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I’ve said it time and again – professional wrestling is an art. It is something that can’t be taught completely, nor can be perfected in one’s lifetime. Ever since I was a kid, people like Bobby Heenan and Jake Roberts intrigued me more than the larger than life characters of Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior. Sure, cheering for these “superheroes” was great, but there was something about those who had truly mastered the art of pro wrestling. Bobby Heenan for example could make me sit through an absolute snooze fest, because I wanted to hear what he had to say next. Similarly, Jake Roberts always had my attention, with his eerie promos and incredible in – ring psychology. There is always someone redefining the norms of pro wrestling; in any corner of the world, there is that one performer who dares to try something that has never been tried before.
Professional wrestling is also known for clearly defining the roles of the performers. You have the good and the bad, and more often than not, the fans cheer for the good guy, someone who can gain their sympathy. Professional wrestling has always had the underdogs – Those who were fighting against significant odds, against the evil doers and win the hearts of the millions of fans, who sympathize with them. Professional wrestling has always been about psychology and playing on people’s emotions. Storylines need the investment on the fans’ part to be successful, and every successful performer has had the knack of connecting with the fans, either by playing the hero in peril or the devious villain set out to break peace and harmony.
However, the good are separated from the great on the principle of breaking the norms. You talk about Steve Austins and now, the CM Punks, because they weren’t scared to think outside the box. If Austin was complacent by being “Stunning” Steve Austin, you would’ve never seen the birth of Austin 3:16. Had CM Punk been satisfied with his midcard spot back in ’11, you wouldn’t have seen the “Voice of the voiceless” becoming the longest reigning WWE champion in the past 25 years. Professional wrestling is just as much about breaking the shackles as it is about captivating the audience. To be great, you have to be different.
Being an avid fan, I follow the independent scene quite a lot; rather I used to. There was one person in particular who got my attention – Not for putting on 5 star matches every night, or for executing a picture perfect 720 corkscrew moonsault, but for having the courage every day to strap on his shoes and go in front of his fans. Gregory Iron is like almost every other aspiring professional wrestler who wants to get into the WWE. He’s like almost every other guy who grew up watching Hulk Hogan rip his shirt off, asking the kids to take their vitamins and say their prayers. However, he’s not like the rest who give up when the odds are overwhelming. He was born with cerebral palsy, and he has been battling those odds every single day. The result – CM Punk and Colt Cabana praised Greg for being an inspiration, which led to him gaining worldwide fame. He was featured in an amazing story titled “The Iron Will”, his story was covered by ESPN and even I had the pleasure of interviewing Gregory Iron last year!
So why am I writing this now? Let me make this simple for you – When Zach Gowen was in the WWE, he was cheered by the fans for standing up for himself. Professional wrestling always needs inspirational stories, but what makes those stories a stuff of legends is when the performer dares to do something unimaginable. Can you imagine booing someone with a physical disability? No one can, but that is what Gregory Iron managed to do with the fans. They say that the truth hurts. Human psychology is an interesting thing – You always sympathize with those who you think are incapable of achieving greatness, but all that turns into hatred and envy when they go beyond your expectations. When someone tells you that they’re better than you, you don’t praise them. If that person happens to have a disability, you just cannot take it lightly. Gregory Iron’s manipulation of that human tendency and playing on human psychology has been absolutely brilliant.
Gregory also has been one of the very few professional wrestlers to be active on social media, and interacts with the fans – Both the good and the bad. When random strangers challenge a professional wrestler for a fight, especially one with a physical disability, you know they’re good at their job. Personally, I would want to see how mainstream fans would react to someone like Gregory Iron, with his character and personality. If there ever was a personality that can truly polarize the fans, it would be the handicapped hero, Gregory Iron!
You can follow Greg on Twitter at @GregoryIron.
