WWE’s Xavier Woods Defends the ‘Art’ of Pro Wrestling
We all know professional wrestling “isn’t real,” but that’s not the point.
On Thursday, one Twitter user started a war with WWE fans that ended with Xavier Woods, one-third of the New Day, the company’s reigning Tag Team Champions (and Rolling Stone‘s 2015 Wrestlers of the Year), stepping into the fray. Seems the guy was pushing the old narrative that wrestling is nothing more than “half naked guys pretending to hit each other,” which inspired an artful response from Woods that basically sums up everything that makes pro wrestling great.
Even if you’re not a fan of WWE, there’s a good chance Woods’ words will at least make you appreciate what he does much more.
.@SparklePan pic.twitter.com/i2DoryII7L
— Xavier Woods (@XavierWoodsPhD) April 22, 2016
“Wrestling is one of the last forms of Shakespeare in the round,” Woods wrote. “The crowd is watching men and women tell stories through physicality with an audience at a 360-degree setting. Artist[s] use paint to create art on a canvas, and we use our fists and feet to create art on a canvas. It’s art.
“We get one take, not 40, in front of a live audience that appreciates us putting our bodies on the line for their entertainment,” he continued. “It’s fine if you don’t like it, but there’s no need to disrespect us or the people who watch it by calling it ‘fake.’ … the pain we feel is very real. We suffer from real injuries doing what we love to do.”
And with that, we assume Woods put down his phone, picked up Francesca II and triumphantly played himself off the stage. New Day really does rock.