Fiend or friend, maybe both. I grew up NOT watching WWE Wrestling… and I HAVE BEEN MISSING OUT!
Now, let me tell you, I grew up in St. Petersburg, Fl and lived in the Tampa Bay Area for nearly 40 years. I had numerous “sightings” of wrestlers, heck, I even knew a few people who were making their way on the smaller independent circuit – back in the day.
Yep… saw Macho Man shopping for candles at the Pier One Imports, Hulk Hogan frequented my step dad’s convenience store on Reddington Beach on the regular, the Big Show with his kids at Best Buy trying to decide on a video game, Big E grabbing food at Jazzy’s BBQ… that’s just a few, the list goes on!
Now I live in ATX, where some of my favorites like Mike the Miz, Kofie Kingston, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and the Undertaker, call home. Maybe I’ll see one of them soon! But I’m getting off track…
I never really watched wrestling. Not a lot, at all. So seeing these pro wrestler entertainers out in public, was cool I guess, but I wasn’t freaking out like a 12 year old boy.
Let me also clarify, I also never watched daytime soap operas or “stories” – not my thing either.
Fast forward to a few years ago. We started watching wrestling in the evenings, as a family. We were bored with prime time television so we subscribed to the WWE network, and thus began my appreciation for wrestling entertainment. I started learning the names of my favorite wrestlers. Got to know more about their back stories, even started having opinions about fights, and geez, it was pretty freakin’ entertaining.
Heck, I know their intros and music, the chants, claps… their tag lines. It’s kinda ridiculous, especially if you knew me. ;P
Oh and I need to give a shout out to their costume department, whomever is in charge of creating, piecing and sewing the costumes (plus the hair and makeup dept of course- can’t leave them out), do God’s work. Those costumes have to be perfect, otherwise it wouldn’t be a family show! LOL
It’s a whole team, like a traveling family of referees, backstage employees and additional personnel that make it all happen. Lighting, the AV department, road crews, catering (someone has to make all those pancakes) and what’s cool is sometimes they too get to make a special appearance on the show!
I also happen to enjoy the banter between Corey and Tom.
Now I’m actually excited to watch Monday Night Raw, and Smack Down on Tuesday, there’s NXT on Wednesday, and I think Main Event on Thursday, Friday Superstars, and the PPV when they happen on Sunday… I don’t usually catch the Thursday and Friday night stuff, but it’s there. We watch a fair amount of wrestling now.
I honestly think WWE has some of the hardest working people in the entertainment industry. Seriously do they ever get a day off?
OK so do I have favorites? I sure do! I’m not going to name them all, but I do have a Special place in my heart for the tag team the New Day- because they’re all about having fun and positivity.
what’s not to love?
BUT THEN THERE’S BRAY WYATT… he’s the freaky, maniacal, dark and spooky with a sprinkle of creepy- but is such a totally good way kind of happiness. His Firefly Funhouse character is a little Pee-Wee Herman and Steve from Blues Clues… Yeah, I’m super glad he’s here. I hope someone lets him in SOON.
awesomeness
I have my predictions: He’ll fight the Demon Finn Balor soon (hopefully the next PPV) and then my real hope is that he goes up against Alister Black sometime after that… and lays the SMACK DOWN. Pun intended.
What I will say is that the WWE has really done a FABULOUS job building up his character, and the anticipation of his first match. His intro on Sunday 8.11.19 was pretty much the highlight of the entire PPV, IMHO.
I’ll be waiting with bated breath for more of the FIEND… but until then I’ll be completely entertained with the weekly line up, and what’s yet to air.
NOTE: we’re hoping to make it to an actual WWE event sometime in the future, either in Tampa or Austin. Gotta plan and save. If I’m gonna actually go, I wanna be ringside with M&G tix! <3