When a Wrestling Match Becomes A Fight

by Liz Savage, betwrestling.com

I’ve been reading the articles on Sexy Star vs Rosemary incident. I would like to note that I do not know either woman in person, nor have any relationship with either of them online, as far as I know. (I have a lot of Facebook friends, maybe one of them is on there?) I know who they are because I follow Shimmer and AAA. You can watch the incident here on PWmania.com if you haven’t seen it already.

While there is hype from both sides as to whether or not Sexy Star was responsible for Rosemary’s injury, is there more hype because it was a major show, or because it is part of a storyline, is the question that has been asked again and again. “Shooting” in wrestling has happened since the beginning of the sport. Former NWA Champion Lou Thesz was a well known shooter, as back in those days it wasn’t uncommon for a shooter from another territory to come in and try to beat the champion, to discredit the other, and try to prove their territory was better.

One of the shoots I most clearly remember seeing, which I won’t lie and say I didn’t cheer on, was when Daniel Puder shot on Kurt Angle, and put him in a kimura (arm lock) and nearly broke Angles arm. This was after Angle himself had shot on another tough enough contestant and declared an open contest. Well, Puder cashed in and nearly broke the former Olympians arm, to make a point that Angle let his power go to his head, and shouldn’t.

One question I have to ask, is where is the outrage for all the other women and men who have been shot on, both on the professional and independent level, and been injured by the shooter? This has happened to not only myself but many other wrestlers I know. Should we have fought back? Should we have “complained” to bookers and fellow workers? Some people did and were ignored, fired, blacklisted, harassed, etc.

I struggled with what happened to me for a long time. It caused me to lose trust, and to have a hard time building it with other wrestlers, as well as constantly made me question my own abilities, despite knowing I had more than put in my time. My life was made into a living hell by a woman who spent years attempting to destroy my character, for what purpose, other than jealousy, I cannot see.

So what do we do with these bullies in pro wrestling? Do we stand up and use the same tactics against them? Do we complain to the wrestling universe about these folks? Do we demand they are ousted from their roles in companies, and who decides, “what side is right”? I mean even if our sport is “a work” it’s still a fight, and maybe that is something we should all keep in mind.