If you didn't watch wrestling as a kid...
 

... how likely is it you'll watch it as an adult?

I don't think that I know a single person who follows wrestling now that DIDN'T watch it as a kid. Even the kind of guys who just watch a PPV or two each year (essentially me for the past few years) - all watched as kids.

I started wondering recently after me and a few friends got together to watch the Rumble as tradition. Of this group, only one actively follows wrestling, but we all watched as kids and we'd all agree it was a big part of our childhood...

This year, another guy came round to watch the Rumble, and it was so clear from the off-set that he hadn't really watched as a kid. He'd said that he had, he dropped the classic Austin/Rock references, and I'm sure he genuinely had watched some bits, but he isn't a guy that could start naming themes, and wouldn't be able to tell you with 10 guesses who won the 1999 Royal Rumble. One of those guys.

Anyway, this dude stood out like a sore thumb as we watched. The over-the-top parts of the show that entertained the rest of us the most just seemed ridiculous to him. Sometimes he'd let out little laughs when a move 'realistically' looked low impact or something. His levels of interest regularly waned and several times I clocked him on his phone slyly scrolling Tinder or some shit.

He wasn't actually being a dick about it, he didn't purposely say anything out loud, and seemed to feel a little guilty when he'd laughed at a move or whatever, but it was blatantly obvious that he just didn't 'get it'.

And, with wrestling, well, WWE I should say, you really, really need to 'get it'. And by 'get it' - I guess that means you need the ability to take certain things with a pinch of salt, appreciate the over-the-top goings on and the theatrics of the whole show. That probably is the part of the show that we all fell in love with as kids. And I suppose if you didn't learn to do that as a kid, it's a lot harder to do as an adult.

Thoughts? Anyone on here a Johnny Come Lately/know of any examples?

Basically I was the first person on here to watch wrestling, so everyone on TPWW just followed the trend I set

#pulse

Unless somebody became a fan because of a boyfriend/girlfriend showing them it I don't think it could happen.

Also, Eden Hazard is God.

Mrs Stocke used to think my watching wrestling was childish...Until I told her to think of it like a soap opera... Now she is the one who sets DVR.

I agree its a hard thing to get into... But if the people who you watch it with can explain the basics of it I don't see why almost anybody couldn't enjoy it really.

Yeah getting your girlfriend/boyfriend to watch is one thing (great work nonetheless Brigstocke - you've smashed it :y:). But trying to convince a friend is way more difficult. And as for an adult learning to love it themselves, that's gotta be even rarer. There's gotta be some examples though!

That he is.

Huge Chelsea supporter

Don't believe you.

From all the way over here in Canada. Marcel Desailly was my favourite player growing up.

I got my ex into it back in 2008 or so, and I know she still watches it today, even though we've been apart for like two years.

I had a group of like 31 people gathered to watch the Rumble this year, and anybody who knew what it actually was definitely watched as kids. The rest were just very tolerant significant others, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves too.

Respect! I'm going to BC next month for a 3 month stay. Thought I'd tell you that now that we're friends.

Did you do a draw for the Rumble? Must have been pretty sick.

Yeah don't get me wrong people who didn't watch as kids can definitely learn to enjoy wrestling, but I wonder if without the nostalgic connection how common it is for people to become wrestling nerds like us.

Yeah, 135 bucks to the winner.