Comparing Pro Wrestling To The NBA

Professional wrestling is past and current day NBA and it’s awesome.

In the early 80s when the NBA was on the brink of being left for dead, Larry Bird led the Boston Celtics with Magic Johnson leading the Los Angeles Lakers and their storied rivalry brought the league to the top of pop culture. While those dynasties were wrapping up, the Chicago Bulls kicked off their own dynasty, taking the NBA to even greater heights.

But it was those who challenged them, won titles when they didn’t and those who came after them who contributed to the success of not only the NBA, but basketball as a whole. The same can be said about professional wrestling in 2019. When WWE isn’t the hottest product, there are other big companies like New Japan, Impact Wrestling, Ring of Honor and now AEW to challenge Vinnie Mac. If none of those entities pique the interest of the fan base, there are countless independent promotions throughout the United States and the world to entertain us.

Right now WWE is the dynasty of wrestling. It’s the Lakers, Celtics, Bulls – WWE has the biggest stars, the most mainstream coverage and the most money to throw around. When those previous dynasties ended, a team of misfits and undesirables took the NBA by storm. They were the bad boys – the Detroit Pistons led by Isaiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman, Joe Dumars and Bill Laimbeer. They were tough, dirty and made the NBA fun. They had personality, charisma and gave zero fucks.

This is what the wrestling landscape outside of WWE is made up of, guys like Jimmy Havoc, Sami Callihan and Joe Hendry. Impact in particular has stocked its roster with Vinnie Mac’s undesirables: Callihan, Rich Swann, Jimmy Jacobs, even current Impact Wrestling Champion Johnny Impact.

The comparisons don’t stop there. The New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers and Utah Jazz in the 90s are what NJPW and ROH are now. They’re all trying to topple the sport’s giants and end the dynasties. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Jay White and Will Ospreay are to NJPW what Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller were to their respective teams trying to challenge the Bulls. Furthermore, Jay Lethal, Matt Taven and Dalton Castle are to ROH what Karl Malone and John Stockton were to the Jazz. ROH is a thriving company with great talent. Time will tell if it can present a challenge to WWE’s position.

In 2019, WWE is most like the Golden State Warriors. It’s able to blend the right amount of homegrown talent with the top free agents in the sport. Superstars like The Miz and Roman Reigns were built through the WWE system, evolving into household names. On the other hand, WWE has been able to secure indie darlings like AJ Styles and Seth Rollins, showcasing their talent on a grander stage than Impact or ROH ever could.

As we head into the playoffs and prepare for the summer, both pro wrestling and the NBA are reaching another boom period where fans of both genres will be the biggest winners of all.