Which of the "big three" American wrestling promotions is right for you?

Pro wrestling fandom has often been categorized as mercurial, flighty, and grumpy.

It's true that anytime WWE, Ring of Honor, or Impact Wrestling has a major story angle or title change legions of fans log onto their social media accounts and gripe about what they would have done differently if they were in charge.

This inherent disgruntlement in the pro wrestling fan base is both a curse and a blessing. It's a blessing in that if fans are really not happy with something, they have a platform to air their grievances. Most recently, we saw this happen when angry fans forced the WWE to change the Fabulous Moolah memorial battle royal to just the Women's battle royal.

It is also a curse, however, in that wrestling promotions would like to push certain individuals to the top of the card, and those same vocal fans can derail or hinder such plans. Roman Reigns and John Cena's loud chorus of detractors is the best example of this phenomenon.

Because wrestling fans are so temperamental and diverse, the wrestling shows tend to be quite distinct from one another. Though all three of the major US promotions feature ostensibly the same product--pro wrestling--there are enough distinct elements to make each a separate entity meant to appeal to a specific audience.

Without further ado, here's the Big Three promotions, what makes them distinct, and analysis of what type of fan they court the most rigorously.

---

WWE: From the casual to the diehard

Technically, the WWE existed for some time as the WWWF, run by Vince McMahon Senior. Most critics and fans, however, would agree that the true birthing point for the federation was when Vince McMahon Jr. took over the company and built up the Rock and Wrestling Connection.

Before the WWF--as it was called in those days--came into being, pro wrestling was a largely regional business. The wrestling show one watched in California would have a different line up than the show put on in Florida.

McMahon Jr. decided that he wanted more, and expanded his father's wrestling empire into other territories. While there was no legal standing for the other promotions to prevent this move, McMahon still received a lot of blowback from the other promoters, most of whom were friends and associates of his father.

Nevertheless, McMahon persisted, and built the WWE into the global wrestling empire it is today.

What makes them distinct: First and foremost, WWE's production values are tremendous. From the glitzy graphical pre-match splashes to top-tier sound and lighting, the WWE treats wrestling like a first-class production, and it shows in their finished product. No other wrestling company on the planet looks as good from an aesthetic point of view than the WWE.

The other major difference between the WWE and other feds is their eagerness for mainstream acceptance. While TNA and ROH are content with courting wrestling diehards, the WWE wants to get as large an audience as possible. This isn't to say the WWE doesn't want or appreciate die-hard fans; their Hall of Fame ceremony is meant to be a direct homage to them. It just means they want to expand beyond the die-hard wrestling fandom.

Other differences include a slower, more television-friendly pacing to the matches and a tendency to highlight bigger, more muscular wrestlers as champion (Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns, and Jinder Mahal.)

What might make them the right wrestling for you: If you like glitz and glamour with your sports entertainment, then WWE is definitely for you!

Simply put, no one else puts as much build up and effort into their storylines and feuds. The WWE creative team includes writers, artists, musicians, and former wrestlers who all bend themselves to the task of making the most polished, exciting, and enjoyable wrestling show imaginable. Their streaming network also gives the most bang for your buck, allowing you access to thousands of hours of classic matches as well as every pay per view.

Impact Wrestling (formerly TNA)

Originally known as Total NonStop Action wrestling, Impact wrestling has always been a federation with a split personality.

On the one hand, they created a showcase for smaller, lighter, faster wrestling talent like AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, and Sonjay Dutt with their X Division.

On the other, Impact seems to push older, veteran talent at the expense of the up and comers. Middle-aged men like Jeff Jarrett, Sting, and Bully Ray have made up the bulk of their world champions and main event action, though this has changed somewhat over the years.

Impact was founded by Jeff Jarrett after the buyout of WCW by Vince McMahon. The buyout left many former WCW employees, most notably cameramen and backstage engineers, without a source of income. Jarrett founded the company as an alternative to the WWE, putting on three-hour pay per views on a sometimes weekly basis.

Impact has never quite grown large enough to seriously challenge the WWE's market share, but many credit them for starting the evolution of women's wrestling with their Knockouts division, and many former TNA stars are now at the top of the card in WWE.

What makes them distinct: While Impact may not have as big a budget as the WWE, their shows are still fairly polished and professional looking.

Also, while the WWE has moved away from showing blood or adult themes, Impact continues to court the vaunted 18-36 year old male demographic. This results in a product that is a little edgier and gimmick-laden than the WWE.

Impact wrestling also gives their talent more freedom to book themselves in other promotions as long as they don't compete with the federation directly on the same night, meaning fans get the opportunity to see stars who don't like being tied down to WWE-type exclusive contracts.

What might make Impact the right wrestling for you: If you like your wrestling product edgier, with more adult themes, then Impact is for you.

Impact could also be seen as the 'middle of the road' promotion among the Big Three. They put on both technical wrestling matches and hardcore 'monster's ball' contests where every weapon is legal.

Unfortunately, Impact often tries to imitate the WWE, with mixed results. They are at their best when they try to be unique and offer their own perspective on pro wrestling.

Ring of Honor

If the WWE is a big blockbuster movie, then Ring of Honor is a small-release art house film that ends up winning the Oscar though it makes a lot less money.

Ring of Honor was founded with one purpose; To give a platform to the best technical wrestling the world had to offer. While WWE may have more fans, the ROH fans are some of the most dedicated and rabid you will find anywhere in the world.

Ring of Honor is the home of pure wrestling and is fond of allowing its athletes to innovate new moves, spots, and styles. Unlike WWE, who often exert a great deal of creative control over what happens in the ring, Ring of Honor allows the wrestlers to plan their matches with little oversight. The result is some of the most spectacular displays of technical wrestling acumen on the planet.

What makes ROH distinct: Ring of Honor features very small, intimate venues filled to the brim with a dedicated fanbase. Rather than a lot of showy pyrotechnics or lighting, the main focus in Ring of Honor is the in-ring action.

ROH is also very attentive to its fans, and will push or de-push talent depending on their crowd reaction.

What might make ROH the wrestling for you: If you love pure wrestling with an independent spirit--and you don't mind poor production values--then ROH is right for you.

The action is Ring of Honor is unquestionably the best of the big three, but poor lighting, low budget sets, and hasty, often hackneyed editing can turn off casual fans.

Conclusion: So which wrestling federation is right for you? The good news is, in the internet age, you don't have to choose just one! WWE, Impact, and ROH all offer their own take on sports entertainment, and it's not necessarily a question of which one is the best as it is which one is the best for you!

Whether you like the pageantry and pomp of the WWE, the harder edge of Impact, or the pure wrestling of ROH, is ultimately a personal choice. Choose wisely!