WWE Raw: It Ain't Shakespeare
Posted: Jul 21st 2010 By: CMBurnham
Is it a sport, or is it theater?
Everyone knows about professional wrestling these days. The founder of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Vince McMahon, has knocked it into pop culture of this country with a metal folding chair to back of the head. Several of his brood of brutish men and gorgeous women have parlayed their success on WWE Raw, SmackDown, and Wrestlemania into success as actors models and even politicians.
No, I'm serious...Jesse "The Body" Ventura was elected Governor of Minnesota in 1994. Look it up.
Anyway, the rowdy and raucous WWE made it's wild presence known to Tulsa fans on Monday night bringing the WWE Superstars and WWE Raw wrestlers to the amazing BOK Center for a national TV broadcast. Having never seen a spectacle like a professional wrestling match...at least on the magnitude of a WWE card...I met the challenge of witnessing the spectacle of the event for what it was: theater
It took just one wrestler to convince me that this had nothing to do with the sport that was brought forth by the ancient Greeks. The first wrestler to emerge from the huge stage was Alberto Del Rio, who clearly was the "bad guy".
To use the literary/theatrical term, an "antagonist".
I say this because his introduction was met with a chorus of booing from the near-capacity, banner waving crowd and upon climbing into the ring he decided to address the crowd in Spanish. Not to take this review of a light-hearted event like the WWE (yeah, I said it) in a political direction, but it was a bit of sad commentary on the state of relations between our country and Mexico. I digress, of course. On to the chaos, mayhem and violence.
The show was divided into two acts. The first was the WWE Superstars, which was the under card and consisted of three matches. Alberto Del Rio and Gold Dust went first with Del Rio taking the first match, Yoshi Tatsu and Primo had the second, which was won by Primo, and The Hart Dynasty and The Uso's locked up in a tag team match with the Hart Dynasty coming out on top. Those matches paved the way for WWE Raw, and the big names of the show. It was readily apparent that the WWE took it's cues from major musical acts like KISS as the wrestlers entered from the stage area awash in dazzling light and pyrotechnic displays and LOUD music.
In the end, though, this is not opera, or the philharmonic. It's professional wrestling. In and of itself it is intended to be entertainment and not picked apart like one would when reviewing a movie or a CD or an art exhibit. Some might be critical of the WWE as a show that appeals to the blue-collar, beer drinking redneck crowd, but it's appeal is a little deeper than that. Observing the crowd prior to the doors opening there was int interesting mix of people waiting in the hot Oklahoma sun there was a mix of people from the aforementioned good ol' boy set, but over near the door were some uncomfortable-looking older people dressed in golf shirts and summer attire. Age wise the crowd ran the gamut. You had small children accompanied by their parents, teenagers trying to avoid their parents, and young adults. This melange combined to fill the BOK Center to near overflowing.
So the WWE is not what one would call a "cultured" form of entertainment. So what. It's fun, and laugh if you must but the wrestlers are laughing with you.
All the way to the bank.
Supplemental Information
Spotlight in History
- 1969 Chuck Karbo def. Danny Hodge for the TSW North American Title
- 1969 Bull Curry def. Baron Von Raschke for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 1998 The Great Bolo [2nd] def. Red Eagle for the OPW Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
- 2009 Sage def. Goldeneye for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
- 2009 Mo-Dizzle def. Kunna Keyoh for the TCBW Hardcore Title
- 2009 Thug Nasty def. Wage for the TCBW Heavyweight Title
- 2010 Tyson Jaymes def. Rick Russo for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
- 2010 Kareem Sadat def. David Kyzer for the SWCW All-American Title
- 2020 Alex Royal def. Sam Stackhouse for the WFC Heavyweight Title
- 2021 Skylar Slice def. Danni Bee for the ASP Women's Title
- 2021 Jerome Daniel Griffey def. Malik Mayfield for the ASP Livestream Title
- 2025 Blazin' Saddles (Bang Bang Bennett & Scotty Rose) def. Drake Gallows & Dale Reeves (Serving as a one-time partner) for the RDW Tag Team Titles
Week of Sun 08-16 to Sat: 08-22
- 08-16 1977 Porkchop Cash & Mike George def. The Medics (Medic #1 & Medic #2) for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
- 08-16 2013 The Rock Star Mafia (Dane Griffin & Armani) def. Team ATM (Jerome Daniels & Big Tex) for the NWA-TXO Tag Team Titles
- 08-16 2019 Fly Def (Warren J & Zack Zilla) became the TexPro Tag Team Champions
- 08-16 2024 Tribal Nation (Brandon Warhawk & Nashoba & Marlboro Slim) became the BPW Tag Team Champions
- 08-16 2024 Texas Outlaws (Bobby Burns & Original Renegade & Manico) def. Tribal Nation (Brandon Warhawk, Nashoba & Marlboro Slim) for the BPW Tag Team Titles
- 08-16 2025 Nashoba def. Jay Hazzard for the EPW Internet Television Title
- 08-16 2025 K. J. Orso def. Ironside for the TexPro Oklahoma Title
- 08-17 2002 Russelina the Ballerina/Manservant became the OCW Oklahoma Womens Champion
- 08-17 2019 Naomi Sanders def. Karnage for the BPW 365 Title
- 08-17 2019 Adam Patrick def. Brock Landers for the ASP Inter-County Title
- 08-17 2024 God's Work (Father Padge & Deacon Hendrix) def. Shawn Sanders & Marlboro Slim (subbing for Scott Sanders) for the EPW Tag Team Titles
- 08-17 2024 Damien Morte def. Badger James for the EPW Internet Television Title
- 08-17 2025 Brixton Barricade def. Slade Temple for the ASP Mid-American Title
- 08-17 2025 Drake Gallows def. Brixon Barricade for the ASP All Time Title
- 08-17 2025 Colton Kinnamon def. Drake Gallows for the ASP All Time Title
- 08-17 2025 Drake Gallows def. Colton Kinnamon for the ASP All Time Title
- 08-17 2025 Dale Reeves def. Drake Gallows for the ASP All Time Title
- 08-17 2025 Bang Bang Bennett def. Dale Reeves for the ASP All Time Title
- 08-17 2025 Drake Gallows def. Bang Bang Bennett for the ASP All Time Title
- 08-17 2025 Dale Reeves def. Drake Gallows for the ASP All Time Title
- 08-17 2025 Kyle Kubiak def. Dale Reeves for the ASP All Time Title
- 08-17 2025 Dale Reeves def. Kyle Kubiak for the ASP All Time Title
- 08-17 2025 Scotty Rose def. Dale Reeves for the ASP All Time Title
- 08-17 2025 Kyle Kubiak def. Scotty Rose for the ASP All Time Title
- 08-17 2025 C. M. Burnham def. Kyle Kubiak for the ASP All Time Title
- 08-18 1982 Mike Sharpe, Jr. def. Killer Khan for the MSW Louisiana Title
- 08-18 2001 Dexter Hardaway def. Grenade for the OPW Oklahoma Light Heavyweight Title
- 08-18 2025 Brandon Groom def. Dan Webber for the LCW Lionheart Title
- 08-18 2025 Blake Dalton def. Brandon Groom for the LCW Lionheart Title
- 08-19 2002 Se7en became the ACW Heavyweight Champion
- 08-19 2002 HIMM became the ACW Hardcore Champion
- 08-19 2007 Talon def. Lady Venom for the SWCW Womens Title
- 08-19 2007 Striker def. Rick Garrett for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
- 08-20 1968 The Spoiler def. Grizzly Smith for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
- 08-20 1969 Johnny Valentine def. Jose Lothario for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
- 08-20 1976 Seigfreid Steinke def. Rocky Johnson for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Title
- 08-20 2005 The Red Dirt Outlaws (Devon Monroe & Kevin James) def. The Forsaken (Faith & Halo) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 08-20 2006 Re-Gex (Seth Shai & Mace) def. Natural Born Sinners (Appolyon & El Lotus) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
- 08-20 2006 Rexx Reed def. Carnage for the ACW Hardcore Title
- 08-20 2006 John O'Malley def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Heavyweight Title
- 08-20 2011 Jesse Williams became the ACW Heavyweight Champion
- 08-20 2011 Danger Dean def. Jesse Williams for the ACW Heavyweight Title
- 08-20 2016 Dimitri Alexandrov became the UWE United States Champion
- 08-20 2020 Jerry Bostic def. Shawn Sanders for the ASP Mid-American Title
- 08-21 1959 Angelo Savoldi def. Mike DiBiase for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title
- 08-21 1961 Corsica Joe def. Oni Wiki Wiki for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Title
- 08-21 1961 Stu Gibson def. Waldo Von Erich for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 08-21 1964 Karl Kox def. Bull Curry for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 08-21 1972 Tom Jones & Ken Mantell def. The Continental Warriors (Bobby Hart & Lorenzo Parente) for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
- 08-21 1987 Al Perez def. Kevin Von Erich for the WCCW World Title
- 08-21 2005 Chaz Sharpe def. Li'l Joe for the ACW Hardcore Title
- 08-21 2005 Aaron Neil became the ACW Heavyweight Champion
- 08-21 2020 The Sickness/Charlie Haas def. Will Allday for the TexPro Heavyweight Title
- 08-22 1969 Chuck Karbo def. Danny Hodge for the TSW North American Title
- 08-22 1969 Bull Curry def. Baron Von Raschke for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 08-22 1998 The Great Bolo [2nd] def. Red Eagle for the OPW Oklahoma Heavyweight Title
- 08-22 2009 Sage def. Goldeneye for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Title
- 08-22 2009 Mo-Dizzle def. Kunna Keyoh for the TCBW Hardcore Title
- 08-22 2009 Thug Nasty def. Wage for the TCBW Heavyweight Title
- 08-22 2010 Tyson Jaymes def. Rick Russo for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
- 08-22 2010 Kareem Sadat def. David Kyzer for the SWCW All-American Title
- 08-22 2020 Alex Royal def. Sam Stackhouse for the WFC Heavyweight Title
- 08-22 2021 Skylar Slice def. Danni Bee for the ASP Women's Title
- 08-22 2021 Jerome Daniel Griffey def. Malik Mayfield for the ASP Livestream Title
- 08-22 2025 Blazin' Saddles (Bang Bang Bennett & Scotty Rose) def. Drake Gallows & Dale Reeves (Serving as a one-time partner) for the RDW Tag Team Titles
- Matt Durden Aug 22nd Today!
- Wayne Martin Aug 22nd Today!
- Jordan Jacobs Aug 22nd Today!
- Pat O'Connor Aug 22nd Today!
- Deacon Hendrix Aug 22nd Today!
- Corey Olis Aug 23rd
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- Trey Christian Aug 23rd
- Jack Davenport Aug 23rd
- Randy Price Aug 24th
- Nate Bourne Aug 24th
- D. A. Aug 25th
- Dr. Corvus Aug 25th
- Bobby Shane Aug 25th
- Ryan the Ripper Aug 25th
- Blue Bolt Aug 25th
- Grappler Aug 25th
- Gary Young Aug 26th
- K. C. Aug 26th
- J. C. Aug 26th
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- A'bba Ra'jasnish Aug 26th
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- Matrix Aug 27th
- Reggie Parks Aug 27th
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- Brittany Foxx Aug 28th
- Jack Jameson Aug 28th
- Stephen E Aug 28th
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- Aerokid Aug 28th
- Ceallach McCloud Aug 29th
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- Stan Hansen Aug 29th
- Joey Steiner Aug 29th
- Tom Donovan Aug 30th
- Steven Dane Aug 30th
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- Killbane Aug 30th
- Blade [1st] Aug 30th
- Angela Armstrong Aug 30th
- Aaron Anders Aug 31st
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- Tito Carreon Sep 1st
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