10 Alarming Signs Over The Future Of The Pro Wrestling Industry
6. The Japanese Scene Is In Near-Silent Stasis
Representatives from New Japan Pro Wrestling, Cyber Fight group (which presides over DDT and Pro Wrestling NOAH amongst others) and Pro-Wrestling HEAT-UP - alongside MMA promoters - recently convened with the Japanese government in order to present arguments for the return of cheering at live shows.
Clarification was sought on the definition of cheering, and what actually constitutes an infraction of the rules. Starting a chant on behalf of a wrestler with the aim of filtering noise throughout the building is one thing - but isn't, as NJPW President Takami Ohbari argued, a wrestler orchestrating a one-off cry in support of them far less of a public health risk?
Ohbari noted a recent study, in which it was found that the presence of 40,000 cheering, masked fans at a football game doubled the risk of infection, and argued that the vast majority of shows presented by the market leader draw significantly fewer punters.
A representative from the ministry of health, labour and welfare indicated to Yuji Nagata that, "as soon as is practicable," COVID-19 will be reclassified from a class 2 virus to the less serious class 5, which incorporates seasonal influenza. However, he warned that he "would like for us on a systemic level to allow for the current eighth wave of infections to pass".
All of which is to state that any progress made will continue to be incremental.
Wrestling isn't the same without a deafening eruption of crowd noise, and this is particularly true in Japan because fan participation isn't anywhere near as performative. Those graduating pops and awe-struck cries are earnest.
Without the crowd noise, the entire puro scene remains at best bittersweet; even when it's great, one's cruel imagination can only focus on how it could be better. Something is missing, and that something is the most important aspect of the performance art. Noise is the best measurement of its success, or at least the most engaging. There's nothing like a set of fans going ape sh*t. Nothing.
Without it, puro will continue to tumble into a dark age.