How to survive dating a wrestling fan during WrestleMania season
The Super Bowl. The World Cup. The Olympics. WrestleMania.
OK, pro wrestling's biggest spectacle might seem a little out of place in the company of those other major sporting events. But trust me, for millions of wrestling fans worldwide, the greatest time of year is upon us.
As WrestleMania 31 prepares to invade TV screens Sunday night, what does that mean for people newly dating card-carrying members of the WWE Universe? It means you are about to be immersed in the culture like never before.
Here are a few tips to help you survive the "Showcase of the Immortals." The show starts at 7 p.m. on the WWE Network and pay-per-view.
Ask questions
And be prepared to listen. If there is one thing wrestling fans love as much as watching it, it's talking about it, so ask anything. Favorite wrestler, favorite match, favorite era — just be prepared to listen.
Asking questions also shows you're taking interest in something that is important to your better half, and that's always a positive thing.
Understand the importance
Remember when I compared WrestleMania to the Super Bowl and the World Cup? Well, there is good reason. WrestleMania is easily the most important event on the calendar of a wrestling fan. It provides the payoff for so many small story lines and feuds that have been rolling all year long, and typically, the quality of the event is head and shoulders above everything else the WWE does for the rest of the year.
WrestleMania also continues to do big numbers for the company. Now that the event is streamed on the WWE Network, the pro wrestling equivalent to Netflix that costs $9.99 per month, more fans can afford to watch. The event sells for about $60 on pay-per-view.
Last year, 690,000 people bought the show and an additional 667,000 had access to it on WWE Network, giving WrestleMania a potential combined viewership of more than 1.3 million people. WrestleMania 28, which pit The Rock vs. John Cena in the main event, holds the pay-per-view record of more than 1.2 million buys.
So, please, understand that this is a big deal for your mate. If you have an errand you need run, wait until the final bell. If you have a cute dog or cat video you want to share, just bookmark it. We'll be ready to check it out later.
Watch out for flying emotions
Wrestling events, especially WrestleMania, prey on the emotions of fans. It's one of the reasons more than a million people now subscribe to the WWE Network and why WrestleMania in a matter of minutes sells out massive venues — this year the 75,000-seat Levi's Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers. Wrestling fans care about the product. A lot.
So be on the lookout of emotional outbursts. Screams of joy when a match has a perfect ending. Shock and anger when something disagreeable goes down. "Oos" and "ahs" on a particularly impressive match. It's all part of the show.
Don't get jealous
Wrestling is often compared with soap operas in many ways. The drama. The year-round story lines. The sometimes questionable acting. But also like soaps, there is no shortage of attractive superstars for fans to enjoy.
So fellas, don't get all twisted and turned into knots when your WWE-loving girlfriend starts swooning over Roman Reigns or Randy Orton. And ladies, forgive your man if he pays a little too much attention to matches featuring the likes of the Bella Twins or AJ Lee. You're still the world heavyweight champ of his or her heart.
Give it a chance
Seriously, you might like it. I've been watching since I was a kid, so my girlfriend always has been supportive of my love for wrestling and wouldn't run out of the room when "RAW" or "Smackdown" came on. And over time, I noticed something. She could recite the wrestler's names, moves and recap story lines almost as well as I could. There may be a budding fan in our midst.
Modern World Wrestling Entertainment often tries to provide a little something for everyone. Gone are the blood-soaked, profanity heavy days of Stone Cold Steve Austin and the "Attitude Era." The brand now promotes a safer in-ring style in the wake of recent pushes for concussion awareness, so you won't see dangerous moves like the piledriver or competitors being struck in the head with steel chairs in today's WWE. Overall, the tonal shift moves the product closer to the golden age of the mid-80s when Hulk Hogan was telling kids to say their prayers and eat their vitamins.
You might be surprised to see something at WrestleMania that clicks with you, provided you give it a fair shake.
Don't call it fake!
Like, never. Don't do it. Trust us, we know. Scripted? Yes. Predetermined? Obviously. Not a "real" sport? Probably not. It actually has more in common with the ballet or the opera.
But calling it fake is a cheap dig at how much effort the men and woman on the WWE roster put into pulling off a good show. A wrong move or miscommunication in the ring could lead to tragedy. Need proof? Look no further than the tragic death of Lucha Libre star Perro Aguayo Jr. during a match earlier this month.
Yes, the fighting is "fake," but the risks are very real.
Ready for the big show this Sunday? Join in as Star reporter Justin L. Mack live-tweets all the action from WrestleMania 31. Follow him on Twitter: @justinlmack. Call him at (317) 444-6138.