Is there a better way to spend your last day before the Apocalypse than reading one of my columns? Of course not. And on that note, preemptive shout out to whatever indie duo debuts as “The Mayans” next year. Biggest heels on the scene.
Anyway, as 2012 winds down, wrestling fans around the world begin to ponder what moments from the past 12 months were the most unforgettable, the most ‘must-see’, and the absolute best pro wrestling had to offer. To me, it’s been a fabulous year for the genre, and one of the best I’ve experienced as a fan in quite some time.
What’s made 2012 so important to me, as a fan, is that it was the year I truly embraced independent wrestling and as a result felt a renewed love for something that has defined me for half my life. I’ve always been ‘the wrestling fan’ among my peers. From the time I was nine years old, and the return of Stone Cold Steve Austin was the talk of every kid in the school yard, through to a huge bottoming out of popularity in the mid-2000’s when I stuck with it (boy did my wrestling fandom get me some serious girls in those harsh teenage years, let me tell you) – I was the wrestling guy of the group. Yet for the last few years, I was starting to feel like I didn’t want to be. I wont turn this into a column about things I dislike about WWE, even though that is a highly innovative and untouched subject here on the internet, but my heart hadn’t been in it for quite a while. I really felt like one of those fans who was watching out of habit, and got more fun out of deriding and mocking wrestling than I got from actually watching it.
A few years back I started getting into the independents, and while I didn’t get totally immersed, it really opened my eyes to the real alternatives out there, and the amazing talent who could offer jaded fans something they were longing for.
Despite not buying every new release they churned out, I found myself delving into the back catalog of Ring Of Honor DVDs, experiencing for the first time the legendary battles between Bryan Danielson and Nigel McGuinness, the explosive and unmistakable style of El Generico, and the unmatched douchebaggery of one Austin Aries. As the years progressed, I’d watch a show or two here or there, taking the time to discover new companies whenever my finances permitted it, and I began to realise that these places were where the standard was set, and they should be viewed as such.
Late in 2011, and going in to 2012 – I really made the conscious decision to watch more independent shows, discover more promotions, and also try and follow Japanese wrestling as best I could. I felt like I owed it to myself to not grow cynical and resent something that I had once loved. Especially since, as a journalism student, I realised that writing about wrestling is something I’d love to do with my life – but simply watching WWE and talking about how much I’m sick of John Cena isn’t giving people something worth reading. As a result, from following the indies more actively, seeing new stars debut and develop right before my eyes, constantly discovering new and exciting facets of the art that were totally new to me, I feel like I enjoy pro wrestling more now than I have perhaps ever in my life.
From the superlative PWG shows which, if you know me at all this won’t be news, are some of my most hotly anticipated entertainment experiences every month, to the remarkable string of classic matches from Hiroshi Tanahashi – great wrestling is out there, but it wont simply fall into your lap. When it comes to things such as these, I find myself with that edge of my seat feeling of excitement which has been absent for a number of years. That’s what my lasting memory of wrestling in 2012 will be. The bug-eyed feeling of awe as Samuray Del Sol flips Generico onto the top of his head with an inhuman looking sense of speed, the temptation to leap to my feet when Rick Knox clotheslines one of the Young Bucks, bearing witness to the wince-inducing selling of Minoru Suzuki after another dragon screw from Tanahashi. These are the things that stand out to me. In a nutshell, I’ll remember 2012 as the year I fell back in love with pro wrestling.
Thanks for reading, folks. Sorry this column was a week late but I was initially planning on some kind of end-of-year awards. Those can hold off til the new year. In the mean time, follow me on twitter, or catch me and my friends indulging in some completely insight free wrestling chatter on the ChairShot Podcast, every weekend. And perhaps most importantly keep your eyes on PWPonderings for all your indie wrestling needs. I’m very proud to be a part of the team here, and also very thankful. Here’s to another great year in 2013, and happy holidays to you and yours.