What the Internet Wrestling Community gets wrong about “Stars”

Long ago, I got into an argument with a boxing scribe about Andre Ward vs. Jesus Chavez Jr when I was much younger. Like alot of AEW, TNA and WWE fans, I was passionate and hardcore about Andre Ward being a superstar in boxing because he was a great talent and world champion. That he deserved to be paid more than Chavez Jr because unlike Chavez Jr, he actually fought real fighters, Olympic Gold Medalist and was pound 4 pound the best in the world according to many insiders.

And as the veteran boxing scribed told me “Your wrong. Andre Ward isn’t a star because the man can’t sell out arenas or sell PPV’s either in his hometown. Chavez literally prints money for Top Rank.”

It took a while for me to come around but after nearly 20 years covering boxing/MMA for various outlets and my site, I realize the stone-cold truth. Being a star isn’t about just how good you are but how much money you can draw, how much publicity you can gather and if you can do it even when you’re not facing another top star.

In other words, for all you people who claim Wrestler X is a star because of talent, as Bob Arum would say “Your goddamn wrong son”.

Before the IWC goes up in arms and starts clutching their pearls and going on the flame war, consider the facts. When you look at stars in every other industry from sports to entertainment to music, star power is about not just talent but performance. You could argue during the height that Mandy Moore was a better singer than Brittney Spears and be right. But Spears was the one who made record CD sales, platinum albums and sold-out concerts.

That is what a star is… the ability to make money and reach popularity levels that everyone knows who the hell you are.

But recently we have seen the star label get thrown out too often as every promotion has their “star” and the IWC falls in love with this wrestler. Even wrestlers themselves are at fault as we have seen RJ City compare Toni Storm to the Undertaker and label AEW guys as stars.

It’s understandable as fan is part of the word fanatic and that is what fans are at their core.

But let’s look at pro wrestling right now, specifically the North America scene which draws the most money. Right now, there are perhaps 4-5 “stars” in pro wrestling that fit the category of elite in talent, merchandise, name appeal and draw; CM Punk, John Cena, Roman Reigns, The Rock and maybe Logan Paul.

I used those wrestlers as examples because of what they bring due to merchandise sales, ability to sell tickets, generating audiences’ interest and bringing eyeballs to the product. If those guys don’t show up, then the product sees decreases across the board in all of those areas.

Its why Punk leaving AEW was such a mistake for AEW business wise as he was able to elevate ratings to over one million TV viewers on average when he was on TV. Upon returning to wrestling in 2021 for AEW, Punk immediately set merchandise records for both AEW and Pro Wrestling Tees, including breaking the 24-hour record for most t-shirts sold on the latter’s website. Three days later, Punk set another record, selling the most shirts in the history of Pro Wrestling Tees.

It is damn near impossible to create stars in wrestling because it takes that special combination to be one. For every Hulk Hogan there were Lex Luger, Jack Swagger, Ultimate Warrior, Jon Moxley and who just weren’t it.

Having a star means being able to put that wrestler in with anyone and it will not just do good business in the ring but outside the ring. That people will turn up in droves and spend money because this guy is on the card.

Again, this is not meant as a shot against anyone in AEW, TNA, MLW or even the majority of WWE. This is not even saying they aren’t good wrestlers or talented because there are slews of them in the industry.

This is about what constitutes as a “star” in that this individual can change the business and make events more successful financially. The star that can bring casual wrestling fans and non casual wrestling fans into the sport and have them watch and spend money.

Because at the end of everything, that is what pro wrestling is; a business where profits and dollars determine if an event will be a success. And that is not coming from me; that is coming from every promoter who has ever worked in the combat sport industry.

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