Professional Wrestling

[aghast]

I've just been watching the "All Elite" wrestling on ITV for the first time in many, many years. Bored, so tuned in.

A massive crowd and everyone getting worked up. Mock arguments, fake blood, hysterical commentators, implausibly serious injuries which they mysteriously recover from in seconds to defeat the baddie.

I remember the days of Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks on Saturday afternoons on ITV before the football scores, with little old ladies hitting Haystacks with their handbags, and it was a good old laugh and nobody really took it seriously, or thought they were actually sportsmen, but now they are all pumped up on potentially lethal doses of steroids it's a whole different level over there these days.

Is it possible anyone actually believes it's real?

I might be over thinking this.

[mariobalotelli]

No one believes it's real, unless we're talking young kids.

It's like anything else on TV, movies, series, entertainment etc. Does Vin Diesel actually catch cars and fly cars in space etc in fast and furious?

It has a scripted outcome and to call it fake is quite disrespectful. It's clearly not fighting and it's not trying to be but people do get hurt and for the most part, do it for 300 nights a year so their bodies take a hell of a beating and unless you're a top star, for very little money. I think if you look past all the stereotypes of it then it's actually got a bit of entertainment value.

As a kid I was a huge Rey Mysterio fan and loved seeing him overcome impossible obstacles to beat guys like Batista. Reys wrestling style and longevity probably means that he'll spend his later life in a wheelchair.

I don't watch it myself anymore but AEW has been a breath of fresh air and really good competition for WWE which had gotten incredibly stale.

The owner of AEW is also the Fulham nutcase.