Despite the misleading name, Professional Wrestling, or as it is more popularly abbreviated, Pro Wrestling, does not refer to the professional level of wrestling, the combat sport. But rather, Pro Wrestling refers to a form of entertainment that has more in common with the performance arts than with legitimate competitive sports.
Pro Wrestling consists of two or more athletes taking part in choreographed matches that are presented as completely legitimate despite the outcomes being pre determined for the sake of entertainment. Though it’s not a legitimate competition, the wrestlers themselves are both amazingly competent athletes as well as performers, tasked with making all the melodrama and physical feats involved look believable. In essence, Pro Wrestling combines the best aspects of competitive athletics and theatrical performances, and has caught the hearts and minds of millions around the world.
Recent development
While wrestling as a legitimate competitive sport had existed for centuries, wrestling for the purposes of pure entertainment was a relatively more recent development. Catch Wrestling, a precursor of the modern form of Professional Wrestling, was a modernized hybrid of prior wrestling forms that allowed for a more lax and unorthodox approach, and was developed during the late 1800s.
It was a new form of wrestling that was more exciting to watch, and as a result was popularized by carnivals and funfairs, wherein these matches would serve as attractions. Though by this point, Catch Wrestling matches did ultimately serve as entertainment and were more often than not staged for the sake of entertainment; competitive Catch Wrestling, or Professional Wrestling as it was called, was still considered to be legitimate. Catch Wrestling was even part of the Olympics. However, by the 1920s, most Catch Wrestling matches were well known to be staged.
While Professional Wrestling had its origins in Europe, being further developed in the USA, it’s still immensely popular in many other parts of the world, with unique long standing histories of Professional Wrestling of their own. One of the most famous examples of international Pro Wrestling is Mexico’s colorful and dynamic Lucha libre.
Unlike American Pro Wrestling, which is characterized by strong strikes and powerful holds, Mexican luchadores, or wrestlers, instead utilize quick and dynamic moves that have them fly through the air. Luchadores are also famous for their colorful masks or máscaras that they center their entire pro wrestling career around. Luchadores would wear these masks outside of the ring and would actually go to great lengths to hide their real identities, all to preserve their character or gimmick. Luchadores are considered heroes in Mexico, with the most popular ones, like El Santo, having comic books and movies made for them.
Puroresu
Another country renowned for their Pro Wrestling scene is Japan, where it is colloquially shortened as Puroresu. Japanese Puroresu matches are characterized as being more realistic than its American counterparts. Though still scripted, wrestlers engage using real strikes, without pulling any punches to better sell each fight, and where blatant cheating is used for entertainment in America, it is frowned upon by Japanese audiences. Wrestlers utilize real martial arts and are also less known to have gimmicks like American wrestlers and luchadores might. Japanese Puroresu storylines for their wrestlers last for years and tend to lean heavily towards themes of loyalty, betrayal, and perseverance.
Despite the very major differences between the communities of Pro Wrestling around the world, it’s all ultimately for the same goal of entertaining their audiences. Though most outside of the fandoms of Pro Wrestling mock and dismiss it for being fake and scripted, this is downplaying the extreme skill and dedication that goes into every storyline, every match, every move in Pro Wrestling. While it is very much a niche interest that most are not likely to enjoy, it is high time Pro Wrestling is given the same respect as any other form of performing entertainment.
