WWE Live @ Genting Arena, Birmingham 09/11/16

Usually here at Hush we’d write a review talking about “our” opinion and what “we” thought, but of this show WE have very different views and opinions of the night. So you’re going to get the WWE FAN opinion and the TOLERATES WWE opinion!

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As a child I was aware of wrestling, more than aware even, I kinda liked it, the characters, the passion the “drama”- favourites were The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Sting and The Undertaker, see, I can even name drop! I was practically a flat out fan. And then I grew up. Oufff that reads harshly. I’m sorry (not sorry).

2015ish: All of a sudden WWE Network wiggles it’s way into my household via the hairy blob I live with and there’s not a second of my evening that now doesn’t feature semi-nude folk oiled up and pretending to fight. A year plus in and through perhaps hypnotism or just plain conditional brainwashing I’ve started to become invested in these characters again, but mainly through the reality show TOTAL DIVAS where I came to love some of the wonderful WWE ladies.

So here I am, sat in this massive arena, with men, women and children all sporting various paraphernalia. The kids are so IN. It’s actually really touching, the adoration, this show is moving children, both emotionally and physically, and for the most part, these aren’t bad people to be looking up to. Even though in essence wrestling is blood thirsty fighting, it’s entertainment because it’s about athleticism, performance and pizazz, it really is family entertainment and there’s nothing like seeing a family come together and cheering the good guy on.

The room was electric, the main star of the evening had to be the crowd, cheering along like it was a WWE panto. Big moments for me were: the girls tag team match, where Naomi and Nikki were completely spectacular, Ziggler generally from start to finish is the best performer I’ve ever seen, he sells every move and makes you forget the faux nature often associated with wrestling, and finally the touching reception Daniel Bryan entered the ring too, which was genuinely goose-bump inducing, he’s a real star.

I went to watch live wrestling. I actually had a really nice night.

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I’m probably what is referred to as a ‘smart fan’, I’m a 28 year old man who has worked on the journalistic side of the wrestling industry for a couple of years, I’m aware that backstage Dolph Ziggler and The Miz are probably as close as houses, but luckily I’m also able to switch off and enjoy WWE for what it is, pure entertainment.

Apart from camping out in the NXT tent at Download during the spring/summer, this is my first experience of real WWE action in the flesh, the first time I was seeing people who wrestle on some of the biggest WWE shows and even though I knew most of the matches were just for fun, it didn’t make it any less enjoyable.

A show like WWE Live, allows the wrestlers to cut loose a little more, knowing that their every move isn’t going to be analysed by droves of keyboard warriors, intent on finding every little fault in a wrestlers performance. This was clear in the humour that a lot of the matches carried, lots of audience participation and cheap little gags, enough to even put a smile on the bad guys faces. There is a reason that WWE has survived as long as it has, they play to their fan base and they pick the best, brightest and most professional talent available. All of this makes a WWE Live show, an absolute fucking blast!

Where else are you going to see Kane and American Alpha team up against Randy Orton and the Wyatts or the Hype Bros beat The Ascension and Vaudvillains in consecutive matches?

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