[Kingofthedead4]

Originally Posted by Russ

It helps to know a bit about it in order to understand it.

Firstly I and a LOT of others involved with pro wrestling would take great offence at you calling it 'fake'. Seeing as you're refusing to elaborate on what you mean I'll assume you mean nobody ever gets injured and it's totally safe and any time someone appears to be hurt, they're just 'faking' it.

It takes a great deal of skill and training to be a pro wrestler. To execute the moves properly is not 'fake'. To ensure you do not permanently injure the other guy takes practise. You are literally putting your life in his hands each time you step in the ring. You think it's just a case of 2 guys in silly costumes throwing themselves around a ring? Your ignorance is showing. To tell a story, to get (and keep) the crowd interested, that is not fake. It is a skill which needs to be learned.

Are the results and moves predetermined? Yes absolutely and we never pretend otherwise. But the injuries and risks are very real. I once refereed a match where a move was botched by a usually very skillful worker and someone ended up with severe spinal injuries and to this day is paralysed.

I'm pretty sure he feels it is anything but 'fake'.

I assure you nobody other than kids believes the 2 guys really do hate each other and are trying to beat each other up. What the audience does is suspend their disbelief. It's escapism. During the matches they scream and shout as that is part of the show but afterwards nobody comes up to me and asks why I didn't catch someone cheating etc.

When you watch a film, you take it for what it is. Seen The Expendables? See that bit when Dolph Lundgren shoots a bloke in half? You don't say "Oh he didn't really shoot him in half, he's just acting, it's all fake".

No, you take it as part of the performance. When I take my kids to the pantomime each Christmas I have yet to hear anyone say "That's not really a woman, it's a man dressed up" or "That's not really a giant, it's all fake". No, you accept it for what it is.

Wrestling is not everyone's cup of tea, no problem with that. But to call it 'fake' is ignorant and very insulting to the guys who risk their lives and health each time they lace up their boots.

That is why I enjoy watching wrestling!