Former WWE Wrestler Reacts to Wrestling Being Called "Fake"

[@MavenKHuffman]

“Wrestling is fake” Like you, I have heard this my entire life. Watch as I react to those in the media saying how the business we all love is fake. My question to you, when you hear that do you consider it disrespectful?

[@MusTelOJ]

Exactly. As an Indian working in GMW (Local Pro Wrestling Centre here) it really hurts taking those bumps when I became regular. It really hurt my back when I was a newbie last year.

[@reubenelite]

Absolutely it offends me more than anything as a wrestling fan, seeing all the wrestlers destroy their bodies and these idiots like to call it fake

[@rossynextv71]

I don't consider it as disrespectful at all... cos they don't know much about wrestling period

[@jeremy8807]

Disrespectful no. There is a difference between scripted and fake.

[@maxpower643]

People call breast implants "fake" as well but I can touch them so they're real.

[@oldeskul]

Back in 1992 when I asked a wrestler if what he does is fake, he very calmly told me, "In the sense that we're not trying to hurt each other, it's not real. It's not fake, because every time we do a move, we're putting our health, our safety, our lives and our livelihoods on the line." That stuck with me to this day.

[@MavenKHuffman]

The person you asked explained it perfectly. I agree with him 100%

[@sarabalhas638]

Do you know who it was?

[@ggggloveking9419]

At least he didn't slap the shit out you and ask, "Is that fake?" Poor Stossell...😂

[@maskranger38]

It's a fact

[@coolioso808]

@@Obilly88 That's it, Pro Wrestling is like a live action movie with the actors being their own stunt men (and women)! The storylines, the cool moves, the entrances, and all that is something that cannot be duplicated in any other form of entertainment the same way. A totally unique form of entertainment and I suggest it takes a rather intelligent mind to be able to appreciate that, not a 'white trash' or 'booger eater' mind.

[@guysfieri8900]

joe rogan going from constantly trashing pro wrestling to having several wrestlers on and pretending he cares about the business is a lot more "fake" than wrestling

[@Chuck_EL]

I love how reality tv a clearly scripted (badly I might add) never gets that rap Especially knowing fear factor was staged and called out for being staged and he was the host of it

[@HTYM]

Joe Rogan is obtuse.

[@tonyace4507]

He does the same with politics. Is this really new to you lol

[@jinfin221]

​@@tonyace4507not really he 100% supports trump

[@ferox965]

​@@jinfin221I'd love to see Dana White say that it's fake to Haku. Haku would tear White apart and make him cry like the bitch that he is.

[@SIMOLAMBOTZ]

UFC fighter: maximum 3 matches in a year. Wwe superstar: about 100 matches per year. Even if scripted, the body is freakin suffering so hats off 🙌🏼

[@slthjawa5062gggghhjjjjjkkkk]

Colin cowherd has always annoyed me. He tries to mock people as if he somehow thinks that because he watches people who aren't dorks, he's somehow not a dork. I can go get several guys right now, who at one point watched wrestling and understand it's scripted but also understand the moves hurt, that can and will make cowherd eat his own thumbs.

[@slthjawa5062gggghhjjjjjkkkk]

@user-vi9zm5ss4f that's not what he's implying. He's saying they work more and take a beating more often. That said, I've never seen a ufc guy jump off the top of a cage and hit the cement floor like Mick Foley. Go ask Kurt Angle which was rougher on his body, wrestling or pro wrestling.

[@zeusprophet7305]

Not only that but Wrestling is much more competitive than UFC. Wrestlers hit with their knuckels while UFC wear padding over their knuckles.

[@devongiguere3721]

​@@zeusprophet7305okay but they don't actually punch each other. You can't seriously be saying that. Also, UFC fighters train weeks in advance before they fight and most injuries happen during training. I think both sports are terrible for your body but it's really hard to compare the two. I think wrestling nowadays is spot heavy and leads to a lot of injuries but back in the day they were taking terrible bumps to the head and neck that, while still a thing today, literally could kill or paralyze someone. I wish there was more of an emphasis on mat work and chain wrestling. Personally, I really liked William Regal who Maven mentioned. He was a great mat worker. I think ZSJ and Brian Danielson's technical masterclass at Wrestle Dream proves that it can be done and look great. You just need the right talent. Hell, even the beginning of Wheeler Yuta vs Ricky Starks was some sick chain wrestling.

[@zeusprophet7305]

@@devongiguere3721 Hockey players are more like professional wrestlers than UFC combatants. and bowers. Cause they drop the gloves and fight with bare knuckles like WWF combatants.....My all time favourite athletes in the world of professional sports is Ted Debiose, Mr Bob Backland (also my all time favourite politician.), Sika (the father of Roman Reigns and therefore the foundational root to the bloodline), Damien Sandow for bringing a temporary era of enlightenment to the world of Professional sports. The Goon ( also my all time favourite hockey player), and the greatest ever actor from Hollywood, Gold Dust. There are some wrestlers I have a deep hatred for such as Hulk Hogan, the Ultimate Maniac and Rey Mysterio. (I feel bad for his son who is a very honorable person).

[@shoot_the_glass5654]

"Wrestling is fake" Mick Foley: "Am I a joke to you?"

[@stepsis8437]

Exactly 😂😂😂❤️🔥

[@hartiwanger9176]

Yes

[@Soham.69]

ECW flashbacks 😂😂

[@RicoSuavae]

"Ya I flew off of a 30 ft cage onto a table but don't worry about me the table totally had pillows in it I was so safe" 😅😅😅 the answer he gives to ppl when they ask him "did it hurt" he had 6 broken ribs and a tooth went through his lip and nostril, and that was all before the thumbtacks (ya its fake😅)

[@HyperFlame64V1]

*Here comes the Cactus Jack Promo Barrage....*

[@TihetrisWeathersby]

If you think wrestling is fake just look at all of Hogan's back and knee surgeries, Vader breaking Sting's ribs, Seth Rollins buckle bombing Sting, Not to mention Kevin Nash's quads

[@angelaholmes8888]

Yes exactly some people tend to forget this

[@lordsmobile3497]

Don't forget about Mick foley and ECW

[@MusTelOJ]

exactly, I work in a local wrestling training centre and I have to get myself some ice-packs every 2-3 days after Wrestling in the ring.

[@alvinwhite94]

Don’t forget Sid’s leg snapping in two after jumping from the top rope or Vader eye popping out the socket

[@AK-hr9pm]

Had a buddy do some in ring practice for fun and he messed up his lower back running at the ropes lmao, props to these athletes

[@viclor2876]

My father made this perfect point when I was a kid. He said, "wrestlers deserve so much respect for what they do, they're literal stunt men putting their lives on the line." R.i.p dad, going to miss watching Monday night Raw with you.

[@josevaldezkamenridergeek]

similar my grandpa will said that lol rip to your dad and rip to my grandpa.

[@uzookafor8721]

May his soul rest in peace 😞🕊️🕊️

[@uzookafor8721]

​@@josevaldezkamenridergeekmay his soul rest in peace 💖😞🕊️

[@edgardoMurnia]

Exactly, like stuntmen in movies FAKING SHIT UP.

[@uzookafor8721]

@@edgardoMurnia what do you mean

[@rossynextv71]

I love wrestling whether scripted or not ,the athleticism, the camera, the commentary and the crowd... the overall production of every event and the amount of work that goes in behind the scenes is more that a movie to me... I love it

[@raphodonbiampa5756]

The Dunning Krueger afflicted geniuses can’t seem to figure that simple fact.

[@Paul-se4wc]

For me I like learning about everything on it including the backstage politics . People think it's easy to be a wrestler. It's not. You have to develop a character you have to be marketable, you have to fin the people who buy tickets . That's not always easy . Case in point Isaac yankem who now is the hall of famer Kane. Charles wright had 3 gimmicks , papa Shango, Kama, godfather . I like the creative behind making a gimmick

[@kxd13flow]

​@@Paul-se4wc a passion for the wrestlers and fans 😌

[@thomasfloyd3146]

Fake is not the right word. Scripted is more like it

[@23293]

its both fake and scripted, fake punches etc.

[@Soham.69]

Most of the puches are fake though

[@anthonyfaucy2761]

Fake is the perfect word to describe it. Only butthurt tools who still want it to be real think otherwise

[@stinkbug4321]

Scripted isn't even the right word. There is no real one word to describe it. The best way to describe it, is a phrase, "it's not what you think." Is what they do in the ring scripted? No, it is well known moves. Is what happens outside of the ring scripted? No, what is happening is one person is selling another's actions. Are parts of their promo's scripted? Well, yes parts of them but many things the actor say are original and cause the other actors to break character.

[@redline841]

​@@23293 Fake backflips

[@kovulion7777]

The best thing about Maven is that, his career resurgence is just him casually talking about his WWE career and it's really well voiced and narrated!

[@daviddoyle8956]

I think Maven is just pissed off that he was not good enough to make it big time and he was let go after his contract was over. Now he's just tearing them up.

[@BEARDEDSLOTH802]

​@@daviddoyle8956worst take ive seen this year

[@ICCUWANSIUT]

@@daviddoyle8956 if that was the case there'd be a lot more vitriol.

[@TheDCGuitar13]

I respect Vince sticking up for the fans. These people work hard for their money and choose to patronize a business they believe in. They don’t deserve to be called trash, booger eaters and other derogatory terms for having hobbies they’re passionate about.

[@electro5175]

Vince McMahon deserves respect even though he has had his fair bit of controversies

[@Provos7777]

Have you ever been to a show? Have you ever read a comment section? Wrestling fans are widely known to be one of the worst fan bases of any genre. Every time I've gone to a WWE show it's mostly low IQ trailer trash filling up the seats. Which is why I will never go to a show again.

[@klekster12]

@@electro5175😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@billybadass3056]

what you don't know is that those two know each other so vince was pretty prepared for those stupid questions he asked and noticed how smooth that comeback was when he told him "our fans aren't white trash..." then looks stuttering john up and down and says "present company excluded" LMAO.. he took those questions in stride because he knew the interviewer... if it was some rando journalist talking to him like that disrespecting the fans and the business you would have seen a completely different reaction....

[@chadlongnecker630]

Vince defended the fans because doing otherwise could have hurt his business, I'm not saying the man doesn't have a heart but it's business first with Vince

[@ameersirhanshorts]

I'm the DEFINITION of both MMA and Pro Wrestling fan. The new product of Pro Wrestling does NOT compete with the old product that i grew up on. Pro wrestling has a special place in my heart. Same goes to MMA as it's a way of life. Just enjoy both ❤🤌🏻 great video again Maven 👍

[@Gotenks_90]

Whats that currency?

[@jinfin221]

​@@Gotenks_90Some middle eastern one

[@MavenKHuffman]

Thank you so much for sharing a bit about you and the disciples you study and enjoy. I think a lot of wrestling fans are also following MMA. It’s definitely something I respect and enjoy myself. Those guys are BEASTS!!! Great sharing with you and hearing from your side. Thank you for the gift and support. We will use it to make more videos for ya brotha. Take care

[@NattyIce100]

Maven, just wanted to drop in and thank you so much for this channel and your videos. As a die-hard and lifelong wrestling fan it's really cool to hear all the insight you provide. I used to have your action figure and remember playing with you on the video game all the time back in the day. What made you so popular with me and all my friends was the hope you gave to so many aspiring wrestlers by seeing you succeed in tough enough and get signed. It was something we could live vicariously through and one day hope to achieve ourselves. You were relatable. It's cool to see how humble and down to earth you are too. I'm glad life is treating you well these days. Nothing but respect to you.

[@Governor_William_J_Lepetomane]

I've thought of it as "Athletic Entertainment." The wrestlers aren't battling it out to see who will win, but they are, much like a Cirque de Solei performance, doing something that enamors the crowd and makes them wonder, "How did they do that?" Tons of respect.

[@JoeArn1]

If Cirque de Solei had a soap opera element maybe and there were ~12 staged fights/week

[@JUNK_ZONE]

Yes, but Cirque du Solei performers aren't taking numerous bumps on wood each performance though. Much like skateboarding, it isn't the skateboarding that injures anyone, it's the part where they hit the ground.

[@fartnloud7411]

Just view it as pure art, and the mental awareness to not kill someone with a crazy move. Like how AJ Styles had a split second in the air to save James Ellsworth in 2016. I was there live, dude really is Phenomenal.

[@eroccha]

It's an action show where the stunt men and women are the actual stars.

[@Governor_William_J_Lepetomane]

@@erocchaI like that.

[@shellywu9096]

Great video Maven! 1) I get pet peeved when people say "wrestling is fake." They have no idea how hard wrestlers truly work to perform, train, and constantly be on the road, giving their life to the business and sacrificing time away from their family. Not to mention, the devastating injuries to wrestlers is far from fake. Much respect to you and all the wrestlers who worked hard to make wrestling memorable for the fans. 2) On a related note, I get annoyed when people stereotype wrestling fans to be of a certain demographic or background. I have a PhD and I happen to like WWE (I’ve been to 6 live events). Wrestling helps me decompress after work. People are often shocked that intelligent people can like wrestling, it just shows their ignorance and lack of exposure to wrestling culture.

[@JesseGMan7]

Well said! Heck my gf is a dentist and I’m a business owner we love wrestling it’s fun! Hell we watched Scooby doo the other day, entertainment is a good way to decompress like you said. And putting people down for what they enjoy is lame.

[@thomaszach43]

Scooby doo is legendary ​@@JesseGMan7

[@Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa669]

What does a title of a job mean lol

[@anguslazy]

@@Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa669 like cashier, lawyer, chef, pilot, doctor etc

[@carldzoga1348]

These SAME people will watch soap operas or movies and have no problem 'suspending their disbelief'! But Pro Wrestling? Nah, they draw the line😂😂 Hypocrites

[@martingrzanna2005]

Mavens videos are absolutely great! I stopped watching Wrestling so many years ago, but these videos bring up so many memories.

[@Retroactive93]

Same. He’s great

[@MistermookS]

yup, likewise.

[@ufcfan1985]

Why am I just discovering this channel now??? This has to be one of the best wrestling channels out there!

[@RedTail1-1]

Because it was literally just made

[@Retroactive93]

Absolutely

[@nathanboyko9306]

Dude it literally is I watch Maven, Takers podcast and the drive through. the go to for the good stuff

[@ahabduennschitz7670]

*Product is on the Market for 2 Days* "Why am I just discovering this now?"

[@oozarusama]

I also thought it was fake until some friends from college met his uncle who practiced wrestling in an independent circuit but with an official ring as a joke we asked him to do a third rope suplex, he told us to get ready.When he applied it to me when I fell into the ring I felt that all the air was coming out of my lungs and I couldn't even get up, he told me to wait a while and relax to breathe easier, now imagine doing this every day.

[@s1lveralkaro900]

My issue is that people that defend wwe assume people are saying every aspect of it is fake. We know falling into the ring and through various object will hurt, you can't fake that. But what other competitive sport is there where I can find the results of a particular contest months in advance

[@kujikawathemeekmage3640]

@@s1lveralkaro900well I’m not looking at wrestling in the same way I’m looking at a boxing fight. I’m looking at wrestling the same way I see a marvel fight. There’s a storyline, there’s characters, there’s goofy named moves, there’s dramatic entrances, there’s shocking returns, there’s plot twists, there’s over the top villains and comically innocent heroes.

[@rubenluevano1997]

I agree. Saying wrestling is real because the stunts are real, is like saying the events in mission impossible are real because Tom Cruise did his own stunts. Its sports entertainment. Its scripted and everyone knows this. I dont get defensive if someone says a movie I enjoyed is fiction.

[@Maggot39967]

​@@s1lveralkaro900 My issue is that people like you don't even enjoy the media we enjoy yet you feel entitled to disrespect it and all of the performers. You guys make no sense at all. Just because you can't understand why people like wrestling doesn't make it alright to shit all over it and the people who enjoy it. No WWE fan will EVER argue that the booking of a match isn't predetermined. People only think it isn't fake when they are little kids and even then we all questioned it. It really makes you guys look stupid to come in and assume that we all think this shit is real. No, as a matter of fact, coming from an active fan, I have never met an adult who thought it was actually real in my entire life. You aren't a fan of wrestling, but you seem to think you're better than everyone else because you know it's fake. This stuff makes you guys look stupider than the wrestling fans who believe it's 100% real. Your problem is that you enjoy another sport ( MMA or Boxing because you guys are that predictable ). You just want to be able to mock and make fun of wrestling fans because you see our entertainment as gay or stupid, therefore you think all wrestling fans are gay and stupid. You guys act like the UFC isn't a fucking joke. Why the fuck can't they pay their fighters the same as a wrestler gets paid??? WWE is fake and their wrestlers earn almost 10x the amount of money every single fighter earns even the guys like McGregor are out earned by fucking wrestlers.

[@VollstandigErleuchtung]

​@@s1lveralkaro900Implying something is fake means it's fake, not partially fake. If you going to tell someone that those Jordans are fake or ssj4 gohan is fake then it's fake, they aren't likely to ask you if it's partially fake unless you mention it to them. That's why people use scripted instead, it doesn't devalue the athleticism and endurance of the wrestlers but gets the point across that wwe is entirely real.

[@ohgeeb8673]

Wow. This is a very intelligent and reasonable response to the folks that don’t “get” what pro wrestling is all about. Maven, you keep doin’ your thing. Not sure what your secret ingredient is, but with all the KZbin content providers out there your videos still offer a fresh take on the business. Hope you hit a million subscribers one day.

[@SmarkAngel]

This is one thing I loved having the Undertaker for. When people used to go "Don't you know this is fake?" I could look confused at them and reply "There's a zombie wizard on this show, my man."

[@ill-nois2282]

To me, calling pro wrestling “fake” downplays the amount of wear and tear the body endures throughout a wrestler’s career. They grind it out, constantly on the road away from their families. They still put their bodies on the line night in and night out. All respect to those men and women who perform to entertain the audience

[@kevinmorrice]

i agree, look at edge or rey mysterio, there bodies are fucked beyond repair, rey could only keep wrestling thanks to full body stem cell treatments, and edge has had tons of operations just to keep him functioning

[@Brimst0ne_XB]

I never understood why being "fake" was a problem anyway. Sure the matches and storylines are scripted but it's no different than a movie. It's entertainment

[@orlandoigno482]

It’s still scripted though, meaning it’s not a legitimate sports competition

[@chiefw101]

​@orlandoigno482 Not everything is scripted but I agree with your overall point. The best way to describe it is sports theater; a blend of theatrics/entertainment with athleticism.

[@orlandoigno482]

@@chiefw101 But there’s no actual competition and I think that’s where the hate comes from

[@bennyspingflower]

I genuinely don't understand the argument. I hold wrestlers in the same high regard as I do stuntmen. Stuntmen work in movies, and while movies are 'scripted,' it doesn't mean their work is 'fake.' They also risk their bodies. Upon closer examination, one might argue that wrestlers deserve even greater respect. They are not just athletes; they are actors and stuntmen, too. Moreover, they perform all these roles in front of a live audience, purely for our entertainment!

[@viclor2876]

My father made that same perfect analogy when I was a kid. He said, "wrestlers deserve so much respect for what they do, they're literal stunt men putting their lives on the line." R.i.p dad, going to miss watching Monday night Raw with you.

[@vibrationalcurrency]

Right and everyone respects the actor who does his own stunts. It’s a point of pride. These WWE Superstars are both the actor and the stunt double!

[@andrewajjones122]

100 per cent. Great, considered response

[@marcelmoreau2733]

I have been having that arguement with people for almost 40yrs.... It takes more effort and skill to be able to do what a wrestler doe every night in front of a live audience in one take then it does to do a 5 sec stunt that they practice and perform potentially dozens of times to make sure it comes out 'right'. If a stunt goes wrong, take a break come back try again later with a new stuntman if needed. If something happens in a wrestling ring, just have to go with the flow and move on and go to the next move. The same with a live promo. Wrestler gets 1 chance to get it right, trying to remember and get all the lines out without error. Actors get multiple takes to get out lines and many times what ends up in the movie is a mishmash of mixed up lines taken from multiple takes to get what the director wants the audience to experience. If an actor messes up, they can try again as many times as needed but a wrestler only gets to do it once, this is why wrestlers are often not given respect for their acting ability. Jim Cornette and purists might hate it, but wrestlers should be allowed to qualify for award for acting and their stunt work.

[@mtlnascarfan]

...and they do it without ANY safety gear whatsoever. Props to them.

[@MusTelOJ]

As an Indian working in GMW (Local Pro Wrestling Centre here) it really hurts taking those bumps when I became regular. It really hurt my back when I was a newbie last year. It annoys me very much whenever someone says wrestling is "fake".

[@MusTelOJ]

Scripting is what actually makes Pro Wrestling possible. People keep on complaining about wrestling being scripted and not real, but that is the entire point of Wrestling.

[@reubenelite]

@@MusTelOJ yeah because shoots can become very boring to watch if ur looking for entertainment

[@Briansgate]

Same here. I never broke a bone in my body. Until I started training for Pro Wrestling.

[@MrMatthew262]

It’s still a fake competition. That’s the root of it.

[@Briansgate]

@@MrMatthew262 is dancing a fake competition?

[@joshuas.8142]

Thanks, Maven for making this video and you nailed it when you said the common denominator of all these people were that none of them were fans. I figured out that wrestlers weren't actually trying to hurt each other about the same time I figured out that Santa wasn't really bringing me gifts each year. Didn't matter. I still love Christmas and I still love wrestling. Long live The Sport!

[@Chief8]

Theres something super wrong with this channel.. There ARENT ENOUGH VIDEOS Maven!!! Ive binged all your channel, probably 2x!!! Love your stuff brotha.

[@MavenKHuffman]

Hahahahaha…. Gonna try to alter that problem for you in 2024 my brotha! We have some good ideas we want to try. Till then, 🙏🏽 thank you for the support!

[@Chief8]

@@MavenKHuffman I got a craven for Maven!

[@waxoftriple9]

Once Joe started having wrestlers on his podcast his tune changed drastically. The fact he didn't know Triple H or the Undertaker is mindblowing though. Even if you never watched wrestling those 2 were crossover stars in the 90's

[@superstarreviews9937]

😆 now that they own both companies and Dana White and Joe Rogan are technically employees of the same company that owns wwe... I garuntee you, neither of them,will have the baIIs to talk shlt about wrestling again! 😆

[@sebustian93]

I don't think Joe hates wrestling, but it looks silly on his perspective because he's been doing martial arts for his entire life. He still makes fun of wrestling occasionally to his friends but he's never been "hating" it.

[@samnabawy2731]

His tune did not change out of respect, Joe is just two faced like that. He gets a conservative guest on, he acts conservative. He gets a progressive guest on, he acts progressive.

[@piquedcommenter6252]

@@samnabawy2731 True, but if another one his recurring guests (i.e. a comedian friend) were to derogate wrestling for being "fake" then I imagine that Joe would probably stick up for the sport given how much more he knows about it now

[@chill0314]

​@@samnabawy2731so many people don't understand this about Rogan. I won't go as far as to say he's two faced. But he definitely panders to whoever is on his show. He's intelligent enough and I guess more importantly; informed enough to have conversations from either side of the fence. Which has worked wonders for him.

[@JW-dp4we]

An MMA guy calling wrestling fans booger eaters is the richest example of a pot calling the kettle black.

[@Cropsykills]

So true.

[@Krimsonkouhai]

Dana white shouldnt be one to point fingers when wrestling is included in MMA

[@csmith6583]

Mma fans don't eat boogers. Crayons however...

[@pabl0sauced0]

Yep, bunch of caveman unga bunga mfs 😂

[@antoiner3820]

Most of their fans are mostly I bet criminals.

[@BryceSkolnick1997]

Im really starting to enjoy your channel Maven and its good to see you in "action" again. Always staying tuned and hope your channel goes far

[@daveblackman816]

Just because it’s predetermined doesn’t mean the moves they’re doing are remotely fake. Can’t stand that trope.

[@Fyre2k1]

I just get angry when people say it doesn't hurt get dropped 7 feet onto wood

[@CaptainRedbeard.]

​@@Fyre2k1me too!!! Thats like the only time it ever gets to me. 😅 "ohhh that dont hurt, its fake" "Bruh, let me take you to top of a 15 foot ladder and powerbomb you through a table and you tell me if its fake" 😅

[@samuelhaokip9545]

Not all the stunts are also real.. but most of them are

[@Fyre2k1]

@CaptainRedbeard. Well the tables are gimicked the tables actually make it safer alot of the time but the powerbombs are the same as mma powerbombs

[@CaptainRedbeard.]

@Fyre2k1 falling from 15 feet up onto any surface, at all, is gonna damage your body. Except for maybe a crash pad but even that will sting. It's just simple physics my guy. You'll understand when you grow up. 🫡

[@xMontorix]

I went to pro wrestling school for TWO WEEKS! Wanted to be a pro wrestler my entire life. We had a drill where we had to take 10 back body suplexes in a row. I knew right then & there this wasn't the career for me. I had the worst headache of my life that day. I dont think I can handle being willingly slammed like that multiple times a night 5 days a week.

[@MavenKHuffman]

Your body gets used to it. Trust me, i remember feeling the same way

[@JerseyEmpireGroup]

@@MavenKHuffman I distinctly remember coming home after my first 3 hour wrestling school class and not being able to get out of my car after the drive home because I was so sore and stiff lmao. I actually had to wait until my sister pulled in to help me out of my car and into the house. And that was just from rope running and back/front bumping! I will never forget it.

[@CooperReviewsSports]

@@MavenKHuffman I have actually been training to be a professional wrestler for about 8 months now. I have so far only done basics ( suplexs, clotheslines, hitting the ropes, rolls, etc). However, I can legitimately say that I have gotten bruises, headaches, and I even landed wrong on a rope when my classmates + I were practicing exiting through the ropes while running. I landed badly and got racked.. So yes the matches may be pre-determined but their is risk of getting injured whether your just practicing or even wrestling a match.

[@ryanrantovich8308]

Wtf did they make you do that for dude..I took a few of those 20 years ago then 12 bumps In a row I still get headaches at.44 ..was this a recent wrestling school In last 4 years they go way overboard these days

[@MjLmoonwalker]

"Big fucking deal. Take a bump." -Triple H.

[@aloosenpai2038]

We as wrestling fans know it’s pre determined but the thing that professional wrestling does is make us appreciate the art and gives us that once in a lifetime reaction to something we genuinely love and have a passion for it is the reason why we get up every day and say “hey I want to watch some damn good wrestling” because it’s something that creates this connection where we all love watching our favorite wrestlers faking beating the crap out of each other like in a movie where it can be a cinematic masterpiece

[@RomNYC]

Right on point!

[@ItApproaches]

Just cause it's pre-determined, doesn't mean the viewers have access to the script and know what's going to happen. You wouldn't watch a movie if you knew how it all goes before watching it lol.

[@tappajavittu]

I've never understood the appeal of traditional sports and especially actual violent stuff like UFC, I see no entertainment value in it and I'm still baffled by people who simp for sports ball players or whatever but wrestling, now that's something special. The perfect combination of athletics, improvisation and art in general and all the characters, like damn, no sports ball dude will ever be as cool or imposing as the Undertaker for example. I'd go as far as to say that at it's best wrestling is the ultimate form of entertainment.

[@ItApproaches]

@@tappajavittuImmersion. There is no immersion in sports. They are fun to play, not to watch. Sports fanatics aren't to smart. They scream at their TV, bashing the Ref for making a call as if they could do a better job, they love a player who's on their cities team, but if that player gets drafted to another team, they turn and hate the player lol. It's just pure egotistical fanboysim.

[@tappajavittu]

@@ItApproaches Yeah, you're right. Ice hockey is a HUGE thing in my country and I almost got beat up at one point when some hockey fanatics didn't like that I jokingly said I support the next city's ice hockey team, those rednecks were ready to get violent over that. Like yeah, I feel high highs and low lows when watching wrestling, but it never gets personal or dangerous like that, at least I can keep reality and sports entertainment separated and would never get mad at someone who likes a wrestler I don't like and whatnot.

[@t.bruceford4098]

Plenty of mma guys have tried pro wrestling and quickly went back to mma

[@shotdoctor5869]

Wow man, you’re amazing. I love how you didn’t get defensive and just have logical responses. Well done sir

[@josepho7083]

My parents tried to convince me from an early age this is "fake", and I just couldn't believe them because of what I was watching. I watched what I believe is the best wrestling and that is the late 80's and 90's. Amazing Sport and way to go Maven, almost 200k subs already. You are killing it!

[@Travybear1989]

Same here, was a teenager during the "Golden Era" and my dad used to give me hell for watching wrestling and always told me to grow up. The reality is that it's predetermined but the moves can and will hurt or possibly injury wrestlers so calling it fake is going a bit too far. You could say it's rigged for sure but if it were fake there would be no injuries.

[@nessadvantage9447]

​@@Travybear1989 when people say to me it's fake i just tell them: "Yeah, if you're talking about who wins and who loses you'd be correct. Wrestling outcomes are scripted like movies. If you're talking about the injuries they could sustain while doing their matches you'd be wrong. How do you "fake" falling off a ladder 15 feet high? You're gonna feel that bump lol" A good match you should see is Steve Blackman vs. Shane Mcmahon in a hardcore match at summerslam 2000. Show that match to one of those people who scoff and call wrestling fake😂 I gaurentee when they see the fall Shane takes they'll at least have a little more respect for what these people do.

[@AirLancer]

@@Travybear1989 Can't really call it "rigged" when it's not a real competition in the first place.

[@tuttiman55]

My enjoyment comes from the ability of the wrestlers to make it believable for the people who don’t know that it’s predetermined, the best wrestlers all managed to make people believe it was really an actual fight

[@mumblez22]

Not a sport. Olympic wrestling is the Sport

[@tommyfraz.]

Thank you, Maven, another banger of a video. I appreciate Chris Van Vliet’s defense of the business, “movies are scripted, and that doesn’t ruin your enjoyment. So why should wrestling being scripted ruin my enjoyment?” I get not everyone is going to like wrestling (I don’t watch anymore), and that’s fine. But trying to ruin someone else’s enjoyment is truly sad.

[@dwightyboy5324]

I remember saying this to people in high school, they'd answer back with stuff like "Yeah but they have stunt doubles" and I'd reply with "Yeah and wrestlers don't have them, they do their own stunts and only have on shot to make it look perfect” and they'd never know how to counter that

[@jbutz01]

Stunt doubles get hurt, often very seriously, on a regular basis. Scripted doesn't mean safe. That's the thing that always irks me about this conversation from the "wrasslin is fake" crowd.

[@dwightyboy5324]

@@jbutz01 nothing fake about people getting hurt or possibly even dying, stunt people and pro wrestlers have all my respect

[@josegoncalves2901]

Man you really giving it all with the video production, this is quality content right here, congrats

[@BrianTKessler]

Reporter: Is wrestling fake? Undertaker: Only once during the 2002 Royal Rumble.

[@mikerollins3088]

Another great video Maven! This one was appropriate to make. Like you said, people will use this to throw into fans faces now, and in the future, just like they always did in the past! Why anyone feels the need to sh*t on anyone's hobbies or interests is beyond me. Its like anything, if its not for you then move along, but whats the sense in just cutting ppl down simply for liking something else. I think ppl forget sometimes that if we were all the exact same with the exact same beliefs, likes, habits, etc we would be a very boring and obvious people! We need to learn to be okay with our differences and accept them without judgment, as long as our intentions are pure!

[@BarmyDeer]

Scripted doesn't mean fake. Those slams, that cardio endurance, that athleticism, those hits would severely injure anyone who is not specifically trained for it.

[@herbertcampbell1008]

Exactly

[@Chuck_EL]

Roddy as a rookie took a legit wine bottle to his head and had to get stitches in his dead afterwards

[@Treydaman773]

They are taking the bumps Chris benoit his head was fucked that’s why he killed his wife and son and himself

[@stinkbug4321]

Scripted isn't even the right word. There is no real one word to describe it. The best way to describe it, is a phrase, "it's not what you think." Is what they do in the ring scripted? No, it is well known moves. Is what happens outside of the ring scripted? No, what is happening is one person is selling another's actions. Are parts of their promo's scripted? Well, yes parts of them but many things the actor say are original and cause the other actors to break character.

[@oscaralegre3683]

they are stunt men and women acting like child

[@PickleJello]

"Pro wrestlers can't fight MMA fighters!" Brock Lesnar: Am I a joke to you?

[@BogotaLineman]

Brock was a succesful mma fighter because he was an NCAA champion amateur wrestler, not because he was in wwe...

[@Cryptosporidium140]

Brock Lesnar obviously is a freak of nature athlete though so easier for him and even so he still wasn't THAT great, he was good and yes won the title but he wasn't absolutely phenomenal and his last fight took PEDs so. Overall I do get the original point, wrestlers have a tougher time transitioning to MMA than vise versa.

[@morathehollow4797]

I'd say Lesnar is more an exception than a rule

[@zeusprophet7305]

Brock Lesnar has lost most of his matches since coming back to the WWF because professional wrestling is more competitive.

[@Ill.righteous31]

Brock isn't the majority and extremely rare if not the only one to succeed in MMA plus he had a record of 5-3 losing almost have his fights😂

[@tonyjones1560]

FTR, Willian Regal is an old-school English grappler who started out “stretching” all comers for prize money: “Last five minutes with this guy (Regal) for X amount of money.” Not too many guys walked out with the money. Some needed help to walk out at all. Adrian Street and Billy Robinson (RIP to both) were two others from “across the pond” who’d probably shock TF out of most MMA fighters with the level of submission skills they have.

[@fartnloud7411]

The funny thing is that he doesn't even look like he could hurt a fly, all well-mannered and polite accent with an ordinary body. The man is a machine and a master at the craft. He's like Liam Neeson in Taken (for some reason i see him like that 😂, the subtlety of his restraint)

[@RordanGamsay]

​@@fartnloud7411I hated him as a kid but as an adult I recognize that just means he played his character so good

[@fartnloud7411]

@dreadlocklife3418 there many good heels but also many that you can feel they're over doing it and just dont work, there's only a few that have been great and can transition with ease to being face. Regal is one of the latter.

[@SilverBullet888]

😂😂 actual burst out laughing when he you said “didn’t like the first slap why the hell would you stand up for the second one” 😂😂😂

[@hawkgirl0912]

I remember when I was much younger, and I would talk about wrestling with excitement in my face. Then the other person would say, "Well, you know it's fake, right?" I believe that's the phrase to deflate any bit of joy where wrestling is concerned. The situation with David Schultz: I believe the office wanted him to show John Stossel that wrestling wasn't fake. And when it started getting too hot, it was obvious who was going to take the fall. Always look forward to seeing your videos, Maven!👍

[@victory7763]

David deserves to be in the Hall of Fame for his sacrifice

[@noble0155]

Why do people hate seeing someone enjoy something

[@HabsMike25]

Even to this day you can't talk about wrestling with people saying you know it's fake yet no one says anything when talking about movies, TV shows or reality shows. It is no different

[@wettestriver4532]

You making these videos reminds me of why I love wrestling. Thank you Maven and team!

[@Beefadin]

Fake? No. Predetermined? Yes Every fan knows that and that's why we love it

[@vanthadoun1]

Saying Wrestling is fake is like saying porn is fake. Both have a predetermined outcome, both use visual cues, camera angles, star quality performances, and both surrender their bodies to massive punishment. But in the end, its the satisfaction of the viewer. So yes, its all in the name of entertainment! To quote Maximus, "Are you not entertained?"

[@MrMatthew262]

Plenty of people say porn isn’t simulating real sex. It sets unrealistic expectations.

[@ManeeVaughn]

What a great ANALogy!

[@JohnDoe-gk7ok]

Isn’t porn real sex? All that’s fake are maybe the orgasms, but I’m pretty sure that’s a real hot dog going through a real doughnut hole.

[@JrKdM]

​@@MrMatthew262thats why u gotta go amateur man

[@wildae.]

@@JrKdM lol yes we are still talking about wrestling

[@djfresh826]

Absolutely love Maven's channel. Everything is explained with such grace. I've been a Maven fan since tough enough. Keep the great content coming. Love the work that you are doing...

[@angelcarvajal9914]

I’ve become hooked to this channel. Don’t change Maven.

[@carlosvasquez2196]

Thank you Maven and every wrestler that put their bodies on the line and risked their health to entertain us fans. Ya'll gave us so many good matches and memories. I still go back to watching them matches and yours,..those days were great. Know you are appreciated always!! Respect.

[@dusk6159]

And he's so professional, well-spoken and composed!

[@MsKeylas]

He is imho too nice to ignoramuses

[@CovertBandit0]

Happy New Year Maven! Discovering your channel has brought back some awesome childhood memories of RKOing pillows and drop kicking friends on trampolines 🤣Glad you're back in the limelight being an inspiration to the people.

[@hunterstark9556]

Couldn’t have said that better myself! 😎

[@KimboRice93]

That Dave Schultz interview never gets old lol

[@MavenKHuffman]

Hahahaha… no it does not!

[@Paul-se4wc]

I really wish video existed of the haku stories . That would be a great thing

[@badbach66]

I am absolutely loving your channel and have been devouring your content the whole day lol. Heres to millions of more subscribers to come!

[@unum1979]

Its funny that you have guys like Brock, Batista, Lashley, Jake Hager and others who have won mma fights and most of the roster past and present would mop the floor with them. For the continuous abuse they put themselves through far exceeds what 99% of the population can endure. They deserve much more credit and respect.

[@Ticketman99]

Batista was the surprise out of these 4. The other 3 were wrestlers since they were kids(amateur wrestling, not backyard like CM Punk).

[@ipleathetv6334]

“𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆" will always be my favorite Vince moment. The way he sized him up like a gangsta is hilarious asf😭

[@JohnSmith-xm2kg]

Your camera work is very impressive and your content is very interesting and informative. Great work man keep it up!!!

[@billybadass3056]

kinda weird because that was stuttering John asking vince those questions so I kinda feel vince was prepared for his stupidity even though that back and forth wasn't scripted which i guess is why he didn't get as angry as he normally would if somebody disrespected the business to his face like that back then....

[@Rschr101]

And a Baba Booie to ya'll.

[@TitusRedwind]

I know damn well it hurts. I trained for about a month to be a wrestler but quit because the sheer amount of pain I was in from taking bump after bump during training. Sure, doing one beil isn't too painful. But you don't just take one single bump in a match. You repeatedly hit the mat, sometimes from several feet in the air like from a slam or doing a high spot. Every hit adds up and when you're having several matches a week like guys do in WWE, that just makes it all the more painful.

[@Chuck_EL]

I trained and backyard wrestled and you're right It's one of the reasons I don't really rip pro wrestlers because I fully get how much pain and work it is

[@Cryptosporidium140]

Random thing to think about but I wonder how many people in the world could've turned out to be massive stars (enough to be on pro wrestling Mount Rushmore) but their pain endurance/tolerance was lower or just more injury prone.

[@ThePinoyShinobi]

What a role model Maven is for professional wrestling. Happy for your success!

[@MavenKHuffman]

🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@carloscortes7266]

Maven, Just wanted to say I was there front row with my dad to see you as GM of Raw in Indianapolis. Because of you I get to see clips of me and my father together any time. Thank you and you should have joined evolution.

[@_Wraith247]

The problem that I have when someone calls wrestling "fake" is would they say the same about other professions? Would they say the same about a stuntman who takes an insane fall down stairs for a movie? Granted, they take precautions and try to protect themselves, but it does hurt even though it is part of the script. Also, I can confirm that the figure four does hurt if applied with too much pressure.

[@gngrblls2thwall]

Yes, I would. Movies are fake.

[@danielwilliams5993]

the difference is the stuntman doesnt say the movie was real

[@douglasjohnston1465]

wrestling is very much like a movie except they are their own stuntmen/women. It has to be predetermined because they are telling a story and there are time restrictions. but how they get to the end can be up to the wrestlers. a lot of the contact like with chairs, being thrown down, some of the slaps etc are real. If you watch closely you can see sometimes where guys dont like each other and do really go at it. they also have a way of doing fake but real moves that are used to keep someone in line.

[@BxNcVsper777]

@@danielwilliams5993that’s what makes pro wrestling different, the blurring of lines some times, a wrestler could get a shoot injury and sell it like it’s part of the script with movies, they could easily CGI or other movie magic they can do.

[@TheReallMitch]

the situation with Vader turned out to be a prank by the producer to the host, he told Vader to react like this to mess with the host but it backfired, 25 years later a guy tried to contact the host to get his side of the story but he still refuses to talk about what happened

[@MavenKHuffman]

That actually makes sense! It does look set up

[@TheReallMitch]

yeah the director and producer told vader to do it as a prank to the host but Vader did not know that the host had no clue that this would happen and after all that went down the host retired and stepped away after the incident @@MavenKHuffman

[@phantasmaunotroup]

As well as Vader almost faced serious criminal charges there

[@lugaruclone]

As a teen in Mexico I got into the ring at a wrestling exhibition, took a bump on the matt and... OUCH. It changed my perception of wrestling and even when I reviewed 'the wrestler' years later I made a point of saying 'this is a fictional story but the pain is real' in that yeah it is storytelling but through real pain, real emotion and real risk.

[@Travybear1989]

Yeah, the human body isn't engineered to fall as often as wrestlers do and to know how to fall and take the least amount of trauma takes actual practice and skill garnered through hundreds of hours of experience.

[@bobbybernard5977]

Wrestling is brutal for body that’s why wrestlers are addicted to painkillers.

[@lugaruclone]

@@Travybear1989 yeah I studied martial arts and 'learning how to fall' has saved my life living in a town that freezes up 3 months a year. But even if you are good at it, a wrestler, a stunt performer... way too many falls go wrong.

[@jimjones1876]

Dang Mave.... I've never noticed how well spoken you are. Take my sub and please accept these likes. Looking forward to more great stuff from this channel.

[@Makai77]

Great video here, Maven. Content like this is why I subscribe to you channel. I view pro wrestling as an elite stunt show, performed by elite stuntmen. The pain you all endure is certainly real. And the entertainment you all provide is obviously appreciated and respected by millions, world wide. Apart from the outcome of matches being pre-determined, there's nothing "fake" about it.

[@noelguzman1242]

You are legit tough guys and I appreciate the effort you put in every move for the sake of our entertainment. Thanks for another great video.

[@mickeymojito]

I love how people like to say “wrestling is fake “ like it’s some sort of revelation, as if their favorite movies and tv shows aren’t “fake” as well. It’s something that only happens with wrestling and I don’t understand why

[@1218cody]

The biggest thing thats gotten me back into wrestling is finding out what's real and whats fake but also finding out how hard it was to pull off these feats of strength, durability and physicality.

[@JorgeGarcia-lr3vk]

I admit, I also thought it was fake until I went to Money In the Bank a couple years ago because my buddy invited me to go with him. We were close enough to hear the thumps and grunts in the ring. It made me appreciate what wrestlers do and I've been a mark ever since. I think taking the skeptic to a show and let them see up close how physically demanding it really is.

[@yabukiman4273]

Imagine training day after day, traveling worldwide, passing months far from your home and your beloved ones and exposing yourself to injuries and accidents, only to hear some schmuck say what you do is fake and also insulting those who support you and pay to see you perform. Screw those douchebags. I hope you have a great 2024, Mave!

[@lightng2023]

The fact that it tries to present itself as a competition when it's not makes it fake, that's a fact, no one is saying they don't put their bodies on the line.

[@derrickhobbs5130]

@@lightng2023yet the movie awards or music awards is considered competition too, right?? Just because the movie or song says something doesn’t mean it is real…

[@andyswift79]

It’s funny how once WWE jumped on board with UFC, Joe started giving more credit to wrestlers. Maybe it’s from interviewing wrestlers and figuring out how much work and injuries these guys go through. Still seems like a coincidence!

[@koibitothescrublord4977]

Wrong. Joe started giving wrestlers their roses before the merger. Joe was ignorant of what wrestling actually is. From the interviews he's done BEFORE the merger did he start to understand what it takes to be a wrestler. Not a coincidence, you just don't know what you're talking about. Educate yourself on a situation before you look stupid, talking about something you know nothing about.

[@andyswift79]

@@koibitothescrublord4977 brother I listen to JRE. If you think that merger was done over night and wasn’t a year or two long discussion, I’m not sure you’re right. Joe definitely started to come around after the undertaker interview. But having the rock, hogan and flair on within the last 3 months is pretty evident.

[@andyswift79]

I know about Jake Robert’s, and DDP interviews too. But he was still goofing on wrestling after those interviews!

[@superstarreviews9937]

He realized how easy it was to get wrestlers on his show and how entertaining they are and how they bring in views! After that,he knew not to fxvk with them anymore because they're part of his bread and butter!

[@andyswift79]

@@superstarreviews9937 that too! I don’t listen much these days but I always tune in for those. Rock was pretty boring. Hogan lied a lot which was somewhat entertaining. Flair was pretty good… did much better than he did on Kill Tony😅

[@mydreamwindow1721]

I haven't watched wrestling or UFC in many years but i must say that Maven is absolutely correct that a lot of people watch both and it's a very diverse crowd from all walks of life. Love your videos man, keep 'em coming.

[@SuperZuer33]

I've been a wrestling fan for 33 years and let me tell you. Some of the nicest coolest people, I have ever met have been wrestling fans and wrestlers as well. At wrestling cons and live shows. Anyone that calls wrestling fake I say get a front row seat to an event and see how hard they hit the floor, in the ring, and so on. I think that will changed your mind...

[@tonyjones1560]

Same here. Larry Zybysko was hilarious. Virgil was just cool. Superstar Billy Graham patient and friendly (especially to a starstruck 12 year old), Freebird Buddy Roberts was incredibly kind. Sensational Sherri Martel is still one of the sweetest women I have ever met in my life (I’m 61).

[@R0D3R1CKV10L3NC3]

I think you really hit the nail on the head there a couple of times, these people that look down on Pro Wrestling as "fake" are people who don't know enough about it - only knowing enough that it's scripted, and perhaps knowing that moves are choreographed - and then extrapolate based on their assumptions from that, and because they always have an agenda, usually something to do with making themselves (or their network) look good, or wrestling look bad, or something about "protecting children from violence on TV" or whatever other agenda they might have cooked up.

[@lylaznboi01]

I take wrestling as a movie/TV show. You're into wrestling for a certain aspect of it, whether it's storyline driven or match driven. When you got a good storyline, people are invested in it. For example, the Sami Zayn/Bloodline storyline. People were invested in that storyline. It started to draw more people into the show. In terms of stuff being "fake," it is to a certain extent. Sometimes, you would see people fake punch a person in the corner and it gets caught on camera. You can't fake a 20 foot fall of a cell onto a table. There have been plenty of injuries happen in the ring and even deaths. These are people doing stuff in one take on live TV compared to movies/TV shows where they can do it multiple times to get it right or splice them together.

[@steveshin820]

Wrestling is a TV show where the stunt doubles get the recognition and pay they deserve.

[@edgardoMurnia]

Soooooo. FAKE then, you are correct.

[@pwilliam255]

@@edgardoMurniait’s as fake as a reality show. Kardashians-fake ; Fear Factor-fake ; Soap operas-fake , some nba games- fixed, I mean fake etc. etc.

[@NewPatek_]

@@edgardoMurniait’s realer than that trash ass Zendaya film in your pfp 😂😂😂. Fight me in real life come on buddy, come to my world see your future 😂😂😂😂

[@tunnel-stash]

I used to be into martial arts and UFC. I learned several martial arts and I served in two war campaigns. Calling showmanship wrestling fake is uncultured and contrarian. It's a universal artform that everyone in the world loves. I see way more talent in 10 seconds of average WWE shows than I see in 1 hour of a UFC title match. Learning those moves, working the crowd, staying incredibly fit, doing dangerous stunts safely and working with crippling injuries deserves every bit of appreciation it gets from the fans. Its either your less cultured than a toddler or being dramatically polarizing.

[@michaelevansva4867]

I can attest as a non wrestler that the Figure 4 hurts like hell with very little pressure applied. My brothers and friends we wrestled a lot as kids and when my brother put it on it hurts. 😂

[@markthompson7503]

What I tell my friends.....Wrestling is not fake...it is scripted but the athleticism cannot be denied. It really cracks me up when a friend who says "wrestling is fake" also watches The Bachelor or Grey's Anatomy etc. 99% of tv shows and 100% of movies are fake lol.

[@Repomidnight]

It was great seeing Schultz interviewed for Dark Side of the Ring a few years back. He came across as very smart indeed. It’d be good to see him interviewed more.

[@arrownoir]

Those people don’t understand all the preparation and hard work that’s gone into making all of this happen.

[@RomNYC]

"Fake" or not, wrestling has always provided me 100 times the emotions I have ever gotten watching MMA. A little respect please.

[@mrmoviemanic1]

Thank you for this video Maven. Pro Wrestling as we know it is predetermined but it's an athletic sport that calls for lots of value of entertainment and uniqueness that only the individual wrestler can showcase.

[@Jokoman019]

I boxed and wrestled majority of my life from 9 years old to now as a 21 year old. I go to a boxing gym here in NC and we have some guys who wrestle in smaller promotions and a year ago I remember them just giving me like a hour lesson on breakfalls, taking a clothesline etc. and the next day I remember how sore i was and bad my back hurt and i had to take a good 3 days off just to get back in the gym again, ofc all that stuff was new to me so im sure after a while its more bearable but man doing that 80 or 100 or 160 nights a year i couldnt imagine how taxing that would be, youre allowing the other person to do the moves on you but your still taking the bumps

[@TheGamingJewYT]

As a former worker, i need to let people know, my slipped disc my busted knees and my inability to walk for too long will tell you all you need to know. Wrestling isnt fake, the results are predetermined and choreographed...like every hollywood movie people pay to watch! But the injuries and the tolls on your body and absolutely not fake! Keep up the great work Maven, kicking ass brother 🙏❤️

[@lashawnjordan1336]

Movies aren’t real but we still watch them! thank you maven !

[@seanlinesteammvg4967]

Brock Lesnar proved that he wasn't just a wrestler 🤷🤷

[@TheRealBDouble]

Been bingeing Maven's channel for a few days and every video has been great. Whoda thunk that Maven, of all the wrestlers out there that are on social media, would have one of the better wrestling YT channels out there?

[@Dane_B.94]

A wrestler literally went to UFC and became the world champion 😂

[@Krimsonkouhai]

People like brock lesnar, bobby lashley and ronda rousey

[@Engraver99]

A Ncaa div 1 wrestling champion in the pre USADA era where there was no drug testing and then conviently retired after the ufc started testing 😆

[@Engraver99]

@@Krimsonkouhaironda came from the ufc not the other way and lashley never fought a contender

[@Dane_B.94]

​@Archminister69 with or without the drugs, Brock is still a beast 🤷‍♂️

[@Krimsonkouhai]

@@Engraver99 sorry didnt know

[@ADTribalChild]

I remember this being a top topic in the late 90s. Though I've since spot watching pro-wrestling, there's no denying the "entertaining" appeal to all ages. I do feel wrestlers and wrestling personalities when asked that repetitive question time and time again. Great insights as always, Maven! 👏🏾

[@EricHalverson83]

Oh Joe's come around a lot since then. He's brought Mark, Dwayne, Ric. His respect and awareness has definetly increased. That's an old interview. I have close people currently working in the WWE, but I don't follow pro wrestling much anymore. "Fake"? No, scripted, yes but I have seen works turn into shoots too. I enjoy "hard" style the most. Japanese style, like NJPW.

[@dredfurst1365]

Kurt angle too

[@EricHalverson83]

@@dredfurst1365 oh that's right! I'm slightly tired. I knew something was missing. Thank you 👍

[@MavenKHuffman]

Appreciate the feedback. Joe definitely knows combat sports, and I appreciate his insight into that world

[@EricHalverson83]

@@MavenKHuffman We appreciate you as well, Maven. Thank you.

[@BelowMeGoggle]

Edge had the best response to this. Asked if anyone walks out of a movie or a play and says “oh that was fake”.

[@photofreak56]

I always thought of it as scripted but not fake. Its like a reality show. But when I was in middle school was Jeff Hardy's storyline of becoming WWE champion. When I was a kinder garden TA WWE was the way that I got a lot of my class to engage with learning. The stories might night be real but the actions, the pain the way they can inspire and make people feel connected in an increasingly isolated world. That is all real.

[@JB2387]

Joe Rogan did an interview with The Undertaker a while back and he didn't say any of what he said in this clip, he was actually the complete opposite, he seemed respectful about wrestling, even saying how much it hurts to be a wrestler, and the punishment they take.

[@Rschr101]

Rogan knows Taker would drop him on that stack of dimes he calls a neck

[@Speedyreedy1218]

Maven, are you still taking questions for future episode topics? If so, here's one: *What was it like being a new WWF superstar joining the roster during the transition from the Attitude to Ruthless Aggression era? You had some over the top characters well established, some gimmicks as well. But by mid 02, some names were leaving, changing gimmicks overall, or pun intended "evolving." All the newcomers used their government names (You, Orton, Cena, Batista, Shelton...). The vets still had their ring names, etc. Where and how did you think you'd fit in?*

[@SeethingSimp]

That's a good question, I always wondered how all the wrestlers felt about the Raw and Smackdown stages changing and the general shift in vibe from mid to late 2001, I always thought it was a huge downgrade

[@Speedyreedy1218]

@@SeethingSimp Glad you like the question! I hope he sees this and answers it. Maybe I'm in the minority, but the popular fist set that lots of fans loved which debuted in July 2001, took a while to grow on me. The 99-01 Smackdown ovaltron was my favorite. But I did LOVE the Beautiful people introduction opening theme video/tron. In comparison to 07 to the present, give me the Smackdown fist set over that current crap if I had to pick. I liked the Raw 02 intro video, theme, and even the commentary to the side of the entrance way. It was a different, but sophisticated vibe with me. Especially with heel stables like Evolution providing commentary while watching one of their stable mates make their entrance down the ramp, and give them the rub. Felt A list to me.

[@hgriff14]

9:35 joe has talked about how the moves actually hurt, its just not the impact of the move itself that hurts. He’s onto what I hate about the really new stuff is that a lot of it is illogical while old timers like you and older made it look logical.

[@Tommy-n2z4e]

One of the ads for this video was mr.clean now i cant stop seeing mr.clean Everytime i see Maven lol

[@brucecook502]

I have never been one of those "wrestling is fake" type people, and I figured that the wrestlers weren't trying to maliciously harm each other, but I gained such a much greater respect for wrestlers when I got to actually go to Live events because only then did I realize how much punishment these guys put on their bodies doing what they do to entertain us, whether or not they are pulling their punches so to speak when hitting each other, but everything else they do just seems so punishing on the body, and because they do these things to put on a fun show for us, they have my utmost respect 🙂

[@lornehulett7702]

I have been a fan of pro-wrestling since the late 70's and have been blessed by being able to watch most of the greatest performers in the business. For me, the biggest thing I took from it was the way these huge men and women could pull off these amazing moves ant NOT kill each other, and not just for the TV taping, but day after day on the road. That takes far more control and concentration than MMA or boxing where they fight once every 9 months. And that is just in the ring. Combine all that with good promo skills and you could have a great career.

[@aef789]

Hey Mav just found ur channel and I'm loving it. I'm from Ohio too (so fist pump). I have mad respect for wrestling and the time and preparation it takes and the work of the bodies. I see wrestlers not just as such but as super athletes and heroes to a lot of fans. I wish more wrestlers could explain the businness and the wrestling world with the love, passion and patience that you do. Keep at it!

[@MegaMan-bs3oy]

I was trained in 2020 by Tom Pritchard. My class started with 16. We where down to 11 by the end of it. We had one guy tear his peck. Another one got 2-3 bad concussions. Everyone was banged up. Bad knee sprain. One guy just left. I thought I cracked a rib when I leaped over someone who dropped down to close to the ropes. Landed full weight ribs first on the top rope. To this day if I move in a certain direction I get a stinging pain between my ribs. I went back in 2022 to knock off some rust. Got in did my first back bump to get it out of the way and after that it was like riding a bike. Nothing wears you out or beats you up but is also so satisfying to finish like doing man in the middle drills. Also the first week of rope running my body looked like someone took a bat to it. Bruises everywhere. So yeah it hurts. They can say well it's scripted but to say fake is bullshit. You are landing on 2x4s with a thin mat on top with canvas over it. I've told many people to come to Knoxville for 5-6 bodyslams. It's one reason I actually respect Logan Paul. He has went on his podcast to tell people guys this hurts. It's not just slamming your friend on a trampoline. One wrong turn on a suplex. One slip on a scoop slam. You are done.

[@mtn85]

Thank you for this video. Just as a fan I was into WWE as a kid and stopped shortly after the attitude era and UFC started to become popular. After several years I even started to do Jiu Jitsu and while there were some good parts of it, I started seeing things as a different way and there are so many people that take "real fighting" so seriously and will use any opportunity to get in a fight, and you end up seeing so many UFC fighters get in legal trouble because of it. Coming back to it I feel like the fans and the wrestlers love the art, and even people that don't like each other will work with each other for the love of doing it. I also think when I stopped watching, WWE was shifting from the extreme gimmicks like doink the clown and big boss man to the current day where we have real people as athletes telling a story and blurring the lines between real life drama and in ring theater.

[@a-damthemansixtynan4463]

That's my exact experience as well. I'm 35 now and got back into wrestling maybe 10 years ago at 25. Before that I was getting really into martial arts and jiu jitsu and had an experience that seems similar to yours. Most of the guys we trained with made fun of pro wrestling and even hated it, sadly. Wrestling fandom is more fun than MMA fandom in my experience.