Is WWE Real or Fake? Facing Pro Wrestling's Most Controversial Question

By Ali Hammad September 10, 2024 06:52

Photo by @wwe

For over a half-century, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has been the golden standard in sports entertainment across the globe. More than just another drama on television, the show presents elite athletes with larger-than-life personas with action meshed throughout.

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Historical Context

WWE was founded in the early 20th century as a professional wrestling promotion in North America. At first, wrestling was portrayed as a competitive sport, with matches often being unscripted and unpredictable. Promoters instead felt that there was entertainment value in having scripted matches and more elaborate storylines.

Founded in 1963 as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) by Vince McMahon Sr., it underwent various changes and was renamed the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), then WWE. WWE changed the game and effectively invented "sports entertainment," reducing wrestling to another type of showbiz spectacle.

Professional Wrestling

At its heart, WWE is scripted entertainment. Matches are scripted and predetermined, telling complex stories that capture the audience. Being scripted means that WWE can tell better stories involving heroes' faces and villains' heels.

But even though it's scripted, WWE performers or "Superstars" must be excellent athletes. Matches feature a complex sequence of moves that take advantage of setting up opponents, precise timing, and wrestlers working in unison. The superstars must also act well enough to convey stress, heartache, and general drama, which play a key factor in highlighting the storytelling of the show.

Athleticism and Training

Week in and week out, these wrestlers put their bodies on the line for performances that requires them to be in peak performance shape at all times. Training will consist of strength and conditioning, fundamental technical wrestling, and character development.

Also, taking bumps is a dangerous job in general, as WWE has its wrestlers perform many high-impact moves that still require physical contact with others. Because professional wrestling is a physically grueling form of entertainment, these wrestlers must stay in top physical shape to perform their moves without injury and entertain the crowd.

Public Perception

Critics of WWE and other wrestling companies too often use the term "fake" to simply write off programs without mentioning or crediting any kind of effort or athleticism in their preparation.

Behind the Scenes Insights

WWE is a complex operation with writers, producers, and creative directors. The storylines are fleshed out months before the new season begins with input from wrestlers and writers who lay everything down in conjunction with key executives.

The creative team is licensed to shape characters and storylines, pulling from real-life stories, or historical wrestling feuds. Together, this process ensures that WWE stays on the path to relevance, allowing it to grow and develop to keep up with its various fans.

The question as to whether wrestling (WWE) is real or fake feeds into a much wider debate. The matches are fake, but the athleticism and creativity put into every minute of them are real. WWE occupies a special space in the entertainment world, part sport, part storytelling, and the combination has resonated with people everywhere.