Dana White Rallies the Pro Wrestling Fanbase
UFC kingpin Dana White recently called pro wrestling "fake" and the whole world came to a screeching halt. Everyone is talking about it, everyone is ticked off and everyone is ready to light the torches and storm his castle.
But before we print T-Shirts for the organized mob, let's all take a step back and think about this. I mean, let's really think about this.
Just how mad are you right now? Is this enough to make your blood boil or are you just mildly annyoed by it all? After all, this is only really news to those of us that are diehard fans; I daresay the casual viewer may not even care about what he said.
But that's always been the issue with us; we're very protective of the business and very defensive when it comes to outside attacks. We can criticize each other, burn writers to the ground and cruicify Vince McMahon for his sins regarding the industry but when it comes to a voice from outside of our ranks?
That's a Katy-bar-the-door scenario right there and we're all in the middle of it now.
I love that about us; not the internal nonsense bit, but the other part. I love the idea that when we're attacked, we rally behind the sport we love and defend it to the end. Being part of such a rabid fanbase is something that's beyond all understanding if you're not part of it. White is definitely not part of it.
He doesn't get it and as with anyone that doesn't get it, there is virtually no way to make him get it. He's coming from an area, from a veiwpoint, that most of us are not and do not understand. Many of us grew up with the business, it became part of our lives, our every day existence. Dusty Rhodes was my father figure while Magnum TA, Wahoo McDaniel and Jimmy Vailant were my uncles.
The Rock and Roll Express were my best friends and Nikita Koloff stood up for me when I was bullied on the playground. These guys were my family, they were as real to me as anyone physically in my life and I was a happy kid because of it.
How could I not be happy watching Dusty take on The Four Horsemen? Seeing him rise above the attack, fight back from certain defeat and keep on pushing, made me do the same. He inspired me and caused me to not only understand but believe in the American dream more than many adults I knew.
I learned very early in my life that if you wanted something, you had to fight to get it and you couldn't let anyone stand in your way. This was more than just a man in black trunks and cowboy boots telling a story in the ring; he was setting an example for all those that believed in him.
Did I know wrestling was a cooperative sport in the beginning? No. Did I realize the finishes were predetermined and the world title decided by a board of directors instead of legitimate athletic competition? Not a chance. Was my love of pro wrestling ruined when I discovered it was indeed a business? Forget about it.
The issue here is not that Dana White said it's fake. We've put up with that as fans for years. It's that he does not have the connection we have. He doesn't understand and he never will.
When UFC first came into existence, there were no big shiny title belts. There was no video tron, entrance music or pyro. All of that was reserved for pro wrestling presentations. But little by little, UFC begin to incorporate these elements into its programming until eventually, their product looked suspiciously like a WWE pay-per-view.
Of course, UFC's highest attended pay-per-view was nearly 56000 in 2011 while WrestleMania 31 was nearly 77000, with WrestleMania 30 coming in at nearly 76000 and WrestleMania 29 in with nearly 81000. I wonder if it mattered to the 20 thousand plus more fans at each event that pro wrestling is "fake?"
I have much respect for anyone that steps into the Octagon. It's an intense sport that requires a lifetime of dedication and fortitude to not only break into, but to succeed at as well. But to look at what those men and women do in an environment that requires them to hurt each other, then look at WWE and criticize it forexisting in an environment that requires its talent to protect each other? That's missing the point.
White has offended many workers, not only in WWE but in other companies as well and there's no reason for it. He has to know that anything he says will be blown up and reprinted word-for-word thousands of times the moment it leaves his mouth. Maybe concentrating on his own sport that's been around for all of 10 minutes, instead of a company like WWE, whose championship is 52 years old, would be a better idea.
UFC and WWE offer two different products targeted at the same audience so there are bound to be incidents like this. But for Dana White to take a shot the way he did speaks volumes of not only what he thinks he knows but also what he really doesn't know at all.
Like I said, he just doesn't get it.
