Are you looking for something new to geek out on? Are comics no longer tickling your fancy? Wrestling might be just what you need!
Now, before you go on thinking that wrestling is a sport geared towards jocks and athletes, hear me out, because you might just find that wrestling perfectly scratches the same geeky itches as other mediums!
1. Larger-Than-Life Characters
Just like in comics, movies, manga, and other accepted parts of geek culture, wrestling is filled with larger than life characters. There's Jon Cena, wrestling's Superman. There are characters Ricochet, who can perform acrobatic moves that seem impossible. Kenny Omega has found a way to be a super badass while naming his moves after popular video game franchises. There are classic characters like Macho Man and Steve Austin and new characters like tough guy Roman Reigns and the brooding Aleister Black.
The point is, just like the mediums nerds enjoy, wrestling takes it characters and cranks them up to 11. Whether you want literal superheroes in capes (The Hurricane), demons (Kane), S.W.A.T teams (The S.H.I.E.L.D.), or crazed cult leaders (Bray Wyatt), there are wrestling characters for you.
2. Deep History and Lore
One thing that really makes something nerdy is the ability to, well, geek out on it. With wrestling, there's thousands and thousands of hours of programming to go back and watch, and years of history to learn.
And not only is there all that history in terms of storylines, but there's the entire behind-the-scenes world of wrestling to learn about. If you're the kind of person who really likes to sink your teeth into a product and learn everything about it, wrestling is perfect for you.
For example, you could dig into the history of Vince McMahon (the Chairman of WWE). You could learn how he got started taking over the business from his father and how he turned it into the giant it is today. You could also read and watch his character, Mr. McMahon, the evil authority figure who is always diabolically holding the "good guys" like Roman Reigns and Steve Austin back.
And that's just one character! Don't even get me started on the story of The Undertaker and Kane...
3. Catchphrases for Days
Is there anything nerdier than a catchphrase? I don't think so. "And that's the bottom line because Stone Cold said so. "
But seriously, I think you understand what I mean. Wrestling is filled with catchphrases, "if you smell what The Rock is cooking."
I mean, "whatcha gonna do, brother?" You're probably going to go watch wrestling and realize that you'll have a whole slew of things to scream out to your fellow wrestling fan friends. It'll be too sweet!
If you think about how many catchphrases are in mediums like comics, manga, movies, and TV shows, you'll quickly realize that they're a huge part of what makes nerd culture tick. And wrestling is just as full of them. And you can "believe that."
4. Flashy Outfits
Comic book characters stand out partially because of their memorable outfits. You can look at red and yellow armor and immediately know that's Iron Man. Do you see a brooding figure in black? It's probably Batman.
Wrestling is like that too, especially in Japan and Mexico, where performers often wear masks that make them stand out even more. But even in the US, characters are recognizable by their costumes and outfits, which is definitely nerdy.
For example, you can spot John Cena from a mile away because of his jean shorts and bright t-shirts. Rey Mysterio is recognizable by his lucha libre masks and costumes. The members of The S.H.I.E.L.D. stand out with their S.W.A.T team-like uniforms. You get the idea.
5. Long-Term Storytelling
One thing we nerds tend to love is long stories that we can go back and sink our teeth into. Wrestling has this big time. Both of WWE's flagship shows Raw and SmackDown have thousands of episodes between the two, and the stories have been continuously building for years. The writers will often call back on things that happened years ago.
Do you need to know that Brock Lesnar won a match with Undertaker at WrestleMania 30 and ended "The Dead Man's" undefeated streak? No, but you feel pretty cool for knowing it when it comes again in 2019!
6. Conventions All Over the Place
One of the best things in nerd culture is our love of conventions. They offer a place where can get together without judgment and truly be ourselves.
Just like comics, anime, CCGs, and gaming, wrestling has conventions all over the world. And not only that, but going to a local independent wrestling show is much like a convention where you can meet up with fellow wrestling fans and geek out over all things predetermined grappling!
7. Wrestlers Are Nerds Now
Long gone are the days of wrestlers being giant muscle heads. Nowadays, you're just as likely to find a comic book reading video game fan in the locker room of a wrestling federation as you are a weight lifter.
You can find some of the biggest nerds in the world in professional wrestling. That means that not only can you look up to wrestlers and their larger-than-life characters, but you can actually relate to the performers because they're nerds like you!