Wrestling is more than just a sport – it’s a community and a family
Steven Wilson takes a look at just how much the sport of professional wrestling means to so many across the world and the togetherness it brings.
This past weekend, I attended one of the most emotional and heartbreaking nights of wrestling I’ve ever witnessed.
I was in the crowd for ICW in Glasgow as they paid tribute to their friend and colleague Adrian ‘Lionheart’ McCallum, who tragically passed away last month.
Before I get into anything, I’d first like to hand it to anyone involved with ICW. Wrestlers, ring crew, referees, announcers.
Given the circumstances that surrounded the show, every single one of them put in an amazing effort. The action in the ring would have made the locker room leader very proud.
Throughout the evening, there was one particular theme that stood out to me. That was the sense of togetherness.
Wrestling
To many people, wrestling isn’t the flavour sport of the month. In the eyes of many, it is seen almost as a sideshow. I lose count of the amount of times I get asked ‘Why do you still watch that in your 20s?’
What the events of the past few weeks have shown though, is that wrestling has something that other sports don’t.
There isn’t that sense of hate. No divide that separates crowds. No form of religious or political hate.
Wrestling brings a sense of community. It presents a form of entertainment that entices so many. The simplest of things suck you in and make you believe in something that is determined in advance.
For even just a brief moment, it takes you away from the real life issues any of us may have. It makes us forget about our problems and just enjoy the little things in life.
As a podcaster, I am constantly surrounded by fellow fans on a weekly basis. These people aren’t just my colleagues, but they are also my closest friends.
If not for wrestling, I wouldn’t have these amazing individuals in my life. It is the common ground that has allowed friendships to bloom.
The overall wrestling community is the same. It is one big family. It doesn’t matter what race you are or what you sexual preference you have.
Wrestling accepts everyone. It is the best sporting fan base in the world.
Going to shows doesn’t just mean supporting your local scene, but also seeing some of your favourites.
And it’s those who you will talk to day-in-day-out. That will help you through the darkest troubles. Whilst it may not be ‘cool’ in the grand scheme of things, it’s ours, and we damn sure love it!
More from Suplex Retweet.
The founding father and ‘higher power’ of the ESSR army, Steven oversees the operation of the Suplex Retweet podcast series and is the show’s primary host. With a broad knowledge of the industry, Steven leads discussions on a wide range of subjects from stables to WCW.
Email: steven@eatsleepsuplexretweet.com
For some reason, he thinks John Cena’s real name is Allen Jones and is madly in love with Becky Lynch.
