Smarten Up

Vince McMahon's consolidation of power in the wrestling world was not a clean process, nor did it happen in the blink of an eye. All across the country, promotions held on until the bitter end as proud entrepreneurs clung to their dreams in the face of history's inexorable march. But the rise of the WWF and its ultimate victory in the North American wrestling world did not mark the end for the small promotion, but merely a point of demarcation. Those that emerged in the aftermath of consolidation have markedly different objectives and offer a substantially different product than those that held on in the 1980s and '90s. To understand those that have built the new world - and to assess the opportunity available to the upstart AEW in 2019 - it is valuable to start by looking at the old world. In this episode, we explore three of the old guard - the AWA, WCCW, and ECW - each of which changed wrestling, but proved incapable of living in the world they made.

Wrestling is unique as a medium in that the reaction of the live audience can dramatically impact not just the performers involved but the trajectory of the story being told. Matches are booked and narratives written with a desired reaction in mind, but if the live crowd doesn't feel like going along with the script, the consequences can be unpredictable and occasionally disastrous. But why do some crowds boo the babyface and cheer the heels? Why are matches between talented wrestlers sometimes rejected altogether? And how does the wrestling promotion adapt its product to reflect or control the reaction of its loudest fans? In this episode, we dive deep into the contrarian aspect of the wrestling audience and its effect on the product itself.

There comes a moment in any wrestling story where the performers will take the time to stop and speak directly to the audience. This fourth-wall breaking tradition has its roots in traditional sports interviews, but over the last half century has evolved into a staple of the medium. In this episode, we explore the past, present, and future of the promo, analyze what separates a good talker from a bad talker, and discuss some of our personal favorites on the mic.

In this brief special episode, we discuss our thoughts on tonight's NXT Takeover event and whether the time is right for Johnny Wrestling to become Johnny Champion, among other topics.

One of the primary objectives of any wrestling performer is to distinguish himself or herself from the crowd. In a primarily visual medium, costuming and ring attire are effective tools for standing out from the cavalcade of similar looking athletic performers. Costuming communicates critical information about a performer's character and may play an important role in helping a wrestler get over with an audience. In this episode, we dive into the clothes that make the men, and explore what the choice of attire says about the performer.

Professional wrestling is at its core a variety show, with different segments meant to appeal to different audiences. But while its dramatic aspects are often highlighted, its comedic segments are rarely appreciated in the same way. Sometimes its easier to laugh at wrestling than with it, but there is a proud tradition of wrestling comedy, and the masters of the form are those that understand how to combine fists and farce to make something sublime.

Wrestling's reach extends far beyond the United States, and as the medium has moved into different countries, it has come to both reflect and influence local cultures in surprising ways. In Mexico, wrestling is lucha libre, and although the basic structures are largely the same as its US counterpart, its substance, presentation, and place in Mexican culture could not be more different. In this, the first of our journeys outside of the American circuit, we present an introduction to wrestling in Mexico, its history, and what distinguishes it as a unique variation on the form.

The history of 20th-Century American wrestling climaxed with an explosive battle between the bombastic WWF and its chief rival, World Championship Wrestling. The outcome of the Monday Night Wars is well-known, but the life and death of WCW remains a topic of heated debate. In this two-part season premiere, we dive deep into the promotion's past and attempt understand whether WCW's fate was inevitable, or if there might have been room for two major wrestling promotions in North America.

The tag team match is a tried-and-true wrestling tool for adding attractions to a card and allowing wrestlers to build on their strengths, hide their weaknesses, and engage with the audience in a different context. But the art of storytelling in a tag team context is radically different than in a one-on-one match, and success or failure depends on a number of factrs beyond the capabilities of any individual performer. Great tag teams elevate both members to heights that they may not have been able to reach individually, and have served as both critical components of wrestling's variety shows and incubators of stars that have yet to reach their full potential.

Michael Cole following Jerry Lawler's heart attack

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During office hours, we unlace our boots and break from our usual lesson plan to discuss the news of the day in the wrestling world. This week: we discuss the Broken Hardys' departure from TNA. We have thoughts!

The match is the central dramatic tool of the wrestling world, and the storytelling tool that separates it from other entertainment genres. Like film, television, theater, and music, the wrestling match conforms to a series of dramatic conventions built over decades to maximize the audience's experience and tell a compelling story within the confines of the squared circle. Join us as we provide an overview of these conventions and explore what makes a great match worth watching.