Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler

Even with all the “buzz,” critical acclaim and publicity surrounding The Wrestler, never in a million years did I think Linda would ask me to write a feature about pro wrestling!

Not that I’m not qualified to do it. I’ve been a fan of the sport for over three decades, been to countless live events, sold programs, set up and taken down rings, managed a Pro Wrestling Shop, wrote for a wrestling magazine, been a guest ring announcer, took live and promo photos for wrestlers and independent promotions, traveled the roads, partied and roomed with friends in the business on both the local and national levels.

I’ve got the cred. I just never expected to be writing this for a rock magazine.

But the more I thought about it, the more I recognized the similarities between the rock and roll lifestyle and that of a pro wrestler. In both cases, it starts with a dream of making it in a profession where your chances of reaching the top are about the same as getting struck by lightning.

Through hard work and determination, you start building a fan base on the local level. Pretty soon you go from working the smaller venues to the medium-sized ones. If you’re really good - and really lucky - you get discovered, sign a contract and now you’re touring all the big arenas, hoping to one day be the headliner, the main event. Along the way you experience all the highs and lows of life on the road. The constant travel, living out of suitcases, going from one hotel to the next.

Strangers become family and family become strangers. Then there are the late night parties, groupies, drugs and alcohol.

While not every wrestler ends up like Randy “The Ram,” the movie is brutally honest at times. Unfortunately for many, the fame doesn’t last. Suddenly you’re back to playing those medium and smaller venues again. You don’t know how to do anything else, blew all your money and now you’ll do anything for that one last chance at the spotlight.
The similarities don’t end there. When promoter Vince Mcmahon Jr. took wrestling out of the smoky bars and put it into the big arenas, he made the sport more like a rock concert. Wrestlers entered the ring to loud music. Instead of crew cuts, tights and boots, many wrestlers had long hair and wore colorful costumes. Soon there were pyrotechnics and big screens. Even the wrestler’s t-shirts at the merch booths began to resemble concert shirts.

The MTV generation of the 80’s fully embraced the sport, and “The Rock and Wrestling Connection” was born. For a while, wrestling became the “in thing” for celebrities. Over the years, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, Motorhead and others have been a part of the WWE’s biggest show of the year, Wrestlemania. AC/DC is rumored to be performing at this year’s 25th anniversary show in Houston, TX.

Like rock concerts, a live wrestling event provides fans with a few hours entertainment, where they can forget about their problems and release their aggressions. There’s not much difference between the feeling you get from pumping your fist and singing along with your favorite song - and screaming, yelling and cheering for your favorite wrestler, or booing one that isn’t.

It’s amazing just how much wrestlers and rock stars have in common. Wrestlers really are the rock stars of the entertainment world.

If you haven’t already done so, go see The Wrestler. Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tormei are outstanding. [Just close your eyes for that one really really violent scene - like I did! – Linda]. The film is well done and provides a great behind-the-scenes look at the sport. (Linda Hollar)