The Future of Pro Wrestling
As we see more and more training schools opened around the country, it excites me about the future of pro wrestling.
One of the newest schools to be opened is the Rhodes Academy opened by the legend Dustin Rhodes. Now kids in Texas can go to yet another legend of the business and learn how to succeed and be great at doing what they love. We have schools such as Create A Pro in NY/NJ, Monster Factory, Black and Brave, 3D Academy, and so many more around the entire country and even more worldwide to learn from. And that made me think about what the future of pro wrestling also looks like and what inspires them.
Just think about 15-20 years ago. Women's wrestling was basically just a few names and they were overly sexualized and not made to feel like they were at the equal level as the men in terms of performance in the ring. Chyna was the only woman made to feel like she could deliver performances worthy of the big time on WWE at the time. We had seen other big time women in WCW at different times but that company had gone away at this time so we were left to just watch one company unless you could find a way to watch Joshi wrestling.
And then Trish, Lita, Jackie, Sable, Victoria and the other women's legends started pushing to get their spots. They started taking the little time given to them and would deliver matches to make the fans want to see more from them. And what that led to is little girls from the next generation discovering that they too could be at the level they were at. Bayley, Sasha, Becky and so many of the women we have now grown to love were influenced by that generation to want to become wrestlers. But they didn't want to be limited by the glass ceiling set before their time. This was where the women's revolution really took off and became the movement that is still changing the game today. So when you see this next generation of women coming up like Elayna Black, Billie Starkz, Mimi, Vicki, and so many others, they're going to keep pushing to break through that glass ceiling even more.
This all brings me to the reason for writing this. Today's generation of stars are so unique in their own individual styles and lives. We have the biggest representation of women and LGBTQIA wrestlers we have ever had in this industry. We have black wrestlers finally being given the proper respect for their talent and work ethics. Generations of black wrestlers before had never been given these platforms and acknowledgements because of racism and jealousy. But today, we have all of these different backgrounds represented in wrestling on a daily basis all over the business.
All of this is leading to countless young children now being given the chance to see actual representation of themselves in the heroes they watch on TV in wrestling. Young girls, young boys of all backgrounds, young children who are going through discovery of themselves and trying to feel comfortable in their own skin are now starting to see people like them on iwtv, firetv, on WWE, on AEW and anywhere else they want to watch wrestling. These kids are now given the opportunity to go learn at the schools that are available to them finally in this boom we're in and it's going to lead to an even bigger representation of wide backgrounds in the next generation of wrestlers.
Diversity, individuality, pride, happiness, uniqueness. I'm so proud to see what wrestling is doing for the future with the doors being opened by individuals who are making sure that they are being seen for who they are and show that any one from any background can do the art they love and nothing can stop them. One day, when wrestlers are asked who their wrestling heroes are, I hope it's indie stars like Billy Dixon, AJ Gray, Lee Moriarty, Jamie Senegal, Still Life,Allie Kat, Dark Sheik and so many more like them that are mentioned. Because they are all doing such a great job at being themselves. And they're the reason the future is bright.
