The "real" wrestling fan/ wrestling as an art/ expanding your viewership

[Wrestlingfan100]

Don't mind the title that much this won't be very lengthy{I hope} and time consuming. I just have a few questions, I do not intend to put my foot in my mouth or disrespect/offend any human being on this forum, I'm not your average wrestling fan so just deal with me for the time being. I started watching WWE in 2002, Rey Mysterio's debut in WWE was the first match I ever saw, I was 8, a fan of power rangers, spiderman etc so it's pretty obvious I'd be a fan of a wrestler who's style and mannerisms was akin to these child-hood heroes. I'm not going to dwell on being a Rey Mysterio fanatic because I've grown up, I respect what he does, I've read his book, interviews and I may not agree with some of the things he says and does but I haven't met him as a person so I can't make that judgement as well, overall I respect him and put him in the league of Jericho, Michaels etc.

Now I am a fan of cruiserweights, technically sound highfliers. What I kind of define technical as is chain wrestling/ catch hand{ I'm quite the mark for it}, mat wrestling/ holds etc. I have over 120 favorite performers in this business from all around the world. I don't watch the products of ROH and Dragon Gate religiously but I youtube for matches
monthly and have no problem sitting through them, analyzing them, enjoying them as a physical artistry especially Puro. Puroresu is Japanese wrestling{ I'm not trying to condescend anyone here, I'm just covering my ass from all types of criticism.} Puro can be either extremely boring and mundane or exciting for fan, I don't feel this takes away anything from you as a fan if you don't like it but I highly suggest you expand your horizans. I get it not everyone can sit through a 60 minute match, I do not mean to generalize but I'm aware that I may not be able to convince and "attitude era" fanatic to sit through a 40-60 minute KENTA vs Ted Dibiase Jr match. I am also a fan of lucha libre but not as much as most would be, I respect that whole style and I feel it's contributed a lot to the business from in ring stand point.

Speaking of in ring vs promo/charisma skills. I feel the word charisma is misused a lot in the IWC, charisma is a factor that every wrestler who has a fan has. It's confidence, appeal, nobody has zero of it in the biz. Everyone who has a fan has charisma. Look at Evan Bourne I feel he has lots of charisma, he's energetic and can really get fans behind him and has done so successfully for 11 years, why would every single wrestling company want to sign him in 2005 if he didn't have an ounce of charisma? Granted his charisma isn't enough to fill an entire freaking
arena but only few people can. Bryan Danielson isn't horrible on the mic, he's actually the prime definition of "good", he speaks from the heart, every word he says means something,so it doesn't a certain zest or pizazz doesn't mean he's bad on the mic, everything he says is way more believeable then The Rock, now hear me out, I just buy the whole
"Nothing is handed to you in this business, you HAVE to EARN it, I earned it" shtick over " Can you SMAH-HELL what the Rock is cooking."
The Rock is very gimmicky, that's one his flaws, hey he's human we all are. Now I've probably pissed off a few people with my views and I don't intend to do that. I'm NOT a part of the "kiddie generation", I'm not apart of any generation, I'm a wrestling fan, I watch for matches.

Not to say I don't enjoy a good promo now and then, if you witnessed me as a wrestling fan for the 7-8 years I've been a fan you'd be suprised I'm a Mizfit,a major one since day one. I believe the only reason Miz get's shit on is because he wasn't on the indies, let's say he did the real world and stuff but meanwhile worked in england, germany, Japan and all over the world and came to WWE this known star around
both the indies and reality tv he'd seldom be bashed for the latter like he is now. Miz has always been good in the ring, he was never horrible,
he was never dangerous in the ring, he got his wrestling licensed, he impressed WWE, he worked his way up and all that good underdog story but he was and still is very underatted in the ring. I like his innovative in ring style of neckbreakers, ddts, facelock holds, takedowns nowadays he's a bit more traditional and he only gives out his innovative/unorthodox moves once a PPV or high end match on television. then he was but go back and check out his in ring styles from 2007-2009, those 30 moves although they've never graced Japan and Mexico are indeed awesome and I felt most the moves could've become celebrated like Cena, Rock, Bret Harts' 5 moves of doom, pumping up a large amount of fans. Miz was never bad, he got better for sure and even the biggest miz-takes{ his phrase, not an insult to any hater of Miz, I respect your opinion.} can't deny he didn't improve but he was never flat out horrible or incapable of performing in the ring because if he was he would've never recieved a legal wrestling license.

I don't get my panties in a bunch over promos but I do enjoy a good one and I have that smark-ish qaulity in me{ not the snide-keyboard bully smark but well educated fan.} I guess because I read and listen to every single interview, podcast and radio appearance I have my facts straight, I also have like this ADD type thing where I get really frustrated if an opinion is petty and can be proven wrong by facts from interviews, podcasts etc. Now this was all fluff not to say it was all flash and no substance but it was the set up, the background info to my main questions, I'm sorry if this took long I mean harm or offense at all. These are my questions to you, readers, analysts, higher ups. I'm gonna cover my butt again and tell you exactly who/what my

personality is, I'm un-confrontational-meek/mild mannered/sensetive/opinionated/ overall a friendly guy. I'm neutral on most subjects in this world and I'm realist{ which pisses people off.}



questions:
What is a "Real wrestling fan"?

do you view pro wrestling as an art or entertainment?{ try not to say both go with what you prefer most but don't hold back if you like both equally.


Do you watch mainstream or indie wrestling, do you respect both and/or tune in sometimes or are you just a mainstream fan{ again no intended judgement. I respect your opinion tottally. }


I'm a genuine person,a human being, I'm 17 year old kid, I'd rather you'd hate me for everything I am than love me for something I am not. I'm not here to offend you, I will tottally self-deprecate myself if I do, I do not need the reasons you suck list thrown at myself but if you have constructive criticism fire away.

 

[mikde_]

Don't mind the title that much this won't be very lengthy{I hope} and time consuming.

it was infact very lengthy and time consuming...the vast majority of what you wrote is basically you describing what you like about wrestling minus the question at the end.

You dont really need to defend what you like or dislike on these forums because the majority of people on here are clued in and open minded on all aspects of pro wrestling.

Anyway...on to the topic!

What is a "Real wrestling fan"?
I believe a "Real wrestling fan" is someone who is open to many styles of wrestling and truely has a passion for wrestling rather than just WWE or TNA or whatever.

do you view pro wrestling as an art or entertainment?

i generally think it is both...like acting for example. It is a art in the sense you need talent to be able to do it well but its mainly a form of entertainment.

Do you watch mainstream or indie wrestling, do you respect both and/or tune in sometimes or are you just a mainstream fan


Im a fan of all wrestling aslong as it is good. Every promotion has something good to offer but like many, WWE is in my blood and no matter what i will always keep up to date with whats going on.


Good thread but try and keep it short and to the point.

 

[RicoLen]

People sure are quoting Kurt Cobain a lot lately.

A real wrestling fan is one that can be openminded enough to enjoy several (if not all) styles of pro-wrestling, as well as the different eras that exhibit those varying styles. For example I would not consider someone who only enjoyed the attitude era and no other time period, a wrestling fan.

I'm pretty high on the golden ages of the WWF, I loved WCW during the Monday Night Wars, and enjoyed the tail end of the attitude era and beginning of the ruthless aggression era, and I love this new reality era. Wrestling over the years has changed quite a bit through very subtle changes over the years.

I wouldn't consider many promos art, but the matches certainly can be an artform. Go and watch Bret Hart vs British Bulldog, or HBK vs Taker, where the matches are clean athletic performances. The clinics as it were, I consider an art in the ring.

I'm mainstream all the way. Too often I just find that the lack of polish and refinement that exists in indy wrestling just comes off as unprofessional and it just becomes a turnoff for me. I respect indy, usually a lot more than mainstream. I think there's more spectacular matches to watch on the indy scene, however I'm a pretty story heavy interested viewer and without really understanding the story I have a hard time getting invested in even the best matches, and that story telling is what tends to lack from the indy scene. So I stay with the mainstream because even if I miss out on something I can usually find a catalog, a series of DVD's, or videos online (youtube, dailymotion, etc) to see those episodes I've missed etc. so I can keep up with the story. Those usually don't exist with indy wrestling, so I just can't get invested in it.

 

[frostbite2819]

a true wrestling fan is anyone that suspend their disbelief for long enough to enjoy what is being presented to them, even if they do critique it incessantly.


art vs entertainment, hmmmm,..........
well i think WE, as wrestling fans, view it as entertainment, however, the wrestlers that I enjoy watching the most are the ones that see what are doing as an art form.
(angle, benoit, hbk, eddie, danielson, etc)



i can watch any wrestling as long as it is presented in a way that keeps me interested, i still have the very first ROH dvd they ever put out almost a decade ago with eddie vs punk in the main event, i am not an ROH mark but that was a good show.
if WWE is shite for an evening i will change the channel.
same with TNA.

 

[Slyfox696]

I sure hope you don't expect people to read all that stuff before your questions. It wasn't something most people can get through.

questions:
What is a "Real wrestling fan"?

A real wrestling fan is someone who supports (both emotionally and financially) the pro wrestling business, and isn't ashamed to let people know they are a fan. Additionally, a real wrestling fan understands they are not above the show, but rather the audience to the show.

do you view pro wrestling as an art or entertainment?{ try not to say both go with what you prefer most but don't hold back if you like both equally.

Pro wrestling is the art of entertainment. The best pro wrestlers are the ones who understand the art of entertaining people.

So, your question is invalid.

Do you watch mainstream or indie wrestling, do you respect both and/or tune in sometimes or are you just a mainstream fan{ again no intended judgement. I respect your opinion tottally. }

I watch entertaining wrestling. Usually that excludes indy wrestling.