5 Pro-Wrestling Shows That You Should Be Watching
Pro-wrestling shows or professional wrestling promotions have become an important staple in the sports business today. Even though the outcomes are scripted, the consistent story arcs leading into feuds between combatants have always pleased fans. Due to this bond, the fans can connect with the stars on a much personal level.
Let's look at the most popular Professional Wrestling Promotions currently.
#1 WWE
The World Wrestling Entertainment is the biggest and the most popular pro-wrestling promotion in the world currently. Founded in 1952 as Capitol Wrestling and from 1980 onwards as Titan Sports, the World Wrestling Federation or the WWF emerged. Back in the early days in the 80s, it was Vince McMahon and popular star Hulk Hogan who oversaw the growth and expansion over the next few years.
The next major development came when the WWF's Raw began competing directly with the WCW's Nitro known then as the Monday night wars in the 1990s. This era was spearheaded by Shane McMahon, the son of Vince McMahon. On October 19, 1999, the WWF became a publicly traded company on the NYSE and has traded under the WWE symbol since then. This phase also saw the acquisition of their main rivals - the WCW and the ECW and with an unparalleled roster, the WWE had become the biggest wrestling promotion in the world.
The current programming for WWE relies mainly on WWE Raw and WWE SmackDown brands. Besides this, there are a number of PPVs conducted throughout the year- the SummerSlam, WrestleMania, Money in the Bank and others which the talent from both the brands compete in together.
Apart from all this, the WWE has become a product which is more than just sports or business. The WWE has a significant impact on pop culture today.
The current roster include stars such as John Cena, Roman Reigns, AJ Styles, Charlotte Flair, The Miz, Samoa Joe, Shunsuke Nakamura, Jinder Mahal, Ronda Rousey and more. Also WWE is the home of The Rock, Batista, The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, Big Show and a plethora of other talent over the years.
In India, the main shows - Raw and Smackdown and the PPVs air live on Sony Ten channel.