We have all, at one point, been kids who were big fans of the WWE believing that it is all real – the characters, the storylines, the fights, all of it seemed legit. However, after a period of time, WWE is exactly what they claim it to be, i.e, entertainment. There have been moments in the past that have made the fans wonder where the lines are drawn between reality and fiction. It can be promos, feuds or rivalries, physicality and more.
The realism factor definitely makes things more engaging. For example, when CM Punk cut the legendary pipebomb in 2011, it was in a storyline that really blurred the lines between fiction and reality. This made wrestling something that was quite a hot thing to watch. The thing about circumstances such as these it that it really makes people ask in wonder, “is it a work or is it a shoot?”
It is undoubtedly these moments that get wrestling fans to start buzzing more about the product. The Attitude Era and Ruthless Aggression era had its fair share of realism, but it was compensated by the intense storylines and the lack of leash they had when it came to their matches.
It is being said that WWE is attempting to bring back a sense of realism into their programming. This was shown with two of the most recent cases – one, with the Randy Orton-Brock Lesnar Summerslam match finish where Lesnar elbowed Orton viciously, cutting him up in the process, and two – The Miz’ promo on Talking Smack, where he lashed out at a critical Daniel Bryan.
What made this promo stand out was Miz’ intensity and his bloodshot eyes. It appeared to be the words that the man had held back and had wanted to say for a long time. This may just be the second of many examples going forward.
The PG era has not excelled with regards to realism as a whole. It was more about pandering to families with family-friendly programming, which significantly reduced a good deal of realism in pro-wrestling.
However, it must be noted that despite there being a leash on creative and talent in PG, all the blood and violence is not necessary in order to have a great product. This year itself has been one of the best to be a wrestling fan and we can only hope it continues.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
