Did anyone used to watch wrestling?

[Wrestlemania]

Or perhaps you still do?

I was talking with a friend about '90s nostalgia and we both loved wrestling, WWE or WWF as it was then known.

It was huge at school especially with the boys but I knew more about it than any of them. I remember, perhaps falsely, it being part of thr culture in a way. I'm sure more so in the U.S but I remember seeing wrestlers appearing in tv shows. On merchandise everywhere and then there were things like Celebrity Death Match. Some of the first movies I remember watching featured Hulk Hogan.

Was anyone else a fan?

Oh my gosh, I saw some for the first time recently and I was enthralled! I could NOT follow the plot, something a businessman who didn't want to wrestle anymore but some twin brothers have a blood feud, and then a guy raising his eyebrow. It was amazing! I'm trying to get my husband to agree to watch every Friday but no luck so far.

Yes we watched it often growing up and it's on in the house often now as my husband watches any sport! Has anyone listened to the True Crime and cocktails episode about Chyna? It's so sad, she had a rough time in the wrestling industry!

I did watch AEW the other week when CM Punk came back. That crowd was off the scale. I do miss the live shows, used to go to loads.

We were at a holiday camp when DS was about 5, and one night they had wrestling on - amateur lads (very good) doing a mix of Big Daddy & WWE style. We told DS we had to boo the baddies. He was really into it and got so enthused he shouted at the main baddy

BOOO!! YOU STINK OF ONIONS

Which was the worse insult he could think of. The baddy took it in good part, pretending to cry and was defeated by the 'goodie' 😄

@mintich

Yes I used to watch it in the late 80s/early 90s. Loved Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan etc. I also remember having the sticker books! It's sad how many of the wrestlers from those days have died prematurely

This was my era too, complete with the sticker books lol! Everyone wanted the "shineys" with the wrestlers' logos, and if you managed to get one of the coloured reflector ones... it was the ultimate playground currency

Used to love WWF and WCW before it all became WWE in the 90s. Sad how a lot of them are now dead or had serious health problems due to injuries and drug dependence. I actually despise Vince

I still do :) In fact, on my first date with now DH he asked if I liked sport and I asked if WWE counted. A lot of our date was me suspiciously thinking when he said he loved it he actually meant he'd watched the Undertaker when he was six or something.

Nope. He really loves it too. We're already plotting plans for Royal Rumble weekend at the end of the month :)

Also, people looking for nostalgia and info on 'back in the day' stuff, All4 has a couple of series of Dark Side of the Ring - hour long documentaries about lots of the well-known and big controversies of the 90s/00s - so Bret Hart and the Montreal screw job, the death of Owen Hart, Chris Benoit etc.

I was very into it in the early 90s and then got back into it in the early 2000's due to ExH.

My ringtone is Kurt Angle's entrance music to this day! I bloody LOVED him - very conservative, right wing in real life but such an incredible wrestler!

I also love John Cena - never took himself too seriously and certainly at one point, was the biggest donator of his time to the Make a Wish Foundation ever. Plus, the memes... so many memes

I was a huge WWF fan. Went to a lot of their British gigs including summer slam at Wembley.

I’ve watched loads of you tube docs which are really revealing on how it all works behind the scenes. Apparently British bulldog has been doing a lot of coke before the match with Brett Hart at summer slam that he hadn’t learnt the moves. Brett had to carry him through the whole match.

I also got to shake Andre the Giants hand at London Arena!! RIP Andre!

I might have to try going to a smaller local promotion's show. . I've never done that and it should be fun

You absolutely should... it is such a great night and there's normally either someone old school who wrestled in the WWE for two weeks or some real up and comers! Also, British wrestling is a very different style to American - much more brawling and 'realistic'..

I agree there are some really sad stories and, despite the Wellness Policy which was brought in after the horrific Chris Benoit incident, they continue to this day. Daffney died last year at 39 and New Jack at only 58...

On a cheerier note, I recommend if anyone is on Facebook to follow Marty Janetty - he is just an absolute messhead but in the best possible way!!

Yes! My parents, brother and I were obsessed with WWF in the early nineties. Went to Wembley a couple of times as well.

My early teenage crushes included Bret Hart and Shaun Michaels. (I should probably have name changed before admitting that!).

And yes as already mentioned upthread it’s art just how many of the wrestlers died very young.

Also in retrospect I realise how Vince McMahon and co controlled the whole thing so tightly, and the wrestlers were often treated really badly. I saw a documentary about the death of Owen Hart a few years ago which portrayed the WWF as completely callous and the wrestlers treated as basically expendable.

@SortMyHouse

WWF then they changed their name because of wildlife.

Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, The Undertaker his manager Paul Bearer , Macho Man his fiance Elizabeth cringy couple, Jake the Snake, Tornado (committed suicide I think due to a wrestling related disability), Sapphire, Hart Foundation - Brett, Owen, Anvil - loved it. Everyone boys and girls loved it.
The only issue you needed sky to watch it.
My dad's mate used to tape it for us and every Sunday we would go to the Gurdwara, do our studies and then get the tape and come home and watch it. Ready to discuss on Monday at school. Happy times.

In one bedroom we had 2 double beds, we would push the beds together throw the cushions on the sides and me and my siblings would play Royal Rumble. We always let the baby be the winner and had a fake winner's belt.

Happy days.

This was my era too. Had a massive Undertaker poster in my room. Not cause I fancied him though. I had posters for films and bands and stuff I liked on the wall rather than heartthrobs.

I loved Hulk Hogan vs Ultimate Warrior match, when Hulk lost and instead of being a sore loser, raised the Warrior's hand, gave him the belt and a massive hug.

Fun fact for older readers, Big Daddy's real name was Shirley Crabtree, after his dad.

Fun Fact - Giant Haystacks chucked my (5ft 5 on a good day) dad across the road back in t'day when dad said he was a big tool - or words to that effect. They lived in the same area growing up.

My most memorable moments -
•Survivor series 2001 when Vince McMahon came out after the show and it was finally the end of the Monday night wars between wwf and wcw, still gives me goosebumps.
•Eddie Guerreros legacy and the effect he had on professional wrestling worldwide.
•Stone cold Steve Austin and the Zamboni.
•Taker throwing cactus jack off the top of hell in a cell
•The formation of Evolution
•Trish stratus retirement match and how absolutely heartbroken I was

Many many more spanning into the modern era!

Great list.

Some of mine. I really need to go back and watch some clips to remember more of it.

The Montreal Screwjob
Kane's debut when he ripped the door from the cell.
Kane being unmasked for the first time.
Kane and Undertaker's inferno match
DX Invading WCW
The whole Ministry of Darkness storyline though Vince should never have been the Higher Power. That ruined it.
Any of the APA's backstage and bar segments. I loved them.
APA breaking up for the final time and Bradshaw becoming JBL
The Brood
Public Enemy vs The Acolytes. Talk about an asskicking.
JBL's feud with Eddie. Especially the Judgement Day match. That broke the Muta scale
Mankind's fall from the cell
That big fall that Shane McMahon took.
JBL crawling under the ring to retain the title
For the wrong reasons, the deaths of Eddie Guerrero and Owen Hart

Remember watching the show Owen died on live on Sky. It was pretty horrific that it continued, you could even see blood on the canvas.

I loved Shawn Michaels winning the title for the first time - after the most boring hour long iron man match, worth it though.
Mick Foley getting thrown off the top of Hell in a cell
The first Hardyz v Brood ladder match. Felt revolutionary.
Cena v Punk series around 2012? Punks pipe bomb was so much fun.
Lita and Trish paving the way for Womens wrestling.
The first NXT and how nexus was the hottest thing for a while.

My 2 sons used to love it. The favourites were Big Boss Man and The undertaker. When the friends all came round (all boys), my 2 used to have wrestling matches, and I'd always be Referee (to ensure nobody got hurt) and I used to ring this little ornamental bell I'd got, to signify beginning or ending of rounds

@jay55

I too watched Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks back in the 80s. Saturday evenings with pop and a banana (it was shopping day and we only had bananas on Saturdays).

Never got into the WWF stuff that came later with all the costumes and stuff.

But I loved Glow on Netflix.

I never watched it but I did swim in Kent Walton's pool. It was fucking freezing.

Used to watch it with dad on Saturday afternoons about 4ish if I remember. Giant Haystacks, Jackie Pallo with his black ribbon, Mick McManus and Kent Walton commentating…happy days!

Do any of you watch Heels? DH loves it - a drama about WWE style wrestling, families, the wrestlers 'off duty' etc.

I've been to so many smaller promotions, and the really cool thing is I got to see and meet several wrestlers then, who are now huge names in the WWE. Definitely go and have a look!

Lucky you getting to meet some future stars. I'll definitely check out a show.

You absolutely should... it is such a great night and there's normally either someone old school who wrestled in the WWE for two weeks or some real up and comers! Also, British wrestling is a very different style to American - much more brawling and 'realistic'..

That sounds ideal. My favourite wrestlers were always the big brawlers because it felt more realistic to me.

I had the biggest crush on Shawn Michaels in the mid to late 90’s, I’m not ashamed to admit I still know the lyrics to his theme tune

I loved it as a child, still watch occasionally now and went to Wrestlemania in 2017 - that was a bloody show and a half!