Pro Wrestling in the Olympics
I know it sounds ridiculous to even mention professional wrestling and the Olympics in the same sentence. Pro wrestling is predetermined, it is not a sport, the outcome is not in doubt. How could you have something that mocks sports in the Olympics?
If you think wresting as two people competing against each other, you're right it is not a sport. The two wrestlers in the ring are not competing, they are working together. When a wrestler is body slammed, the wrestling who is getting slammed helps move his weight.
When you think about both wrestlers working together, Pro-wrestling looks like Gymnastics, Ballroom Dancing, Synchronized Swimming, Diving or Pairs Figuring Skating. Admitting that wresting is predetermined does not take away from the amazing about of physical skill, training, and creativity needed to put on a performance.
When I talked with K Sawyer Paul about this on International Object 50, he blamed the promoters. The promoters are the first people standing in the way of this happening. I can't disagree with this. From a practical point of view, can you imagine the WWE letting World Anti-Doping Agents in their locker rooms. From a conceptual point of view, the WWE cannot allow someone else to define wrestling. They would not be able to live with submitting their style of wrestling to outside judges. It breaks the way they define the whole product.
Why is there no Competition for wrestling? Lets agree that wrestling is an art. There are lots of arts that have competitions. For Films there are the Oscars, Cannes, and Sundance, For fiction and non-fiction there are the Pulitzers, Poetry has any number of competitions, for song writing there is the Eurovision. Judging art is not objective, but it happens all the time. Most people would say this competitions are good for these arts.
What do we get in wrestling? What is the highest honor? Is it winning a Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards? The Wrestling Observer awards are just critics. For the Emmys you need to submit your work for review. I doubt that wrestling promoters would even want to do that.
If I became a billionaire tomorrow, one of my vanity projects would be to have a wrestling festival. I would invite wrestlers to put on matches and we would have a judging panel decide which match was the best. It would be an annual event. I would give wrestlers from promotions from all over the world the stage to promote their company.
There is a second problem with the Olympics, how would fans react. We all know that Pro Wrestling is predetermined, but I am not sure we would want to admit what that really means. I am not sure wrestling fans want to view it in the same category as gymnastics. Wrestling fans love authenticity in their wrestlers. I think that wrestlers being on the Olympic medal podium together would be a thumb to the eye.
Of course even if Vince McMahon woke up tomorrow and decided that he really wants wrestling in the Olympics tomorrow, it would take years to happen. After seeing what is happening with the WWE network, I cannot see anyone put the time and energy into making this happen.
I cannot imagine Professional Wrestling being in the Olympics in my lifetime. Maybe I don't see it happening while the WWE is still the top of the wrestling business. Maybe promoters would do it if they felt like they were facing the end of the business.
Further Reading: TH Talks about the Olympic Pro Wrestling teams. (Scroll down to the bottom)
If you think wresting as two people competing against each other, you're right it is not a sport. The two wrestlers in the ring are not competing, they are working together. When a wrestler is body slammed, the wrestling who is getting slammed helps move his weight.
When you think about both wrestlers working together, Pro-wrestling looks like Gymnastics, Ballroom Dancing, Synchronized Swimming, Diving or Pairs Figuring Skating. Admitting that wresting is predetermined does not take away from the amazing about of physical skill, training, and creativity needed to put on a performance.
When I talked with K Sawyer Paul about this on International Object 50, he blamed the promoters. The promoters are the first people standing in the way of this happening. I can't disagree with this. From a practical point of view, can you imagine the WWE letting World Anti-Doping Agents in their locker rooms. From a conceptual point of view, the WWE cannot allow someone else to define wrestling. They would not be able to live with submitting their style of wrestling to outside judges. It breaks the way they define the whole product.
Why is there no Competition for wrestling? Lets agree that wrestling is an art. There are lots of arts that have competitions. For Films there are the Oscars, Cannes, and Sundance, For fiction and non-fiction there are the Pulitzers, Poetry has any number of competitions, for song writing there is the Eurovision. Judging art is not objective, but it happens all the time. Most people would say this competitions are good for these arts.
What do we get in wrestling? What is the highest honor? Is it winning a Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards? The Wrestling Observer awards are just critics. For the Emmys you need to submit your work for review. I doubt that wrestling promoters would even want to do that.
If I became a billionaire tomorrow, one of my vanity projects would be to have a wrestling festival. I would invite wrestlers to put on matches and we would have a judging panel decide which match was the best. It would be an annual event. I would give wrestlers from promotions from all over the world the stage to promote their company.
There is a second problem with the Olympics, how would fans react. We all know that Pro Wrestling is predetermined, but I am not sure we would want to admit what that really means. I am not sure wrestling fans want to view it in the same category as gymnastics. Wrestling fans love authenticity in their wrestlers. I think that wrestlers being on the Olympic medal podium together would be a thumb to the eye.
Of course even if Vince McMahon woke up tomorrow and decided that he really wants wrestling in the Olympics tomorrow, it would take years to happen. After seeing what is happening with the WWE network, I cannot see anyone put the time and energy into making this happen.
I cannot imagine Professional Wrestling being in the Olympics in my lifetime. Maybe I don't see it happening while the WWE is still the top of the wrestling business. Maybe promoters would do it if they felt like they were facing the end of the business.
Further Reading: TH Talks about the Olympic Pro Wrestling teams. (Scroll down to the bottom)
Comments