Fake or not, WWE will make history in 2016

World Wrestling Entertainment or WWE (formerly WWF) is arguably among the most watched sporting spectacles on Indian television. Some would even go to the extent of claiming that WWE is second to only cricket in terms of popularity among young Indians. But the question which the WWE fraternity or WWE Universe, as Vince McMahon’s company prefers to call itself, keeps encountering on a frequent basis is: Is WWE real?

Many are left wondering as to whether the WWE is actually a sport. Grown-ups often dismiss the WWE as fake, but the word would be too harsh on those wrestlers who put their bodies on the line inside the squared circle (that’s what a ring is referred to as in WWE). The world of professional wrestling is one of sports entertainment. Instead of using the word fake (which is frowned upon by the WWE universe and regarded offensive), we can use the word scripted to describe the fights we see on television. Wrestlers tell stories, but they tell it through their bodies.

WWE revolves around the notion of kayfabe. The creative team of writers working behind the curtains cultivate two kinds of wrestling characters on screen. There are “faces” or positive characters.

Also read: How WWE ruined my life

Wrestlers portrayed as faces are generally cheered on by the fans and tend to be upright in their behaviour on television. On the other hand, there are “heels” or negative characters who are hated and despised since they either indulge in foul play while wrestling or berate their fans regularly.

Foul play can be in the form of outside interference (another wrestler showing up in the middle of a singles' match and helping the heel pick up a victory) or by making use of a disallowed objected like a steel chair, sledgehammer, barbed wire or title belt. The face characters try to defy all odds on television including bad bosses who put them in tricky situations and emerge victorious. It’s not always necessary that faces square off against the heels. At times two positive characters or two negative characters are also made to fight each other. Faces and heels routinely pick up victories against one another during ensuing feuds.

Some of the most famous face characters include The Undertaker and John Cena, the reigning torch bearer of the company. Other legendary performers like Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold, The Rock and Triple H have successfully played the role of both face and heel. Wrestling fans would fondly recall blockbuster rivalries between Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant, Stone Cold and The Rock and Triple H and Shawn Michaels. Wrestlers keep switching roles periodically. This is done to ensure that there is no predictability of wrestlers in terms of their on-screen behaviour. The reaction of the fans is carefully observed whenever there is a major storyline twist with wrestlers turning heel or face. Such moves help the creative team in reinventing characters and killing boredom and frustration among fans.

The storylines are worked upon carefully and televised on a weekly basis on WWE RAW and SmackDown. Most often heels go head to head against faces at a PPV or Pay Per View, which take place almost once a month. Some of the famous PPVs include Backlash, Summer Slam and Survivor Series. There are different kinds of matches including Singles Match, Tag Team Match, 2 on 1 Handicap Match, Triple Threat Match, Fatal Four Way, No Disqualification Match (wrestlers can utilize any object they can lay their hands on) and matches inside steel structures like Hell in a Cell, Steel Cage and Elimination Chamber.

The Undertaker is associated with Buried Alive and Casket matches. And then you have the high flying Tables, Ladders and Chairs match where wrestlers perform acrobatic moves trying to dismantle one another inside the ring. The outcome is scripted and predetermined but that doesn’t reduce or lessen the effort on the part of wrestlers many of whom have acquired injuries while performing. The wrestling careers of Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret "The Hitman" Hart were shortened as a result of legitimate injuries they sustained during their in-ring performances.      

Every year the WWE holds Wrestlemania, the most prized annual wrestling event billed as “The Showcase of The Immortals”. Wrestlemania 32 is slated to take place on April 3, 2016, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The WWE is planning to shatter attendance records at the stadium which has a capacity of 93,000. The road to Wrestlemania begins with the Royal Rumble which is just a few weeks away and will be held on January 24.

But before that the WWE Universe is coming to India’s capital city of New Delhi on January 15. The WWE Live Event will be held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium with performers like John Cena and Big Show scheduled to compete. If you’ve followed professional wrestling remotely and weren’t aware about its basics then hope this piece has cleared your doubts and given you a brief overview about the manner in which the business functions.

Prior to the live event in Delhi, it would be a bonus for the fans if they went in with an understanding of what the WWE might do in the days to come since Wrestlemania rumours are already underway. For all you know the live event in Delhi might drop more hints into the upcoming storyline.

So here it goes: The current WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns has got into an on-screen feud with The McMahons (the first on and off screen family of WWE). Reigns attacked Triple H (Stephanie McMahon’s on and off screen husband) at a recent PPV when The Authority (A power abusing stable or faction led by Triple H & Stephanie) robbed him of an opportunity to win the WWE title.

Thereafter, Reigns when on to capture the WWE title against Sheamus. Reigns reigned supreme much to the delight of the fans and despite hurdles created by the chairman of the board Vince McMahon. Now Mr McMahon has put Reigns into a highly uncomfortable position as he would be defending his world title against 29 men in a Royal Rumble match.   

For over two decades now the winner of the Royal Rumble has gone on to challenge the WWE champion at Wrestlemania. The match is usually the main event, that is, the closing match on the card. However, this time around the WWE title will itself be defended in the Royal Rumble match. It happened so 24 years ago in 1992 when Ric Flair won the vacant WWE Championship by winning the Royal Rumble. The sudden change has surprised many fans and put them in an uncomfortable position. No one can exactly predict what will transpire next. Will Reigns hang on to the title or will he drop it?

Considering the fact that Reigns hangs on to the title, who will he face at Wrestlemania? Since he attacked Triple H in the past, a match between the two is very much possible at Wrestlemania. If that doesn’t happen, fans might witness another high profile match between the The Rock (Hollywood superstar, former WWE champion and Reigns’ cousin) and Triple H (thirteen-time world champion and on-screen chief operating officer). Such a match can have its origins in the current storyline pitting The McMahon family against Roman Reigns. The only difference would be that The Rock would come to the rescue of his Samoan cousin. The Rock has confirmed his participation in Wrestlemania but it is not yet known whether he will wrestle in a match or merely play the host as he did at Wrestlemania 27.  

If not Triple H then Reigns might face John Cena at Wrestlemania for the world title. Just a few weeks ago, WWE Raw ended with a stare down between Cena and Reigns. WWE likes developing stories pitching the talent of today against the talent of tomorrow. A Cena-Reigns main event match would mean a battle of two generations at Wretlemania 32. It would be a match pitting the present top wrestler of the company against the likely future top wrestler of the company.

The third option could be a rematch of the previous year’s main event match with Brock Lesnar challenging Roman Reigns for the title. The bad blood between the two is unsettled as their match never concluded. Storylines twist saw Seth Rollins walk out with the title. What better way to end it by setting a world title Wrestlemania rematch at Wrestlemania with Brock Lesnar being the challenger as opposed to the champion this time around.

There are several other potential storylines. Rumours are abuzz that this Wrestlemania would be The Undertaker’s last one. Taker previously held a 21-0 record at Wrestlemania before he was beaten by Brock Lesnar. If it happens so then The Undertaker would require a grand farewell match. Who can he face or rather who deserves to be the last man to feature in a match against The Undertaker? And since Wrestlemania is taking place in Texas this year, can we expect The Texas Rattlesnake Stone Cold Steve Austin to show up?

WWE Universe has a lot in store in the next few months and WWE watchers should get prepared for unbelievable plot twists, incorrect match predictions and a record shattering Wrestlemania.