- as a kid, i got scolded by a teacher for making dx’s “suck it” motion on the playground. old mattresses were the perfect setting for action-packed stunts and jumps from dining chairs and practicing grapples. the differences between my siblings and i were inconsequential once monday night raw started. wcw who? stone cold was coming through the curtain with his head bouncing in unison to the inaudible shit he talked as he made his way to the ring. if i had known that we were growing up during an era that would redefine wrestling, making it as real and expansive as a body of water, i would’ve kept a stronger grip on my innocence.
- i was a solid child. my dad always noted how different my brother and i felt in his arms: fragile and immovable. i was the latter. chyna could play a cello as well as she kept up with men in the ring. a handsome woman. her strength was a marvel. for so long, i thought i could be her. maybe not as strong; but i could share in her heartbreak that the business caters to men using the ring to create illusions of pain. meanwhile women were to project the fantasy that their bodies and viability were inextricably tied to the whims and erections of men. regardless of her talent, she would not be an exception to that. to vince mcmahon, triple h, and all of the powers at be in wrestling: sex work and murder are synonymous with never speaking of a wrestler again … unless you’re jimmy snuka. when chyna died i thought it’d be easier for the wwe to finally offer her the praise she’d never hear and a bouquet she’d never smell. i, and other fans that admired and saw ourselves in her, carry that hurt.
- wrestling is many things, but above all else, it’s art. what sacrifices come with being the best to do it? how can any spouse accept being but a mistress to the road? why wouldn’t you fight to know how you send your husband to kansas city only for him to come home to calgary for his funeral? how much abuse can a body withstand in and out of the ring? apparently so much that a wrestler making it to the age of 65 is considered a miracle. roddy died at 61. bret hart’s still here at 64. steve austin’s body decided that at the height of his career that he was done at 39.
- what do paul heyman, jim ross, and jim cornette have in common? they know how to weave words that offer insight to fans about the psychology of the business. cornette speaks with contempt about the greed and indecency that comes with keeping the veil between make believe and reality. the veil that made me terrified of the undertaker and paul bearer also allows for wrestlers’ grief to be exploited for ratings; or wrestlers’ to perform in the same ring where their colleague and friend fell to his death mere minutes before.
- there’s more to life than wrestling. mick foley dyes his beard white and pretends to be santa for kids and does stand-up comedy. unfortunately, kane’s a republican mayor somewhere in tennessee. the rock gets to play versions of himself over and over again on screen and people like it. shawn michaels is a sexy boy for jesus. steve austin hosts a podcast, a job that still endears me to him because he gets to do what he does best: tell a damn good story and drink beer.
5 things: wrestling
2 responses to “5 things: wrestling”
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Ah, you triggered some good nostalgia with your post. I used to be so into wrestling, and the era that caught me was the Ric Flair/Big Boss Man/Macho Man era. Great times. Anyway, thanks for this post!
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I’m glad that you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for reading.
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Bryanna Beaman 
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