The View From Down Here – Ask The Fans

Columns, Top Story

In my vague attempts to write the most eclectic column in professional wrestling today, for something different yet again I decided to interview four wrestling fans here in Adelaide, Australia.

 

All are fans of professional wrestling, people who watch wrestling on at least a semi-regular basis. And I tried to ensure the four were a mixed bunch. The first is a contemporary of mine who has been watching wrestling for about the same length of time as me. We shall him 42A (because he’s 42 years old and his name starts with A, okay?). Next is a 27 year old woman who started watching wrestling as a young teenager, maybe 15 years ago (27L). Next is a 16 year old boy who is a self-confessed WWE fan (16S). And finally the last is my own 7 year old son (7D).

 

Question 1: What do you think of wrestling today?

42A: Boring. It’s not as good as it was in the 90s. (Was that the Attitude Era?) You know better than that. We watched WCW. WWF sucked in the Attitude Era. They had some good main events but the storylines were ridiculous.

27L: It’s okay, I guess. I hate TNA and watch RAW and some of the PPVs, but it’s not that good. I go to RCW and Snakepit live shows and you know what?, they’re better than the TV stuff most of the time.

16S: Wrestling’s cool, but not many of my friends like it. They all like UFC and shit. I like it but I don’t tell anyone. [laughs] I wore a CM Punk shirt to casual day at school and maybe three guys said they knew who he was. (How’d you get that? They’re not that common here in Australia.) Mum ordered it for me online for Christmas.

7D: I like wrestling. It looks cool. I like it when they jump outside and land on someone.

 

Question 2: Do you have a favourite wrestling match?

42A: Main event from the Canadian Stampede PPV, that 10-man tag. Maybe it’s the crowd reactions, I don’t know, but that’s it for me. I borrowed that video when it came out down at Alpha Video – remember them? – and recorded it and wore that part of the tape out. I’ve got it on DVD now and I probably watch it as much as you watch that damn Savage-Warrior match.

27L: No, not really. I used to like the one with Cena and the Rock at Wrestlemania, but I watched it again and it was a bit boring. Maybe the match between Mimic and Rocky when Mimic won the title. (RCW – Battle For Supremacy December 2011) Or maybe the one where Cena beat Bastita by taping his legs together. (Extreme Rules 2010) No, I know – Kurt Angle and Eddie Guerrero at Wrestlemania 20. Yeah. I liked that, especially the boot coming off at the end.

16S: Oh, shit, that’s a hard one. I really liked the Rock and Stone Cold from that Wrestlemania (he couldn’t be more specific than that) and when Cena and Lesnar did it, that was pretty cool. Dunno. Oh, yeah, I know, that Rumble where Cena won ‘cause he came back from when he got hurt.

7D: Rocky and Grimm (RCW Key To The City 2011)

 

Question 3: Do you have a favourite wrestler?

42A: Ooooh yeah, the Macho Man Randy Savage. Always loved him. And I loved that column you did with that guy on Pulse. (http://wrestling.insidepulse.com/2012/07/10/snap-into-a-slim-jim-with-gepp-and-kon-savage-elizabeth-luger/) But today it’s probably AJ Styles. Could be Daniel Bryan but the whole AJ thing turned me off him. I don’t mind the tag team with Kane, but I’m over the comedy. I know you like it, but you know I want more wrestling in my wrestling shows.

27L: I love Chris Jericho. That’s the only action figure I got. He sits on top of my computer with my Guitar Smurf. (Anyone active today?) Oh, God no. They’re so boring! I hate Randy (Orton) and Cena’s boring. Dolph Ziggler’s cute so I’ll say him.

16S: The Rock. Shit yeah. He’s the best. (Anyone today?) Punk’s cool. I know he’s s’psed to be a bad guy, but he’s cool. Bryan’s all right as well. Oh, and I don’t mind Kofi Kingston either. (John Cena, maybe?) That’s not cool, though, is it? All right, I like Cena as well. [laughs] He’s probably one of my favourites, yeah.

7D: Mimic. (Chris ‘Mimic’ Basso – RCW)

 

Question 4: Is there any wrestler you really don’t like?

42A: Cena. [laughs] Look, 90 percent of today’s wrestlers in WWE I think are boring or over-rated. I’ve read where people say Ziggler is like Mr Perfect, but, I don’t remember Perfect botching as much as Ziggler does. But, really, the ones I don’t like are Cena, Orton, HHH – but I’ve always hated him – Santino, Barrett. Did I say Ryback? Christ, there’s a lot of them. But in TNA I reckon the only ones I don’t like, really, are Jeff Hardy and Zema Ion.

27L: I can’t stand Orton. He’s just so, I don’t know, I just don’t like him. I don’t like Bellows (Snakepit Pro Wrestling), but that’s just a personal thing. There’s a few Snakepit guys I don’t like. And I really don’t like those Melbourne guys in RC-Dub. (Any reason?) Silva’s just a good heel. Brooks is boring and I just don’t like him.

16S: I know we’re not supposed to like the bad guys, but I really don’t like the Miz. And I don’t get Sheamus.

7D: No, I like them all.

 

Question 5: What do you think of the WWE?

42A: Boring. Simple. It’s kiddie wrestling.

27L: It’s okay, I guess.

16S: I like it but I like the older stuff better.

7D: It’s too boring. It doesn’t look real.

 

Question 6: What do you think of TNA?

42A: It’s all right. It’s my preferred wrestling at the moment. I really like the Bound For Glory stuff they’re doing. It’s got better this year, and it’s easier to watch. WWE may do better Pay-Per-Views, but TNA does better matches and they’re better at making it seem like matches mean something.

27L: I hate it. (Have you watched it recently?) No, not for a few years. When I watched it last time it was full of stupid stories and the wrestling was pretty shit.

16S: Don’t watch it.

7D: Which one’s that? (Explained) Them. They’re okay. I like it when they’ve got the different ring.

 

Question 7: What do you think of independent wrestling?

42A: I used to watch Ring of Honour, but haven’t for a while. And when I read about the i-Pay-Per-View stuff, I’m glad I stopped. I watch a bit of Japanese wrestling when I can find it. Locally, I used to watch NWA, no, what are they called now? Zero-1, that’s it. But they’re boring. Great main events but the undercard is boring. You’ve taken me down to RCW a few times and they’re not too bad. Probably the best in Adelaide. Snakepit’s okay, if a bit like a watered down version of WWE. And then there’s HRPW. [laughs. A lot.] Sorry. Anyway, I caught a show in Melbourne a few months back and it was pretty ordinary. (Do you remember who they were?) No, not really. I should have gone to the one where the RCW guys were fighting over there. That show was supposed to be pretty good. (Was that Melbourne City Wrestling?) That’s them. Should have timed my trip better so I could have gone there. But look, it’s indy wrestling and it looks like indy wrestling, but, really, some of it’s not too bad.

27L: I go to some Snakepit shows and a few RCW shows. I like RCW, but it’s easier for me to get to Shakepit. I tried HRPW once, but never again. I want to go to Zero-1, but haven’t been able to get there yet. They don’t do shows that often.

16S: I went to a show and it was f****n awful. (Do you remember who?) No, it was out north somewhere. (You should try RCW.) You always say that.

7D: (Explained to him) Oh, RCW’s the best. I like them better than the TV stuff.

 

Word Association:

John Cena:

42A: Boring.

27L: Boring.

16S: Okay.

7D: Who?

CM Punk:

42A: Good wrestler.

27L: Okay, but greasy.

16S: Good wrestler.

7D: He’s got the tattoos.

Daniel Bryan:

42A: Could be the best.

27L: Good.

16S: Okay, I guess.

7D: He’s small.

Hulk Hogan:

42A: Broooother! (Damn fine impression)

27L: Is he still alive?

16S: Old.

7D: [does a pose]

Ric Flair:

42A: Woooo (Not as good impression)

27L: Is he alive as well?

16S: Really old.

7D: Who’s that?

 

I know it doesn’t mean much, but I just thought I’d try something like this to see what a small cross-section of the public down here in Adelaide, Australia thinks of some aspects of professional wrestling. Remember – these are people who claim to be wrestling fans, not just casual viewers or people who no longer watch.

 

I am *still* having issues with Disqus, which their wonderful fixes have so far failed to fix, but if you want to add your answers to the 7 questions and 5 word associations, feel free to do so in the comments section.

 

As for this fortnight’s Australiana…

Some comedy from the days when Paul Hogan was actually funny… even if it was the 1970s.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4LGAb7XkY4]
 

And that’s this view!

Australian. Father. Perpetual student. Started watching wrestling before Wrestlemania 1. Has delusions of grandeur and was known to regularly get the snot beaten out of him in a wrestling ring. Also writes occasionally in other Pulse sections.Thinks Iron Mike Sharpe is underrated. http://stevengepp.wordpress.com