I agree 100 percent.
UFC/MMA/K-1/Pride/etc are all legitimate sports. On average, I'd pit a welterweight or lightweight UFC fighter against a WWE heavyweight, and bet money on the MMA fighter.
Especially since a WWE HW DID fight a UFC Heavyweight fighter and got destroyed. Alberto Del Rio fought Cro Cop in Pride under his real name and became one of his LHK knock outs. It's great.
As a poster who rarely makes appearances in the wrestling section of these forums, I'm inclined to agree with both of you. I come to WZ for the MMA section and really don't post in here all that often.
That being said, I am a die-hard wrestling fan as well. I've watched the WWE since the 80's and I've watched UFC since it began. I've always watched Pride/K-1/DREAM/StrikeForce, etc...
It really is apples and oranges, showing someone who doesn't like the WWE a match is pointless. They don't like the WWE and an old storyline isn't going to do it, now matter how violent and graphic the match may be.
I think most people, by now, realize that the athletes in the WWE really test their bodies. The issue isn't "real" or "fake," it's that some people have no interest in the soap opera aspect of the WWE.
I've received much flack from people on both sides because I watch both. My WWE marks that don't like MMA think it's weird, and my MMA friends think it's weird that I would waste my time watching the WWE.
Honestly, I watch the WWE because it's "pointless" entertainment. It's not "real" in the sense that my day will be ruined if my "guy loses." I'm not bashing the WWE or saying the action isn't real, I'm saying that when it comes to things like MMA and sports, outcomes are not predetermined and my day isn't ruined if Cena drops the belt.
When Machida, or Jones, even someone like Fedor starts losing, it ruins your day. I know plenty of MMA fans that have been crushed by seeing Cro Cop and Liddell fall from grace. I know grown men who have cried seeing their favorite fighters, that they've watched from their start, begin a horrible losing streak because their chins can't take overhand rights anymore. It makes people sad to see Cro Cop unconscious on the ground.
The only thing I can even think of in professional wrestling that would make me that sad, would be for Vince to end the streak. When your favorite wrestler drops the belt, most people anyhow, don't go apeshit. Get sad or depressed.
So, in that sense, WWE matches are "pointless." I can enjoy their product without being as emotionally invested on the outcome, like I am with other sports.
Honestly, I agree with documentaries, I loved the Story Of Wrestlemania and was glad it was on Netflix. I'm really fortunate that my roommate loves WWE and MMA.
Even then, though, he hates some of the prelim fights because he doesn't know anything about the fighters. But he and I have had like the greatest month ever.
The Rock coming back, Triple H coming back, the Undertaker coming back, this whole feud at Wrestlemania, Jon Jones vs. Shogun, Sanchez vs. Kampmann, Fitch vs. Penn, and Davis vs. Nogueria.
That's just my take, I hope this helps to answer your question from the perspective of a die-hard MMA and WWE fan.
Hmm, honestly and this goes beyond just MMA fans, I've never been able to convince anyone that wasn't already a fan that wrestling isn't bullshit. Hell knowing what I know about wrestling I think their starting to convince me. The whole PG thing doesn't help either.
Anyhow I think your logic is flawed. Only a smark would enjoy your typical no stipulations Benoit/Angle/Jericho type match and all of its intricacies. I would show an mma fan a TLC or a First Blood or the UT/Mankind HIAC match. You can't get that level of violence in MMA, its really the only thing that makes wrestling stand out from MMA.
Oh yeah, I'd also show them Brock Lesnar's debut when he destroyed Maven, Spike Dudley, and Al Snow visiously and convincingly. Its never made anyone a fan, but I always show that to my buddies and they love it.
Honestly dude, there's plenty of MMA fans who do not like Lesnar. They don't like his heel crap in MMA and disapprove of his antics. Personally, I think he's good for the sport, but I know staunch MMA fans who will never give him a shot because of his ties to WWE.
Also, you'd have a hard time convincing an MMA fan that Frank Mir snapping Tim Sylvia's arm or Gonzaga kicked Cro Cop's head off his shoulders and watching his leg buckle under him isn't as violent as those aforementioned matches. BJ Penn bloodying Hughes and licking his blood off his gloves....
There's plenty of violence in MMA.
