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1.) What is professional wrestling to you? Answer this however you want! Professional wrestling is basically my football. I have friends that are really into sports and I've tried to do fantasy leagues with them, but the interest just isn't there for me. Wrestling hits this sweet spot for me where it combines an ongoing narrative and characters with legit athletic feats and theatrical performance. I love the interactions between wrestlers, building up a crowd and working towards a giant moment, all while making it look as snug and real as possible. I never felt comfortable watching things like UFC or boxing because I don't like seeing people get hurt, but wrestling is a cooperative endeavor masquerading as a competitive sport. It's two guys or ladies working together to show you amazing things, with the occasional tiny bull fighting a tiny alligator. 2.) How long have you been a fan? Was there any defining moment that turned you into someone who became a habitual viewer? I've been watching for about ten months now, starting at Wrestlemania 30. My cousin's boyfriend is a wrestling fan and we talked about it at some family gathering or another. At some point in the days before Wrestlemania, I watched this Daniel Bryan promo and was hooked. That Sunday, I went over to my sister's house and basically said, "Hey, do you want to watch Wrestlemania today?" I showed her that promo and, like me, she was all in instantly. We ordered a pizza and the Network, watched Bryan win the title that night and have been following ever since. 3.) Who was your first favorite wrestler? Bryan, of course, but he wasn't really around in the days following his win, so I got really attached to The Shield and Seth Rollins in particular. He brought this insane energy to the group and I love watching this two-toned SWAT guy do crazier and crazier things in and outside of the ring. His turn was the first real wrestling betrayal I'd ever experienced and his evolution from cornerstone of a dominant stable to vicious main event heel has been amazing to see. 4.) Have you ever fallen out of following this gay sport? If so, what time period was this? When did you get back into it - and what keeps you watching? I don't think I've ever completely fallen out so far, but I've basically stopped watching Raw. I keep following the WWE product through recaps and stuff, but it's just so hard to invest yourself in something that makes you so angry and upset. I'm sure it will pick up again (for who knows how long), but I'm using this opportunity to check out other promotions and past events. 5.) What promotion was your favorite, alive or dead? What time period from that promotion did you like best? I really don't have a horse in this race. I am fortunate enough that there are literally decades of wrestling that I haven't seen, so I can go back at any time and experience them as if they were new. In terms of promotions that I wish I was following in the past, 2009-2011 Ring of Honor and Chikara would have been pretty amazing to follow in person. 6.) What promotions do you consider your favorites today? What particular things about each one do you enjoy? It's not its own promotion, but NXT is my favorite show because it's so goddamned simple. It's just good storytelling and good wrestling with an amazing roster and believable characters. ROH is very similar, but a little less polished. Lucha Underground is endearingly over-the-top and a welcome addition to the TV wrestling landscape. I'm just getting into NJPW now that I have access to their network, but I have really enjoyed the two Wrestle Kingdoms I watched and their roster is top notch. I know that Chikara is still trying to find its footing again, but it's one of the indie promotions that I can see on a regular basis and Tomorrow Never Dies was super fun. 7.) Who is your favorite wrestler today, and why? Sami Zayn, no question. He is the most sympathetic human being in the world and so easy to get behind. If it was just that he'd be fine, but he's also a phenomenal wrestler. I still get goosebumps when I watch the video of him doing the sunset flip powerbomb on Cesaro at NXT Arrival. Honorable mentions go to Kota Ibushi, Shinsuke Nakamura, Kenny Omega, Tetsuya Naito, Cesaro, Kevin Owens, Dean Ambrose and Sasha Banks. Lumbermouth fucked around with this message at 19:13 on Jan 13, 2015 |
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Jan 13, 2015 19:11
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| # ¿ May 11, 2024 13:52 |
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