Why don't more self proclaimed Nerds watch Wrestling?

[SadakoMoose]

Ok, so I know what you're thinking right now. It seems like a bit of a mismatch, right?
Self Proclaimed Nerd-dom and Professional Wrestling, doesn't seem like two things with very much crossover appeal? On the surface, maybe.
But here are some things that may change your mind:
First of all: Japan loves pro wrestling.
It's one of the three top wrestling countries, along with the US and Mexico.
It LOVES the stuff, and it was very important in establishing their modern cultural identity.
(Google "Rikidozan" if you don't believe me)

Anyway, the below vid shows the first part of Tiger Mask vs Villan III
(here's part two if you want it:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqM1zc7MIG4&NR=1)
Villano is a Luchador (Lucha Libre is still hip, right?)
Tiger Mask? He's a Japanese guy named Satoru Sayama, who was sent overseas to train in Mexico and Britain, so he could take a gimmick: BASED ON AN ANIME CHARACTER!
He's in essence, a COSPLAYING luchador...And don't think he's alone either:
Jushin Thunder Liger...
Uses an anime opening as his entrance music...
Finishing move? The shooting star press39 in the video)..a move he invented after watching Souther do it on Fist of the North Star...
He's not the only fan too. Satoshi Kojima is a bleach fan, and used to wear a Hollow mask to the ring. Kotara Suzuki loves him some Gundam. MVP collects Cowboy Bebop stuff. It goes on...

Then there's these two:
Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi, the golden lovers...
Dude, this alone should have half the girls in my anime club on the wrestling bandwagon.
You know what their finisher is?
A Hadouken/German Suplex combo!
Holy shiz, right?

Aside from the absolutely incredible athletics involved, there is just so much here that appeals to so very many of the same people who saw Scott Pilgrim...

Even then, so very many wrestlers are also big self proclaimed nerds...
Cody Rhodes has a Triforce on his boots, for good luck. Kofi Kingston will jog in the rain to pick up a game he wants. Hell, here's Bryan Danielson:

Reading Beasts of Burden By Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson, both of whom are also wrestling fans...

Besides, over the last 3 decades, both wrestling fans and nerd culture have treated the exact same way by the mainstream press.
Condescending Articles
Being told that we're immature or foolish
Does this sound familiar:
"I play video games"
"Oh you mean like that Halo thing? Dude, find a girl"
or
"I read comics"
"Oh, like Superman or whatever...What are you 8?"
or
"I watch wrestling"
"Oh that WWE thing? Lol that's so fake/gay"

Please, look into pro wrestling OUTSIDE of the WWE. You'll be surprised how much there is you might like.
Here's billzeroism's youtube page:
http://www.youtube.com/user/billzeroism
He has hundreds of music videos he's made of some of the better Japanese shows.
Pay specific attention to DDT, NJPW, RJPW and Zero 1 (or my favorite, ICE RIBBON)
It's some good stuff, honest. I know you'll find something you'll like.
Hell, we even our own equivalent of 4chan, called /wooo/...

Come on guys, let's have open mind and delve further into the world of wrestling!

 

[Canid117]

Someone doesn't remember the shitstorm that happened when SciFi started showing wrestling. Ah network decay what cant you do?

 

[TriggerHappyAngel]

There are also drug dealers and prostitutes who like comics and anime, so we (nerds) should relate to them too?

 

[JoJo]

There are similarities in the way they are both treated by the media and non-fans, but that doesn't mean we should automatically like it. As a geek/nerd (depending on your definition) I'm not interested in wrestling simply because it doesn't interest me, I find fighting and combat generally boring including action movies most teen males I know enjoy.

 

[CarbonEagle]

I think that wrestling and any other professional sport is pretty stupid. I don't wanna sit for an hour watching someone else have fun. Thats lazy and boring. I'm going to either do it myself or not do it, none of this wishing I could do it for hours every week. And for the things I don't want to do or cant do personally I play a video game of. At least then i'm doing something.

 

[Woodsey]

You have far too much time on your hands if you were able to look for such irrelevant points of comparison.

 

[Lilitu]

I like to watch wrestling but maybe I am not a nerd...hrm...but I like video games. And I have some comic books and mangas as well...

btw: Chris Sabin's (TNA/iMpact-Wrestling) ring name is derived from the character Sabin Rene Figaro from the video game Final Fantasy VI (originally released in America as Final Fantasy III).

 

[Nuuu]

I don't like real-life violence, and i don't find much interest just sitting there watching 2-4 people beat eachother to the ground. In a video-game, i'm doing something, but then again, i don't even like sports games. (part of the reason might be my friend beating me 0-56 in a madden game)

 

[SadakoMoose]

So because of the 'comic book' style storytelling and a few wrestlers use 'anime themes' nerds should love it?

Epic Fail??

Nice try, but no.

Well, that's not quite what I meant...
I never talked about storytelling, but your ind of right there.
I was referring to the ridiculous amount of crossover appeal I see.
Japan's a pretty big cultural nexus, you know?

Even then, the sheer athleticism of this stuff is just as mindblowing as some of the parkour vids and Jackie Chan fight scenes I've watched.
Just saying.

Someone doesn't remember the shitstorm that happened when SciFi started showing wrestling. Ah network decay what cant you do?

Well, I ended my post with the words "OUTSIDE the WWE"
I wouldn't expect Smackdown on SyFy to convert anyone. Same way I wouldn't expect Miller Light to convince someone to start drinking beer. If Miller Light had been my first beer, I would have quit right then and there.
The WWE does not represent pro wrestling, at it's best or even at a base level.
Judging wrestling by what the WWE does is like judging movies overall by what Michael Bay does.

Just give Billzeroism a chance...

 

[sergnb]

I used to when I was a child, but I don't anymore?

Why?

Because I used to think they were legit fights, and I realized they were all staged. Don't get me wrong, wrestling as an staged show is perfectly fine, I just don't see the appeal in it.

 

[DEAD34345]

Psh, I'm far too manly to watch something as homosexual as men in spandex groping each other.[sup]1[/sup]

Also, I'm definitely a nerd, but not that kind of nerd. I have enjoyed 2 anime series, but only 2 despite trying to find other good ones, I have never enjoyed a comic (or manga) since I read the Beano as a young child and I don't love Japan and everything it makes. I do however enjoy programming as a hobby, I like learning things to do with science, and I play tons of really obscure games and ASCII-based roguelikes.

Wrestling is just not something that appeals to me at all, whether Japan likes it or not.

[sup]1[/sup][sub]Pay no attention to the My Little Pony avatar.[/sub]

 

[Hungry Donner]

I can see the connection the OP is making, and in different circumstances maybe it would be a big nerd activity. However it's still not going to get me to follow it. *shrug*

Someone doesn't remember the shitstorm that happened when SciFi started showing wrestling. Ah network decay what cant you do?

To think Asimov and Roddenberry were involved in the channel's creation. The wrestling actually doesn't both me as much as I'd expect, it's their poor treatment of A-list science fiction shows of late.

 

[Risingblade]

There was always something about two half naked men grabbing each other on a mat that I never really found enjoyable.

 

[linwolf]

Why because wrestling is boring. There are only two sports worth watching boxing and Starcraft.

 

[Neo10101]

So just because SOME nerds like things that come from Japan they should like everything that comes from Japan? Oh yea, that's some perfect logic being shown there. (sarcasm)

 

[Biosophilogical]

"I watch wrestling"
"Oh that WWE thing? Lol that's so fake/gay"

I don't watch wrestling (I am not a violence kind of person, I'd much prefer a videogame or some british humour). But what I don't get is that some very popular sports in some countries tend to be grown men running with an egg while an entire team of grown men wrestle them to the ground. And I know that in itself isn't overly homosexual (in outward appearance), but in some sports they wear short shorts, and the way they tackle them has very strong homosexual implications. Now, I'm okay with that, but the fans of the sport seem completely oblivious to it (or in denial). They think one guy getting jumped by four others, then bouncing around to get them off him so he can keep playing (and a guy flopping around when a guy's crotch is in his face, and another guy's is on his arse is about as far from subtle as you can get while still being implicit) is in no way 'not straight', then they go and call all other sports gay for far less coherent reasons.

I mean seriously, are they in denial of what they see? Do they realsie what they see and bury it beneath insults to other sports?

OT: I'm not a fan of wrestling. I'm not really a fan of watching any sport, let alone ones that revolve around causing harm (fake or otherwise) to other people. Give me some Monty Python, Bones or The Last Airbender any day.