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Three decades ago, Pro Wrestling was more than just an art. It was something more than just the show boating, more than just the power moves. People shed blood and tears to hone their craft; it took ‘rasslers’ at least a decade to become ‘good’ at what they do. It was the time when ‘Chairmen’ were promoters. A time when Pro Wrestling was more than just a show, it was a theatre. There were no grey areas; there were the good guys, and there were the bad guys. But most of all, people believed what they were seeing. They had passion, true emotions, something which we don’t see any more.
Back in the day, a rookie wasn’t allowed to step into the squared circle without paying ‘the dues’. Backstage, the youngsters always showed the veterans the respect they deserved. For you to be a ‘veteran’ in the business, you had to work tirelessly to improve yourself. It was a time when big guys weren’t directly pushed to the main event level, but you had to earn it. What has changed with time? To know the answer, we need to travel back in time.
Almost every big name during the Golden Era travelled to Japan, the one destination where people not only love Wrestling, but worship the true geniuses in the ring. ‘Nature Boy’ Ric Flair, till today, is loved by all of the Japanese fans. Young guys travelled to Japan to make a name for themselves, and the veterans loved the respect they garnered from the fans. Japan, till today, has something the American fans lost, which is, the art of Wrestling. Technical geniuses like Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Dynamite Kid etc travelled all the way to Japan, to hone their skills, and make them one of the most respected, and gifted athletes. A guy like Chris Jericho, in his own words, is one of the last of the ‘dying breed’.
It was a time when you made your name before going to Mainstream Wrestling. Even now, in the United States, there are some Companies like Ring of Honor and DragonGate, which focus on developing the talent, by travelling around the World and making themselves better. But sadly, these so called ‘Indy Darlings’ don’t make it to WWE, or even if they do, they don’t make it big. This is why the fans aren’t fortunate enough to see what the last Generation has. When Vince Mcmahon started the ‘Sports Entertainment’ market, everyone knew what was going to happen. Wrestling was being replaced by Entertainment. This did not sit well with the old generation, but it proved to be a smart marketing choice in the end.
Wrestling is indeed a lost art. Guys from Stone Cold Steve Austin, to the Undertaker, travelled to the land of ‘Puroresu’. The early 2000s saw the end of the dying breed of these ‘Wrestlers’ in the United States, and sadly, these days won’t be returning anytime soon. Anyone who wants to re-live the memories has the Wrestling video database online as their only means.
