Ok I’m not from usa, so I dont really underestand wrestling. As far as I know its a scripted sketch with real phisical skill necessary to perform the act. But I keep reading about old champions or the first xxx race champion etc. What do you mean champion? If those are actors, so to speak, there are no champion, there is a script to follow. Its like saying Arnold swarzneger was the first terminator to defeat the advanced model in terminator2, what
? Please eli5.
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Pro wrestling is considered a cross between a performance art and a sport. The championships still happening even though the outcome is predetermined is part of the sport aspect of it, if there is a sport then there should be something to compete for right?
But in the case of pro wrestling, the right to become champion is determined behind the scenes rather than on the spot. Of course you can’t just let whoever carry a belt. Wrestling champions are usually those who the promoters determine are the ones who are able to get the most reaction from the crowd whether positive (usually by “face” or good guy wrestlers) or negative (“heel” or bad guy wrestlers) and whom they observe is able to draw crowds to begin with. This starts through careful observation of a performer’s growth from show to show.
Most wrestlers start out the same way–losing matches at the bottom of a show’s card and so the people behind the scenes are able to see how well the guy performs at the short end of the stick in a match. Whether he’s able to tell his part of the story well. Then sometimes if they see the guy has potential they let him win matches from time to time and gradually give him more exposure. The chances of him being booked to win a title increase if he is able to develop his “gimmick” or in ring character in a way that the fans respond to. Then they are put to the test in title matches. The more good matches they put on for the crowd and the more that the crowds respond to them compared to whoever is the champion currently the more likely they are to become repeat champions, or keep their title for longer.
Even though it’s staged we need to consider the concept of a pro wrestling championship valid. At the end of the day a belt is still won or lost in front of a crowd and it’s really the only marker of achievement a wrestler will have in their career. It’s bragging rights and their egos and paychecks are on the line everytime a title is defended.
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