Monday Night Raw got off to a raucous start with CM Punk leaping atop the announcers table to cut a promo on The Rock and John Cena. Punk was at his belligerent best, skewering both legends for their "bullshit" - The Rock's goosebumps and Cena's unflappable twenty-plus years of Hustle, Loyalty, and Respect. It was an elegant, improvised rant that Seth Rollins interrupted. Punk quickly hopped down off the desk and charged Rollins and the two devolved into an arena-wide brawl. It was energetic and excellent, exactly the kind of beginning I've wanted from RAW these past eight weeks.
Read MoreI’m thirty six years old and I’ve been a wrestling fan for about twenty four of them. In that time, pro-wrestling has played a pivotal role in my life, serving as more than mere entertainment. Pro-wrestling has inspired me to be a better writer, a better podcaster, and a better person.
It has enlightened me on the role art plays in our lives, and it’s made me appreciate the craft that goes into constructing a wrestling match. I’ve gained friends and colleagues through pro-wrestling, people I trust and admire. Put simply, I can’t separate my growth as a person from my fandom of pro-wrestling. Realizing that, I decided to create this list, Ten Ways Pro-Wrestling Changed My Life.
Let’s begin…
Read MoreThe Rock is my favorite wrestler. I’ve come to this conclusion after much deliberation. He’s on a short list alongside CM Punk, Bret Hart, Sami Zayn, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Mick Foley. It’s not hard to figure out why The Rock is my favorite. His ascent to WWF super stardom (and beyond) perfectly coincided with my adolescence. In those precious and impressionable years, he provided a respite from turmoil and angst. I would look forward to Raw and SmackDown every week in intense anticipation of what he might say and on whom he might layeth the smacketh down. Every new catchphrase was a significant event. Every gesture or subtle motion of his body was worthy of imitation.
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