WrestleMania Weekend Get-Down: April 1, 2022

It’s here.

THE weekend for wrestling is upon us. Even if you’re not a fan of the WWE or can’t get behind what they’re doing, there’s so much going on that there’s bound to be something to love. Go to FITE and order a show; check out the AJW archives on IWTV; call up Peacock or bust out a DVD.

This weekend is a celebration of the thing that we all love: good old fashioned professional wrestling. The ability to tell a story through violence. The skill, coordination, grace, charisma, you name it. All of it comes together inside that squared circle, and when it peaks and meshes just right, there is nothing better.

For one weekend, it’s okay to be a wrestling fan and even those who don’t like wrestling get it. This is our time — our ComicCon — our Oscars — our everything. For this weekend, find a neutral and show them why you love it. Get them interested with anything past or present. If there’s a casual who loves the show, ask if you can teach them the nuance. Point out the little things. And if you do this, remember: we all knew nothing at one point.

Or, if you prefer, approach wrestling again as a child. Make it still real to you. Live and die with your heroes. Thrill when the villain is vanquished, as so rarely seems to happen in the real world. Build your hopes, believe in miracles, and convince yourself that you WILLED that man to kick out at 2. Don’t just be a fan — be a fanatic.

This world we all follow can provide so much greatness, and on a weekend like this, it’s everywhere. Look for what you love, and indulge in it. Even if it’s someone running a Fire Pro tournament, enjoy it. I’m sure you all have a wrestling comfort food — fire it up and remember why you enjoy watching. Too often, we gather to mock wrestling we aren’t into, but deep down we watch for those times when magic happens. Take this time to remember: magic DOES happen.

I know I sound cheesy when I write this, but you know what? Some of my favorite TV memories are this wrestling that has happened. My parents surprised me by ordering WrestleMania VI for me. The feeling of joy that went through me when the show began just kept building. Seeing Andre the Giant finally have enough of that weasel and walk out on his own terms; or Dusty Rhodes cause Randy Savage to flip out as Miss Elizabeth started out on her own; or to be spellbound by Jake Roberts describing the downfall of revolving your life around money; and then… the Ultimate Challenge. I went from fan to fanatic that day and I haven’t looked back.

And then… seeing Ric Flair and Roddy Piper brawl through commentary; or Ricky Steamboat return and scare Arn Anderson before taking his tag titles; the locker room celebrating for Ron Simmons, Lex Luger, Bret Hart… I wanted that. I wanted that for me — to be the World Champion. It’s why I threw myself around my basement all through my childhood. It’s why I got into e-fedding in college. Heck, it’s why at age 37 I went into training and learned the ropes. Every thrill of growing up, every smile through the tough times in my mental health… wrestling has given me so much. And through DVDs and Networks, I’ve given back. It’s a beautiful relationship.

Deep down, I suspect we all have that. All of us have a show we love and will put on over and over. Most of us can name the time, the federation… heck, the MOMENT we became superfans. And it doesn’t even have to be the big guys — I know I said WrestleMania VI was when I became obsessed, but I watched before then and can remember World Class on ESPN. And even going back to before your fandom and seeing things you’ve never seen before… for me, seeing the Match of the Century in Chicago made me realize how great you could be on fundamentals. Wrestling has something for everyone.

I’m not ashamed to say it even helped me get through COVID. I thought the connections I made in wrestling would be lost when the fed I trained with shut down. But I stayed in contact with the guys and see what they’re doing now. And then when people spoke out, and the wrestling community vowed to clean up as much as it could, it felt like I’d made a right decision to stay a part of it. Then to be able to see my trainers on AEW Dark and becoming an AEW guy, enjoying their show in a way I never had before… all I can say is wrestling means something to me.

And I feel like if it didn’t mean anything to you, you wouldn’t be here.

So go ahead — enjoy the Andre tonight. Prepare for Stand and Deliver. See two nights of the biggest pyro and ballyhoo you’ll ever get. Flip to FITE and check out Spring Break, or stick around for the Multiverse of Matches. Head to IWTV and watch some old Beyond. Bust out your WWE DVDs or dial up the Network — go on a nostalgia trip. Whatever you do, remember: Wrestling Is Fun.

All right, enough chatter. You know the rules of this place. I want you to obey the mods’ instructions at all times. Give me a good, clean thread. Now — touch gloves, go to your keyboards, and let’s have some fun.

Wrestlemania…

we’re here.