A Brief Look At The History Of Professional Wrestling

By Janelle Burnett


The history of professional wrestling is long and colorful, filled with larger than life characters. In modern times it remains an immensely popular sport that attracts millions of fans and television viewers. Champions are revered and the sport is cash rich, offering massive purses. However, the rules according to which this spectacle is run is now vastly different, focusing more on entertainment than actual athletic prowess.

Today, this sport is no longer recognized by any formal sporting body. Promoters, organizers, referees and contestants all work together to carefully plan matches where the final result is scripted. In fact, every move and every spectacular action throughout the contest is carefully planned and rehearsed. The participants know that they are taking part in a show and that entertainment is the only purpose.

Modern matched are typically pitched battles between at least one hero and one villain. Most successful participants have stage names, masks and recognizable costumes. The public is encouraged to take sides and to become involved in matches. The uninitiated may be aghast at the amount of abuse hurled at the participants by the crowd, but this is par for the course and part of the entire show.

Despite the fact that matches are really scripted farces, it would be a grave mistake to think that there are no dangers. As a matter of fact, participants have to be very strong, agile and fit. Many feats in the arena require a high level of skill and there is a real danger that somebody can be injured. Most participants spend long hours in the gymnasium and on carefully rehearsing the various exploits that will form part of an upcoming match.

Pro wrestlers have many enemies that argue that matches are nothing but fraud, designed to mislead the public into believing that they are watching genuine tests of strength and skill. Organizers routinely respond that they do everything above board and that the fans are fully aware of the way in which matches are planned and extravaganzas organized. Amateur wrestling associations are of the opinion that their sport is besmirched by the show business version.

The modern version of these events has their origin on the traveling carnivals of the early eighteen hundreds. The carnivals would travel from town to town and offer citizens the chance to earn a cash prize by taking on the strong man in the ring. In some cases promoters would even hire townsfolk if they showed promise.

Despite the fact that the modern version is accepted as entertainment rather than as a sport it still has very old roots. People used to wrestle as far back as the age old Babylonian and Egyptian times and there are numerous ancient drawing testifying to this fact. The Greeks contrived a formal set of rules and during the Roman period it became immensely popular.

As a form of mass entertainment pro wrestling probably has a long and prosperous future. As long as people enjoy the theatrics, the costumes and the supposed violence the crowds will keep supporting their heroes. The history of professional wrestling is an ancient one and the shows people watch today is a far cry from the original versions.




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