Which matches would you show to a non-fan?

[fraserbee]

Why do so many people think a non-fan will be more interested if they see blood, real injury or someone stiffing the heck out of someone else? I suspect most girlfriends would be more put off by this than be encouraged to watch more.

 

My pick would be Bret Hart vs Davey Boy Smith from SummerSlam 1992. The huge crowd adds legitimacy and doesn't make it feel like some fringe cult fetish, there is a good story with plenty emotion (particularly the shots of Diana Smith looking all worried), throughout the match the action is tight enough not to totally expose things, but not overly violent and comes to a proper conclusion without any sillyness. In my view it ticks all the boxes.

[melina_mma]

Cena v RVD ONS06 & Cena v HHH WM22 , both got brilliant crowds and show how emotinal fans can get

Bret v Owen WM10, Owen v Davey Boy euro title, showcase of great technical wrestling

Austin v HHH NWO 01, Foley v Orton, great example of a brawl/hardcore match

Trish v Stephanie NWO01, Trish v Victoria hardcore, proof there is some decent womens wrestling in wwe

[Vamp]

At the moment I'm leaning towards saying a random AAA card. I'm biased, because that's what I'm actually watching, but I do think there's something there that might attract non-fans. More than long term US wrestling fans actually. I remember watching one a little while ago which opened with La Parka (not the original) getting into an argument at a press conference, a guy drenched in blood, a guy running around with an axe (sledgehammers? Pah) and then it launched into masked men flying about the place. Its not the easiest thing to follow, but I don't actually think that matters. I just think its an easy show to put on and have a laugh at. I wouldn't expect them to get hooked on it though. And it also depends how much the Spanish talking will bother them. I don't think commentary matters that much to a non-fan anyway. Although if there's a violent blood pissing match on then that might be a turn off. I won't say its more of a blokey thing, because that's just sexist, but its more of an action fan orientated thing I guess.

 

Your main issue is probably that wrestling is actually ridiculous. Including Japanese wrestlinh when you think about it. There's guys literally hitting each other quite hard and having to get back up to finish a pre-planned match. You're never goinh to manage to get her to believe its not ridiculous. In fact I didn't think there were any fans who believed wrestling was anything else? That doesn't make it any lesser of a form of entertainment than say Shakespeare, because that's also bloody ridiculous. And wonderful. Some people just don't enjoy it. Some people also don't enjoy Shakespeare. (Cough, Merchant of Venice anyone?) Really your best bet is to go to a decent live show. Doesn't have to be the WWE but has to be something where moves look like they actually hit and so forth. That's your best bet.