Is WWE fake or real? A detailed answer and all the explanations

Is WWE fake or real? A detailed answer and all the explanations

Ciku Njuguna, Peris Walubengo
updated at April 15, 2024 at 10:01 AM

Is WWE fake or real? This is an age-old burning question fans ask themselves. Millions keenly follow the action-packed sport worldwide, even when critics claim it is choreographed. Find out below if famous fighting WWE moves, such as the back body drop, the RKO, and the chair shot, are fake.

Is WWE fake or real
The WWE fights combine choreographed moves and scripted performances in front of live audiences. Photo: @wwe (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Table of Сontents:

This article explores the real vs. fake WWE wrestling debate. Over the years, critics have questioned how realistic the fights are, much to fans' chagrin. However, the controversial question added an element of mystery and excitement to the game.

Is WWE fake or real fighting?

The WWE fights combine choreographed moves and scripted performances in front of live audiences. The show was primarily created for entertainment rather than professional wrestling. However, the pain the entertainers endure, the stunts they pull, and the risk involved sometimes have resulted in severe injury and even death.

Did the WWE used to be real?

People in the US perceived WWR wrestling as a legitimate sport until 1989 when World Wrestling Federation owner Vince McMahon testified before the New Jersey State Senate that wrestling was not a competitive sport.

In 1984, investigative journalist John Stossel's question on the legitimacy of the WWE fights triggered an altercation between him and wrestler David "Dr D" Schultz on the ABC 20/20 show. Dr. D legitimately slapped the reporter twice on camera for calling the WWE "professional wrestling" fake.

The truth was revealed in February 1989 when Vince McMahon (a WWE co-founder) stated in front of the New Jersey Senate that the World Wrestling Entertainment was,

An activity in which participants struggle hand-to-hand to entertain spectators rather than conduct a bona fide athletic contest.

McMahon explained the nature of fights WWE showcased while addressing the wrestling regulations and tax levies imposed by the Athletic State Commissions of each US state.

Did WWE ever claim to be real?

In 1953, World Wrestling Entertainment began as CWC (the Capitol Wrestling Corporation). Before this, professional wrestling was featured in circus shows. It was not until 1989 that Vince McMahon officially acknowledged that the WWE was not real.

Is WWE fake or real
Vince McMahon acknowledged that the WWE was not real. Photo: @wwe (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Is Wrestlemania real or acting?

WrestleMania is a scripted sport with predetermined outcomes and storylines. Many have explained the type of fights the WWE wrestlers engage in. For instance, after The Rock took film star Stephen Merchant to watch WrestleMania live in an arena with 100,000 fans, Merchant told USA Today,

You're up close with men and women who combine stunt work, theatre, performance, choreography, and showmanship."

WrestleMania combines the elements of sports and entertainment to create a captivating and enduring spectacle. The matches are choreographed, and the athleticism and physicality of the performers are real.

Is WWE fake wrestling?

Paige Johnson, a former WWE Divas Champion, stated that calling wrestling fake should be a taboo and suggested kayfabe as a more preferred term to define the sport. Kayfabe is the tacit agreement between professional wrestlers and their fans to pretend that overtly staged wrestling events, stories, characters, etc., are genuine.

Before the internet and social media, kayfabe was central to the success of the wrestling industry. The secrets of professional wrestling were kept under wraps to misguide the public into thinking the feuds, rivalries, and drama were all real. A perfect example of a WWE kayfabe is the decades-long portrayal of the Undertaker as a dead man who resurrected in the ring.

Is Wrestling real or acted?

All WWE match outcomes are predetermined since the show comprises scripted storylines, outlandish characters, music, graphics, lights, and costume clothing. Wrestlers are athletes-turned-actors. They memorize scripts and work together to pull off convincing stunts without getting seriously hurt.

Is WWE Raw real or acted?

The WWE hires writers to create compelling storylines for every bout, and the fighting moves are usually choreographed to fit the stories. Nonetheless, all wrestlers are accomplished athletes with years of training and experience.

Is blood in WWE real or fake?

Although the show is scripted, the WWE uses professional fighters trained to perform real stunts without any safety equipment. As a result, actual bleeding, injuries, bruises, and breaks tend to occur among fighters.

Is WWE fake or real
WWE scriptwriters write every phase in a match. Photo: @wwe (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Do wrestlers know who is going to win?

WWE scriptwriters write every phase in a match, including the storyline, themes, alliances, duration, and the winner and loser. However, the fighting methods and finishing bouts are not dictated to the fighters, giving the fight a sense of mystery and suspense.

How do you win a wrestling match?

Wrestlers win matches in the following ways:

  • Knockout: if a wrestler is knocked down and can't stand up for ten seconds, they lose the match
  • Count-out: if a wrestler is out of the ring for ten seconds, they lose the match
  • Pin/pinfall: one wrestler holds down the other so both their shoulders are flat on the mat for three seconds
  • Submission: one wrestler gets the other in a hold so painful that they submit by saying they submit or tapping their hand to show that they quit
  • Disqualification: if the referee disqualifies a wrestler for breaking the rules, they lose the match

How does WWE decide who wins?

Since the WWE matches are heavily scripted down to the winner of the game, the management or the head of writing determines the match winner. In the past, the WWE chairman, Vince McMahon, would select the winner. Like other big wrestling companies, the booking teams and producers would influence the outcome of matches, but the final decision often lies with McMahon, the company's owner.

How does the WWE fake stuff?

WWE creates an illusion of two or more contenders competitively fighting against each other. The wrestlers use wrestling moves like the superkick and the pedigree but do not hit each other. Although the show is usually a scripted live performance, some things are real. WWE performers often experience pain while doing dangerous moves inside and outside the ring.

Are fake punches used in WWE?

The WWE fake punches are part of the training and performance. Contenders are trained and conditioned to use such dangerous moves in ways that minimize bodily harm to themselves and their opponents.

Are the chairs used in WWE real?

To some extent, fighters use real steel weapons such as chairs, ladders, and barbed wire are real. In other cases, they use weapons made from lighter materials. Extra caution is taken to avoid or reduce injuries among fighters.

Is WWE fake or real
To some extent, the WWE fighters use real steel weapons. Photo: @wwe (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Do WWE wrestlers fake injuries?

While the physicality of a match is bound to cause injuries, writers introduce some injuries to create a more compelling storyline. In some cases, the aftermath of a game on a wrestler's body has been likened to an accident.

Is WWE fake blood?

Sometimes, the blood shown results from actual injuries during the match, but in most cases, wrestlers use various techniques to create the appearance of blood during matches. For example, they can break small capsules of fake blood during matches or use makeup and special effects to simulate injuries. The use of fake blood in professional wrestling is part of scripted entertainment and is not intended to cause actual harm to the performers.

Wrestlers would harm themselves in the ring to visually enhance their performance. They would cut themselves with hidden razorblades (blading), which sometimes developed into more serious injury and even infection over time. Blading is no longer a thing, and WWE wrestlers have stopped risking it all to put on an insane spectacle performance.

Why is WWE fake now?

Since its inception, professional wrestling in World Wrestling Entertainment has been scripted. However, despite public acknowledgment of this 'fakeness,' fans are still enthralled by the staged events.

Is anything real about WWE?

Although wrestlers rarely die in the ring, it does happen occasionally. The most famous occurrence was Owen Hart’s death at the 1999 Over the Edge pay-per-view event in Kansas City, Missouri. His family sued the WWE over how dangerous and poorly planned the stunt was and were awarded $18 million.

Is there a real match in WWE?

Here is a compilation of some real fights that occurred in the WWE ring years back:

  • A fight broke out between the Acolytes and their arch-rivals, the Public Enemy, in 1999.
  • In 2001, a battle between former fighters Perry Saturn and Mike Bell ended in an absolute beat down.
  • In 2004, Daniel Puder went off script in a fight against veteran Kurt Angle. The confrontation cost Puder's career.
  • Brock Lesnar threw a real punch at Braun Strowman, The Monster among Men, during their Royal Rumble match in 2018.

Is WWE fake, yes or no?

WWE does not show real fights because most matches are scripted, and the battles are choreographed. Nevertheless, given the rough conditions and extreme physical and financial pressure to succeed, many wrestlers found it too much to handle.

WWE's Ashley Massaro (39) died by hanging in May 2019, and Sara Lee (30) took her own life in October 2022 with a combination of alcohol and pills. Other notable WWE wrestlers who took their own lives include Crash Holly (32), Mike Awesome (42), Brian Christopher (46), Rockin' Rebel (52), Ludvig Borga (47), and Kerry Von Erich (33).

Is WWE fake or real
WWE does not show real fights because most matches are scripted. Photo: @wwe (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Why do people watch WWE?

Wrestling is a century-old art that fuses ancient performance with modern pop culture. It captures its audience with drama, intrigue, comedy, and violence bundled together in a sporting context. For fans, suspension, intrigue, and disbelief follow every match regardless of the bout's 'fakeness'. However, some fights in the WWE have been real.

Is WWE fake or real - Reddit response

When searching for "Is WWE fake - Reddit response," you will notice that many people today understand that wrestling is not fake but a scripted fight craft. It is similar to what you would see in a theatrical setting, except performed at a very high level.

If you have been wondering, "Is WWE fake or real?" This sports program is purely for entertainment. It appeals to fans who are emotionally invested in scripted fighting storylines, characters, and athleticism.

Sportsbrief.com published an article ranking the WWE wrestlers with the most wins ever. From the 1980s, over ten fighters with the greatest and most influential in wrestling have recorded over 1000 wins.

While the matches and feuds are predetermined, and the storylines are outrageous, there are too many very real elements that may warrant a closer look.

Authors
Ciku Njuguna photo
Ciku Njuguna
Ciku Njuguna is a journalist with 3 year’s experience in content creation based in Kenya. She currently covers sports personnel as well as team biographies.
Peris Walubengo photo
Peris Walubengo
Peris Walubengo is a content creator with 4 years of experience in writing informational and entertainment articles, researching, editing, and proofreading.