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“You can’t wrestle.” We’ve all heard it. Whether in person or on TV, this chant has been repeated enough to be heard over anything else going on in the ring. Now, we need to talk about why this chant should be removed from out go-to’s and never chanted again.
Why chant this at all?
First off, let’s think about why fans may chant this at all. Is it done because we feel that their entertainment quality is lacking? Maybe, but we really need to rethink this.
Today, we have a much better idea of what it takes to be a professional wrestler just based on shows like Tough Enough and video footage of people at performance and training centers across the world. But, we are still outsiders looking in. And though we feel that we have a, “better idea of what it takes,” very few if any of us can say we actually have experienced it.
For fans to allow this chant to come out of their mouths and get inside the heads of these people who have chosen to do something that not many people can do is just sad. These wrestlers are away from their families for weeks at a time, spend countless hours on the road for our entertainment, and we repay them with, “you can’t wrestle?”
Why are they on TV if what you’re chanting is true?
Second, do you really think if they couldn’t wrestle, they’d be on an active roster or on TV at all? It is a smack in the face to the powers that be to chant, “you can’t wrestle,” when they’ve put in time and money to ensure that person is in the ring to wrestle. I’ve heard it said many times that Vince McMahon and other truly good promoters make very few mistakes when it comes to this. They know what they are looking for, and they know how to promote it.
I don’t know if there has been an example, but I don’t think anyone has ever responded to a, “you can’t wrestle,” chant in the ring. It makes sense as to why. It’s embarrassing, and I think the superstars are just trying to turn the other cheek and do their best to move on with the match/promo and not let it affect them.
I will end by saying that “you can’t wrestle,” is probably the single most disrespectful and stupid thing that we as fans could chant. Let’s rise above this ignorance. And don’t get me wrong, the passion for pro wrestling is good, but let’s not tear down those that have spent their lives working toward this very difficult dream.
