[Tater]

I was thinking about this recently and I think that the real reason why I still watch wrestling after all these years is not so much the wrestling but the story that is being told.

Andre/Hogan at WMIII. That's what got me into wrestling as a kid. I kinda paid off and on attention to it after that but what really got me hooked on wrestling ever since was the NWO invasion of WCW. Then came the Monday Night Wars. I was with WCW for a while. I think it was around the time of the Fingerpoke of Doom that I switched to WWF/E for good.

I've lived through the Golden Era. I've lived through the New Generation Era. I've lived through the Attitude Era. I've lived through the Ruthless Aggression Era. I've been a fan for so long, that not even the PG Era has gotten me to stop watching. Thankfully, now we seem to be past that and in the Reality Era.

Through all of that, I've continued watching. Hey, I love a great match as much as the next guy... but if I really think about it, what keeps me watching is the story of it all; not so much the matches themselves.

So I ask you, WF, what is it that keeps you watching... is it the wrestling or is it the story of it all?

 

[Reaper]

I need both. "Wrestling" would be incomplete without both.

COME FOR THE STORY, STAY FOR THE WRESTLING. (SORRY MY CAPS LOCK IS BROKEN ON MY KEYBOARD)

You can keep shift pressed and type if your caps is in an on position. Or open up OS's virtual keyboard and switch it off from there using your mouse.

 

[Tater]

COME FOR THE STORY, STAY FOR THE WRESTLING.

I agree with this statement.

 

[Joshi Judas]

I became a fan coz of the wrestling. When I was a kid, I saw HBK hanging on to the ropes to avoid being eliminated from the Rumble before throwing off Bulldog. I saw Scott Hall vs the 123 Kid and I was hooked. Also, English not being my first language and me being very young then, I couldn't understand most of the promos and segments and only looked forward to the matches.

Since the later half of the AE, I started getting more invested in the promos and storylines. I was PISSED when someone ran over Austin with a car, or when Foley was fired by HHH/Steph, but even then I always preferred the in ring action.

Recently, in WWE, I have started getting more into the storylines than the matches, but even then, a great match impresses me more than a great promo. This is also the reason I'm so into NJPW- because I love the wrestling. But I understand how you could have two great in ring performers in WWE going at it but not paying attention coz they have no storyline, so I appreciate it's importance. But most of the people I mark for are guys who can back it up in the ring.

 

[musclehead]

I just wanna see the match. Lesnar/Taker being a good example, boring storyline but the one match I'm interested in seeing.

 

[ByTor]

I'D SAY BOTH BUT IF I HAD TO PICK ONE I'D SAY STORYLINE. BECAUSE WITHOUT STORYLINE YOU JUST HAVE 2 PEOPLE WRESTLING AND WHY SHOULD I CARE? THE STORY IS WHAT GETS YOU INVESTED IN THE PRODUCT.

This.

Of course I'd rather see a good match over a bad match but I've always been more of a storyline guy. I was an all story guy growing up. A "good match" was when my guy one. I didn't give a crap about workrate or wrestling ability until my 8th year as a fan. And even when I "smartened up" I still preferred entertaining storylines to great matches. It's probably why I'm such a big Attitude Era guy.

 

[Pharmakon]

For both

Sent from Verticalsports.com Free App

 

[Scrubs94]

Wrestling for me. As much as the internet killed Kayfabe it will always be wrestling for me, I still love some of the stories. The love triangle with Edge/Lita/Matt was actually awesome because it was an idea that originally came from a love triangle outside of wrestling. Lita cheated on Matt with Edge I'm pretty sure and WWE decided hey, why not use this? I've always been in it for the wrestling fact, so seeing guys like Bryan, Cesaro, Benoit, Punk, Eddie etc. who came up through indies and from NJPW, Mexico and Europe really gets me invested in it.

Edit: inb4 Eddie/Benoit comments

 

[Mountain Rushmore]

I don't separate them. I'm in it for the whole deal. Like really, good "wrestling" matches have to be character driven. They have to have plots backing them up. Wrestling without story or characters is something I'll skip over.

As long as it has ANY type of premise, even if it's the thinnest premise possible, I will watch. But I'm not into out and out exhibition matches done for no reason. WWE rarely does that though. Every match is meant to build or showcase someone's record or character.

But yeah, I really want more characters in the WWE. You will get better stories out of it. I'm sick of the "Everyman" and I'm sick of people just "being themselves/wanting to be the best".

 

[Jacare]

Story. The wrestling is boring 90% of the time. Most guys don't perform unless it's a PPV and even than I'm very selective on who I watch and it's usually the story that gets me to do so.

 

[Flair Shot]

I need both.

 

[Molfino]

A great story = A great match