During the Golden Age of professional wrestling, there are three rules that should never be broken.
Say your prayers and take your vitamins. Andre the Giant is Royal Rumble royalty. And no matter what, never, ever break kayfabe.
Of course, any Hulkamaniac knows that those days are long gone. Hulk Hogan dyed his mustache black, turned heal and then was eventually put out to pasture, which turned out to be an embarrassing reality television show. Andre the Giant passed away.
And kayfabe, the unwritten rule of wrestling that says you should never, ever break character, went away when Vince McMahon admitted that professional wrestling was “entertainment” rather than sport.
Yes, wrestling fans, a lot has changed since the days when the Road Warriors, Abdulah the Butcher and “Nature Boy” Ric Flair ruled the ring.
And in some ways, there’s never been a better time to be a fan.
Because the more things change, the more things stay the same. And today’s professional wrestling has taken all the best from the past and combined it with modern-day technology and story-telling sensibilities to produce a product that’s second to none.
Here, for your reading pleasure, is a look at five reasons why today’s wrestling is every bit as exciting (if not more) than that of the days of yore:
1) Aroud-the-Clock Access
Back in the days before the turn of the century (you know, around 1992), access to information about professional wrestling was limited to what you could catch on a weekly broadcast and what you could cull from the monthly pro wrestling magazines.
Today, thanks to the power of the internet, you can get your pro wrestling fix 24 hours a day.
Want to watch classic WrestleMania matches? You’ve got YouTube. Need to find out what’s happening with AEW storylines? There are an array of blogs dedicated to the subject. Wondering what your favorite superstars are up to in their free time? Check out their social media accounts.
Thanks to the internet, it has never been easier to access information about your favorite wrestlers.
2) Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
For too long, people were not able to place wagers on professional wrestling. But today, thanks to the proliferation of quality online casinos that appreciate the art, science and storylines of modern-day pro wrestling, you can put your money where your mouth is and bet on matches.
But before you do, make sure you’re dealing with a reputable online casino by visiting sites like betboss.com.
The last thing you want to do is throw away your money on something that’s fixed.
3) Compelling Characters
Professional wrestling has a long, rich history of introducing the masses to some compelling characters. Gorgeous George. Sgt. Slaughter. Hulk Hogan. Andre the Giant. The Road Warriors. The Rock. Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Wrestling fans can argue for days about who had the best characters. Some were admired for their ability to get the crowd going. Others were beloved because they were brawlers or behemoths. Others gave great interviews.
But honestly, there’s never been a better era of extraordinary characters.
Today’s wrestlers are more athletic, better trained and more compelling than ever. Part of it comes down to training and nutrition. Part of it has to do with better all-around production. A lot of it has to do with the fact that today’s wrestlers have more charisma than ever.
Whatever the reason, there have never before been as many compelling characters all competing in the ring at the same time.
4) More Programming
Back in the glory days, wrestling was only on TV Sunday mornings, after church.
Then the WWE added Saturday night matches. Today, you can find professional wrestling on cable TV almost every night of the week. And you can watch it from around the world.
The WWE alone streams on Sundays, has national cable broadcasts on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. And then you have local promotions and the upstart AEW.
More programming means more access to wrestling. When you want it. Where you want it.
5) Blasts from the Past
Moreso than any other entertainment industries, professional wrestling honors its heros from the past. That’s why you’ll still see greats like Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, the Rock and others popping up on broadcasts from time to time.
So even if you aren’t sold on today’s wrestling being the best ever, you can relive your glory days by getting a taste of some of the greatest ever.
