Well, how did that feel wrestling fans? Good? Remember it.
I don’t know about you, but it felt like an eternity since y’all got together and made a billion dollar corporation quiver in its boots. WWE and big brother TKO Group had grand plans for a WrestleMania season built around The Rock returning to wrestling to face Roman Reigns and those plans got shined up real nice, turned sideways, and stuck straight up there … ahhh, you know the rest.
You called bullshit.
They listen
Wrestling fans are the most passionate group of fans in existence. Your influence over the business you follow is unmatched compared to any other entertainment entity in the world. When you’re loud, they listen.
Think about it. Daniel Bryan’s rise to prominence in the WWE, CM Punk finally finding his place at the top of cards, Steve Austin’s meteoric run, the WWE women’s division appropriately getting treated like equal contributors to their craft, the birth of AEW, the unfortunate news of a few summers ago regarding the Speak Out movement, hell, the Lex Express being pulled back into the station. Each of those significant events in the history of pro wrestling was built on the backs of the voices of wrestling fans. Fans were loud, companies listened, and not only did the fans get what they wanted, but in some cases, the wrestling business was forever changed for the better. There are countless other examples, too, but the point is: your voice matters and it’s meaningful. You get the job done when needed. You’re needed again.
This isn’t a usual take from me. These aren’t usual times, though. This is a political one and I hope you keep reading.
Like most of you, I was shook watching the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade. At first it was a marvel seeing the massive crowds fawn over Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. That marvel turned into horror when news broke that a shooting had occurred in the mass of humanity leaving one dead and many injured, including children. I was sad for those people, their families – other people and other families now traumatized just by living through that event, which will forever define that Super Bowl win.
Then, I thought about WrestleMania. I thought about the mobs of people in line at merchandise stands outside of SoFi Stadium last year. I thought about the lines of people 50 deep to get into the building and the kids in those lines clutching their toy WWE Championship belts, while feverishly turning the pages of their new WrestleMania programs. I thought about the parents navigating those lines for their kids and other grown adults with big groups of friends polishing off the remains of their beer before enjoying a night of professional wrestling at the highest level.
It can happen to us too
It was a scary thought and it shouldn’t have been. After all, WrestleMania is supposed to be fun, right? The showcase of the immortals they say. Where legends are born? All true, but while thinking about WrestleMania in the context of Kansas City this week, all I thought was … it could happen to us too.
So, get those voices ready. You’re needed once again to change things for the better. The main event? It’s not Rock vs. Reigns we’re interrupting this time. It’s the status quo. The stakes? Winning and saving lives. So, just like you would at a WrestleMania or Summerslam … react! Just like you did when The Rock was paraded out on television to steal a title shot from Cody Rhodes a few weeks ago, shake the building to its core. Use your voice and let’s push for some common sense gun reform laws, so our treasured events won’t ever be marred by senseless violence.
You’re the right group of people to do this. When you see bullshit in a wrestling ring, you mobilize. Your voice gets loud and commands attention. It gets overbearing and wonderfully obnoxious. Like the interruptive cheers for Daniel Bryan during the Championship Ascension ceremony years ago, you take over and create change. This is no different.
Wrestling fans are a diverse bunch. Part of the fun in going to shows, traveling to special events, and interacting back and forth online during major wrestling happenings is engaging with the fellow fans, learning their opinions, points of view, and perspectives on what they’re watching. Wrestling fans are good people. On numerous occasions, I’ve seen fans support one another online during times of hardship, or lend a hand of advice amidst a tough decision. I’ve seen fans welcome random other fans into their tailgate groups at WrestleMania, and I’ve seen others strike up a conversation with a solo traveler on a bus ride to a big show. So, get loud. Preserve that. You deserve to continue engaging like you do at shows without the constant threat of a mass shooting.
Call bullshit
Call your elected representatives. Be heard. Just like with Cody Rhodes, only now, it’s a dopey senator or representative you’re working to manipulate. Here’s a list of all elected members of the US Congress and how to reach them. Just like you would weekly on Raw, voice your displeasure to them until something is changed and smart gun laws are a reality:
https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Donate. Moms Demand Action is a wonderful organization dedicated to enacting strong gun control legislation. They need help. If you have extra dollars to spare or can hold back on a wrestling t-shirt this month, get that dough in the hands of these people. They make a difference. They need donations in other ways, too. Time is just as valuable as money. You can make calls for them. Cut your own promo as you dial and canvass with gun legislation at the forefront as your lead catchphrase. You can learn about donating time and money to Moms Demand Action at this link:
We’re smart. You’re smart. The ease at which people are able to attain violent weapons made for a damn battlefield is senseless. Stupid. Like, Daniel Bryan taking on Sheamus at WrestleMania 30 stupid.
You got the machine to cave then. Let’s do it one more time.