If you had read the previous number of ROH “Ringside”, you would have read that the main reason I was attracted to Ring of Honor, was because it was sport/wrestling orientated, and left the sports entertainment shenanigans at the door. Keeping this fact in mind, this article will not be as much as Ring of Honor itself, as it will be about my personal wrestling preferences.
Despite the fact that I appreciate the art of professional wrestling, despite the fact that I prefer a good wrestling match to a good storyline (side note, I do like storylines as long as they make sense and aren’t over the top), and despite the fact that I’ve been watching the sport for almost 30 years, I do not consider myself a wrestling expert. What do I mean by this? It actually means a lot of things.
Wrestling moves and holds
I admit it. Even though I’ve been watching professional wrestling for nearly thirty years, and seen almost every hold in the book, I do not know the name of more than half of the wrestling holds and moves that exist in the sport. I’m not only referring to the names that wrestlers like to call their finisher, but I also refer to the names regular wrestling moves or holds. I know a lot of moves, like the figure-four, the leg drop, the surfboard etc. etc., however there are tons of moves that I do not know how to name. It’s true that with time more innovative moves have been invented, but not only will I might not know these new moves, but some of the older ones my escape my knowledge as well. I discovered this “lack of knowledge” two ways; first by watching Ring of Honor itself and second, by playing the great game of Fire Pro Wrestling Returns for the PS2, where there were a shitload of moves that I was like… WTF is this move?
Wrestling Fan Terms
Smark? Smart? Mark? Casual fan? Hardcore fan? I don’t understand these terms. By logic, I imagine that I can understand what Casual and Hardcore fans are. Therefore I consider myself a hardcore fan, because I’ve following wrestling for nearly thirty years, I’m willing to watch any wrestling fed there is, from any country on the planet. I don’t necessary watch most of the obscure feds regularly, however I am trying to collect all the Chikara, CZW, ROH and Dragon Gate USA shows from the very start of each promotion to follow them. Also, from time to time I will watch obscure matches on YouTube. I watched Stampede Wrestling as a kid, I watched WCW when I had access to it, I love reading into the history of wrestling, I love looking past highlights….I just love wrestling. However, I don’t know what being a smark is, nor what being smart is, and what makes you a mark for someone and what doesn’t. My only opinion with regards to all this is that I believe that 95% of WWE fans are not Pro Wrestling fans, I believe they are simply WWE fans. Seriously, is a body slam done in WWE make it automatically better than a body slam performed in an independent federation? It’s the same move!
However I do have a vision of what makes a great match, I have a vision of what ring psychology is and I understand that not every match can be 100% scientific/technical/spotfests spectacles and the reasoning behind it.
Over Analysis
I take wrestling for what’s it worth. I have wrestlers that I like; I have wrestlers that I don’t like. I enjoy a show for what it’s worth and I will say it’s bad or if it was fun to watch. However, I’m not the type of person that says this should’ve been done this way, or this ending should’ve been done this way, this gimmick needs a change, etc. However, this does not mean that I won’t say that a wrestler deserves to be World Champion, or a better push, etc, but these are general opinions on specific wrestlers.
What does irritate me though is when I get on YouTube and see some videos that people post:
Basic Reviews of Shows
I find it pointless when I see people make basic “This is my opinion of this show” videos. Ok, fine, so? Thousands and Millions of people watch the same show the YouTuber is reviewing, so why review it to give an opinion? Will the show change? The outcomes change?
I will watch videos to hype up a specific show you want people to buy, to promote a certain federation you want people to know, or videos for open discussion between people.
I want to emphasize, that my articles will not be reviews of ROH Shows, its memories, matches and events, to attempt to get people into watching ROH.
Fantasy Booking
Fantasy booking, to me, is a waste of time. How you want to book when what you “book” will never happen? It’s your own little imagination and will not culminate to nothing. For that there’s two options, play wrestling videogames, or apply for a job as a booker.
Nit Picking
This show had too much this, it needed this, needed more of this, it had to hype the next pay per view, etc. etc. I repeat, I take a show for what it is, I don’t nitpick, say what had to be, should’ve been or what I would do better. I’ll like a match, I’ll like a show. I’ll hate a match; I’ll hate a show, period. I believe if you get too nit-picky, you’ll never enjoy the show, before you’ll be too focused on looking for flaws or with a set mind set.
Why do I mention all this? Because I want to make clear to all the readers of my articles, how I’m going to speak about Ring of Honor. I’m going to try and avoid nitpicking, I’m not going to know some of the wrestling moves performed, I’m not going to know if something is “fanworthy”, “smarky enough” or “smarty enough”. I’m going speak as the fan I’ve been of professional wrestling for thirty years. I’m going to promote Ring of Honor as a hardcore fan, but with my opinions leading towards a casual fan’s point of view. What I think is great might not be accepted by the hardcore fans, while what I consider bad is probably “Wrestling greatest thing”.
As I do this thought, please keep in mind that I’m a wrestling fan, you’re a wrestling fan, and it’s all about having as much fun watching the sport as possible.
— Jose Perez
Jose lives in Ourense, Spain although he was originally born in Calgary, Alberta. He’s 34, and has been a big ROH fan for the past 4 years. Follow him on Twitter @primus103