a piss-poor copy of the WWE where they try to sell you on how much edgier it is, but it's the same fucking product in a smaller building. Been there, seen it, TNA has nothing for me except the American Wolves, and if you want to see them when they were worth seeing, check out YouTube.

Ring of Honor is suiting me lately, because their pace is much slower and while they're selling familiar stories, most of the stories they're selling are classic '70s and early '80s stories, back before professional wrestling started peeling away the fourth wall between fan and product. Not having a television audience worth mentioning, they don't have to book their product around furthering stories and plots every Monday, which means their storylines burn much slower than the top two companies. They spent damn near forever building up the tension towards Michael Elgin's eventual victory. The WWE can't stretch out a story over more than two months; TNA can't stretch out a story over more than two months without boring the shit out of people and having people group up into factions. Some people- I think it's safe to say the majority- prefer those faster storylines. (That's a real chicken/egg scenario though.) I prefer slower ones.

I know this isn't the same because I feel like you're only talking about today's product but I find this to be true for myself as well.

On Saturday I decided I'd check out the free trial for the WWE Network because it sounded like a cool thing. Having all that footage at my disposal for only $10 a month.

However I'm finding myself hardly watching anything because I already watch 5 hours a week of wrestling between WWE and TNA plus some of the YouTube shows WWE does like Inbox and JBL and Cole show. Plus pay per views.

I find myself not wanting to sit through a two hour documentary or an old pay per view.

Last year I signed up on the ROH site so I could start watching when they post the t.v. show on Thursdays and I haven't watched one episode.

I just don't have the desire to watch as much wrestling anymore. When I was a kid including my teenage years I would have watched it all day if it was available like the Network is now.

 

[southrnbygrace]

I'm not sure I've changed as much as the wrestling business has changed. It's no longer about wrestling but more about entertainment. And I really hate that. I have been watching and going to matches for well over 40 years, and I'd rather sit thru an hour long Ricky Steamboat/Ric Flair match than 10 minutes of a match with most of today's 'talent'. I still appreciate the work done in the ring and on the mat more than the work done on a mic or in an interview. My favorites haven't changed all that much. I've added a few new names as I've discovered them thru the years. So, yeah...I don't think I've changed as much as the business has.

 

[enviousdominous]

I'm a level of nostalgic that I doubt very many people can touch when it comes to what were my glory days as a fan of pro-wrestling.

There were great moments, but the greatest era was during the Monday Night Wars. Fans were getting more than their money's worth for five hours every Monday when both companies were using nothing but "A+" material to lure us in. It's hard to pick the best year out of that time frame, obviously WCW started to lack in terms of competition when the nWo thing lost steam in the later years. This was back when more things could get under the PC radar because all anybody fussed about was steroids.

I honestly don't think that my expectations as a fan have changed. I play by the code of respectful fandom if I'm in the crowd, but for the most part I really fucking hate what's on tv these days. I do love Daniel Bryan, Cesaro and Ambrose like the IWC mark I'm often accused of being. Those individuals can't off-set the tragedy that has become a show run on creativity that can't possibly fail.

I look at the time when I was completely enamored with pro-wrestling, and the amount of experience in the repertoire of nearly every performer at the time. Damn near everyone on tv had at least ten years experience on their resume. They'd only push a Das Wunderkind or a Jeff Hardy if the booker was trying to score with a young chick.

These days it's the complete opposite. The risk used to be if you could trust a young guy to be respectful of the business and attract a strong fan-base, the risk today is if you can trust an older guy to sell moves and tickets nearly as well as the younger guys.

For me, we get a more stale product today. I realize that chair shots to the head and power bombs off the stage were part of what made the show for me back in the day. It seems like more and more these days they're taking a bigger risk on whether or not a fresh new face can connect in the way they hope they can.

You might want with all your heart to see Mike Rotunda's boys reach superstar status, back in my day they all would have had to flesh out these gimmicks of theirs in the indy scene. They would have had the opportunity to see what worked and what didn't work with little national exposure, there wouldn't have been any "Husky Harris" chants. If the "Bo-lieve" thing doesn't pan out, it'll be even harder to move on from it.

I started watching around 1986, I saw pro-wrestling really hit its peak during the Monday Night Wars. For me, the expectation has never diminished since then. I might be a more tolerant fan these days in that with all the garbage I still watch from time to time. I really don't think I've changed much since then.

Anytime I need to remind myself of why I loved pro-wrestling so much back in the day, I watch this video:

[YOUTUBE]-SFrlIVJdBg[/YOUTUBE]

 

[TDFG]

1 hr of WCW per week on ITV in UK is what I had when I first started plus saving my pocket money to buy ppv's on VHS.

Flyin Brian, Steiners, Sting, Horsemen, Luger, Vader, Doom, Freebirds, Z-Man etc. what a roster.

By late 90s WCW was off my screen & I became a WWF regular.

I think something changed when WCW ceased to exist. It was like part of my childhood was gone, even being a WWF fan at this stage.

I still watch WWE as it's now known, but not with the enthusiam from say 10-15 years ago. Give me an old school ppv anytime.

I hope TNA can be a real alternative, I always think anyone who wants the second biggest promotion to die cant really have wrestling in their hearts.

Wrestling needs strong, alternative promotions to get it back to where it was, hopefully the networks can show an interest once again.

 

[WBL]

The obvious answer is now that I know it's... I utterly despise using the word "Fake", but now that I know the show is scripted, I can enjoy it a little more freely, knowing these guys aren't actually really out to kill each other. Knowing I can go over the rich history of the WWE, WCW, ECW, etc, look at the parallels, the intersections, etc, with all the information at my fingertips. That I can go online and look at things I may have missed, or a second look at things I may have forgotten.

And it's great to look into the past... because IMHO, today's product...

Um...

 

[Bagpipes]

I think its only natural that as your mind matures, so do your likes/dislikes in pretty much every facet of life.

As a kid, I dreaded promos. All I wanted to see was action. Give me 20 matches on a 2 hour show and I'd be in heaven.

As an adult, I still love a flawlessly worked match, but I mark out for a great promo far more often.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

I've absolutely changed in one major way.

I have other options, and I'm not afraid to use them.

When I was in my 20's, I had a lot of other things I could do instead of watching wrestling on Monday nights, or for PPV's, but I chose to spend my time on wrestling because I made friends who liked it. PPV's at Hooters in NJ were as much a social event for some of my good friends as it was a wrestling show to watch. Now, nearing 33, I can do other things with my time and I'm not afraid to do just that. Like...I dunno, sleep.

Maybe it's also the fact that wrestling isn't "must-see" anymore, but I've historically been a guy who tuned in on Monday NIghts because it was a ritual - it's what Monday Nights are for, dammit! Now, if I'm out on a Monday and I miss it - I don't feel like I lost anything.

 

[Bobbywoodhogan]

I've really changed, I stopped watching for ten years and in a way I'm still not watching. I'll only watch classic stuff. I think the ways I've changed is I appreciate stuff more than I used to, characters I hated back in the day I now love cause. I appreciate everything about it.

 

[TheHitMark-SirJoseOle]

First off Brain, another awesome post as always, however I am going to take a controversial stance on this post, I really don't feel I am the one that's changed, I think wrestling has, and not for the better. I am not saying that change isn't necessary. I am not saying that at all. But some essential ingredients have to stay the same, at least in my view with professional wrestling.

For me, the fact that storytelling elements such as the emphasis on the Intercontinental and Tag Team Championships are pretty much ignored. I mean I get there have been title changes and what not, but many times these matches are either put on a PPV pre-show or sometimes just omitted from the event period. I'm sorry, but I can't get behind that...at all.

I've never minded that it's "choreographed, scripted, predetermined", I'll take any of those three words over the word "fake". I've known people in the wrestling business, and these men and women have to really put something of themselves into making this a career for themselves. I have an indescribable respect for those that can go in there and make this performance art possible.

However, I also dislike how much of WWE programming is wasted with variety show segments as Brain pointed out, and to me I also can't stand the "Sonic food item tug of war with Damien Sandow and Adam Rose, I can also do without the constant reminders of "$9.99". Unlike other people though, I am not against a PG rating for WWE programming, or what is constituted as PG. To be honest, I don't miss the Attitude Era anywhere near as much as I do than with the 80s boom of WWF/JCP (WCW). I mean, in the pre-Attitude Era, Superstars showed Jake Roberts feeing Randy Savages right bicep to his King Cobra, pretty scary stuff for a time of day that would show cartoons sometimes even after the Superstars program was airing, depending on what syndicated station you were watching!

So I've never found PG to be a good excuse to bash WWE, if anything I would say it's probably political correctness and corporate asskissing that denigrates the quality of WWE programming. A 3 hour RAW program is also tough for me to invest in, I say save those for the RAW after PPV events. Otherwise, the other potential 40 weeks of RAW episodes in the calendar year would probably work better if they returned to their 2 hour slot. But then again money talks, so that likely won't happen. But at the end of the day, as a nostalgia based fan, with the WWE Network and video game series, they've not let me down there, so I am grateful for that much.

TNA, well I just can't get into their TV presentation, even though I have tried. What I do respect about them is the fact that if you do go to an event, meeting the talent is an awesome experience. I've gotten to have decent and lengthy conversations with Hulk Hogan, D-Von Dudley, Kurt Angle and Elijah Burke. Even though they were in TNA doesn't make them any less intriguing to meet. I mean I was invited along at the last minute for the event I met them at, but as a fan I was treated well and I appreciate that.

As for Ring Of Honor, I won't lie a GREAT presentation for just plain out in ring action, they definitely deliver it. I saw Bryan Danielson for the first time in one of his last ROH appearances in Boston and I saw Christopher Daniels wrestle a Broadway at another event. However, the times I went, they treated their fans like shit. I mean a meet and greet with Bret Hart, but no picture with him? Screw that, total bullshit.

So overall, there is still some good to be said about the world of wrestling, but not enough to make me the fan I once was. So I have changed the more I think of the question pondered, however I think wrestling has changed more.

But with that said, other interests have kept me content such as the world of comics, film and television and so on. I wish wrestling still held that same level of excitement but alas it doesn't. However, if one of my favorites shows up at a local event for a meet and greet, I usually do what I can to get there.

 

[Just Do It]

I was a child when I started watching. From that to my teenage years to adulthood, I'd say I've changed a fair bit. Wrestlers are no longer my heroes if you get my drift. I guess what I like about wrestling has changed also.

 

[Rusty]

I've absolutely changed in one major way.


Maybe it's also the fact that wrestling isn't "must-see" anymore, but I've historically been a guy who tuned in on Monday NIghts because it was a ritual - it's what Monday Nights are for, dammit! Now, if I'm out on a Monday and I miss it - I don't feel like I lost anything.

This is exactly how I feel. While I still have a love for wrestling and will probably always will no matter how old I get, the extent at which I enjoy it has severely decreased over the past few years. I used to look forward to the next week's Raw or Smackdown and used to count down the days till the pay pay views.

Now, I have to check the results the next day as I forget when the ppv's actually are. I don't care what happened on Raw, if something good happened, I'll watch it on youtube. I just don't care anymore. Yet I still have some faith that things might change, that a 5 star match might happen, or that a change will occur that will make wrestling must see television again.

2005 was my favourite year as a fan, my two favourites at the time John Cena and Batista won their World Titles on the same night. Fast forward 9 years later, and I couldn't care less if they won the title tomorrow. Hell, I think I check Wrestlezone now because it's an addiction, not because I even like pro wrestling as much as others do, because I really don't. I'm more interested in reading about the show than actually watching it.

Not to mention I don't really have many friends that watch it, because it's not cool anymore like it was in the Attitude Era. I used to come on this very forum because I liked wrestling and what it brought to my life, entertainment, joy, a hobby. Can't say that's the reason I'm on here now. I still don't know if it's because I'm feeling older/growing up, or because I don't have free time like I used to. Either way, I barely call myself a wrestling fan anymore, just a guy who follows the industry in the hope it changes into something worthwhile.

 

[ヒュー　G.　レックション]

I have much more respect for wrestlers, and now appreciate more the technicals and the big men. Before I was only into high fliers and super charismatic wrestlers like Rock, Hogan, Austin etc. now those three are still of course my alltime favourites but I enjoy many more wrestlers than I didn't used to at the time.


I used to care more about storylines than the matches. Sometimes me and my brother would fast-forward all the matches and just watch segments. Nowadays, I am the opposite, or maybe I like a healthy balance of both. I loved TNA 2011-2013 because of this. However that went drastically downhill for me. I pretty much solely watch New Japan now, as even though I can't understand their promos, the matches are so damn good it really doesn't matter. A great combination of realism and showmanship, of brawling, high flying and technical work, Japan seems to have it all for me!

 

[ChaoticMind33]

I have less respect for the business than I used to. I have been watching over 20 years now and I do not like the direction WWE is going. I wonder what will become of the company in the coming years.

 

[LionheartY2J]

The more I think about it, the less I've changed as a fan. While I watched Hulk Hogan's Rock N Wrestling as a kid, it wasn't until college in the late 90s that I got into it. I remember the first RAW I really watched was the night after Kane debuted.

The thing is, I never bought into the over the top super hero face, nor did I root the monster heel. I've always liked the "tweeners." Dx and the New Age Outlaws, WCW/Early WWE Jericho, pre-face Rocky Maivia.

Also,I'm still not keen on ignoring continuity. Kayfabe or otherwise, I still haven't gotten over Kane going from unstoppable force to evenly matching up with X-Pac.

I'm also glad they've done away with nonsensical, over the top stories such as Katie Vick. Anyone else remember when Big Bossman pulled his truck up to the Big Show's fathers funeral, chained the coffin to his truck, and drove off with it? I was embarrassed for everyone involved.

 

[King Patrick Star]

I feel almost the exact same way as you, Brain. I started out as an innocent 10 year old fan back in late spring / early summer of 1989. My favorites consisted of Demolition, Ultimate Warrior, and Hulk Hogan. As time went on, so did my preferences and favorites. I went from Mark in the 90s to Smart in the 00s to SMark in the 10s. I went from liking Chris Jericho in WCW, to hating Chris Jericho after he beat both of my favorites, at the time, in one night (and almost quit watching Wrestling, HAHA!!), to loving Chris Jericho as my favorite of all time. WWE does have that effect on people.

Now that I’m a father and share this interest with my son, I tend to look at Professional Sports Wrestling Entertainment from a parental view. I find myself explaining everything that’s going on and referencing past events. With the Network, I’m able to actually show him what it is that I’m talking about. For example, whenever we play a WWE game, he always picks Hulk Hogan, Macho Man, and the Ultimate Warrior. How many 6 year old kids do you know today that are fans of the Mega Powers, the Ultimate Maniacs, and the Mega Maniacs (We refer to them as the Ultimate Mega Maniac Powers)?? Well, now you know of one….my son.

 

[The Boss]

Never. No how. Not one bit. I was a HOLLYWOOD HULK HOGAN fan in the beginning, I've been a HOLLYWOOD HULK HOGAN fan since and I will remain a HOLLYWOOD HULK HOGAN fan 4-Life! I've always preferred the same style remaining a fan of wrestling first BUT filed with recognizable colorful characters I liked that style in the WWF, WCW and when HOLLYWOOD HULK HOGAN tried to bring it to TNA. I've pretty much remained loyal to my favorite wrestlers, unless, they were challenging HOLLYWOOD HULK HOGAN (Andre the Giant being a prime example). But as soon as the feud was over I want right back to cheering him. One thing I have never been is brand loyal and that remains true to this day. If the company is not giving me what I want I don't make excuses, I stop watching. Furthermore I don't bash wrestlers just because they are not in a specific promotion.

No. I think that it's safe to say that while I have expanded my reach and watch more international wrestling, I have not changed much if at all as a fan.

 

[RAGMAN]

I stopped watching wrestling soon after wcw was bought out. The 2 ppv shows where stone cold the heel is tapping out like a drummer from angles ankle lock. Then the next ppv a month later stone cold is in the ankle lock again from angle but is not giving up because he is the face . I know wrestling promotions think fans are dumb but that was too much. I usually watch old stuff from the 70s to the buyout year of 2001.

 

[MizMark11]

Excellent topic!

I'm only 20 years old, but wrestling's impacted me for most of my life! My grandma and grandpa, who were immigrants to Canada from Greece in the 60's watched WWF throughout the 80's, so that eventually got passed down from me.

My earliest memory of wrestling was probably when I saw the Road Warriors on a Raw replay that aired during the afternoon when I was about three or four and it was during their feud with the New Age Outlaws. Then, I remember getting Stone Cold, Kevin Nash, and Hollywood Hulk Hogan action figures for my fifth birthday and that was the best thing ever. From there, I began to collect all of the N64 video games as well as more action figures. Throughout that time, I was allowed to watch an hour or so of Smackdown for the next couple of years and I also had a few episode of Raw on VHS since it was too late to stay up and watch it!

I never really watched Raw at all, really, until maybe 2005 or 2006. I was honestly a Smackdown guy (which is why I'm one of the few who still watches it when it airs these days) and I never even saw a single episode of Raw during Evolution's run. I just remember hearing about guys like Batista and Randy Orton whenever I'd go to WWE.com. I mean, I knew who they were through video games, but that's about it. I tuned in a bit more to Raw after the night that Cena got drafted, but even then I didn't watch it that much because it was on at 9 on a school night!

As the years went by, I started ordering WrestleMania every year, starting with 22. However, that was the only PPV I was allowed to get besides the Rumble. I also started going onto forums more in 2008, which is when I read about everyone's hate for Cena. As a 14 year old kid, it was easy to get influenced that way and I started to just hate Cena for no reason, besides to look cool. I started cheering for the bad guys like Randy Orton, Edge, etc., again, because it was the cool thing to do. Still, I believe I stopped watching wrestling completely for several months in 2008/9 because I don't remember seeing Ziggler, Kingston, or any of those guys debut during that time. I remember tuning back in more often when Miz had his "feud" with Cena, which saw him get fired before returning as the Calgary Kid. I'd actually say that is when I started because a Miz fan (as my name says). Again, I just cheered for heels because it was so cool to do.

A couple years after that, I was watching every episode of SmackDown and Raw. It was around then when my friend introduced me to independent wrestling. I never really watched full matches because it seemed daunting to just start watching and getting familiar with so many new promotions and shows. However, once again, I needed to seem cool to the IWC so I started liking only indy wrestlers who made it to the WWE. I cheered for Daniel Bryan, even though I had no idea what he did as Bryan Danielson. I started liking CM Punk. It just went on and on. Eventually, as I frequented WrestleZone more often, I would start critiquing matches as I watched them. I'd wonder why one guy would go over another or whether or not a match was "good" or not. It kind of took the fun out of everything for sure. I guess it didn't help as I started watching ROH more and more as it came on TV for me.

The only indy guy I discovered on my own was Dean Ambrose because I heard all this hype about him, so I looked him up and watched one Jon Moxley promo. Then I kept watching more and more until I started liking him for what he could do, rather than the fact that he came from the independent scene. I'd say it was around 2012 or 2013 when I tried to watch wrestling without critiquing it. I stopped hating Cena because I realized I had no reason to do it. Yes, I think he can be stale at times, but he still is a part of the more enjoyable segments/matches on television and he usually performs well at PPV's. I also tried cheering for the good guy and booing for the bad guy to see if it made it more enjoyable. Yes, it was hard for me to boo the guys I liked, but it did make it more fun. Even though I think the Miz is entertaining and good at his job, I still love to boo him rather than cheer him. The same goes for Seth Rollins. He's definitely in my top five right now, but I was really hoping that Dean Ambrose would give him what was coming to him. I stopped trying to predict the outcomes of matches during the matches and that also made things more enjoyable.

I'd say overall, I'm enjoying wrestling now more than I did when I watched it from 2008-2012. Yes, I liked it back then, but I feel like I'm getting more out of it. For example, I know the bunny is promoted towards kids, but I still can't wait for his return (hopefully) where he gets revenge on Adam Rose. I don't even care who is under it anymore! I like cheering for the New Day, even if they kind of fizzled since the vignettes. Even though I prefer Kevin Owens to Sami Zayn, I still want to see Zayn overcome his best friend! Not thinking about wrestling in the "This is what should happen" mindset has made me appreciate it more and I'd recommend that to anyone!

 

[Vader]

Been an off and own fan my whole life. When we got internet when I was in the 8th grade around the time of the Invasion storyline and when WWE bought up WCW/ECW I started going and I guess became part of the IWC. Being part of the general sentiment back then was a rejection of the Attitude era and guys that spent excessive times on the microphone, and a rejection of the cartoonish squash wrestlers in the 80s, to what many believed were a lack of in-ring abilities. I was definitely apart of the trend. When the influx of talent from WCW and ECW, the Ruthless Aggression era came about which was a good time in terms of good storylines and great in ring wrestling.

Given the overall suckery of the WWE for last couple of years, I would say most of the roster aren't competent in the ring or on the microphone. So I'd say I value good storylines and entertaining promos now as well as in-ring abilities.