Often unfairly criticised as being spot monkeys unable to actually tell a story in the ring and reliant instead on utterly bananas moves to thrill the audience, the high flyer is the misunderstood hero of professional wrestling. If the classic main event match, with its big fight feel and careful, dynamic build-up, feels like a blockbuster thriller, then the high-flying gimmickry of a true aerial spectacular is the summer popcorn flick and as any movie-goer knows, its incredibly rewarding to go and see a summer popcorn flick and be presented with more than just a selection of escalating action set-pieces. The great Rey Mysterio has been able to deliver some of the greatest examples of high-flying action with compelling narrative in wrestling history, for example. But those set-pieces the moves some of the greatest aerial performers of all time are capable of are truly astonishing. Were a cynical bunch for the most part, us members of the IWC. Weve been hurt so many times before: by WCWs utter disregard for verisimilitude and the suspension of disbelief; by WWEs staccato, unsatisfying approach to booking characters and angles; by TNAs slavish copying of the worst excesses of both. As much as we sneer and roll our eyes at the slightest hint of anything that isnt perfect professional wrestling sometimes we just want to legit find ourselves on our feet, shouting HOLY S**T, HOLLLY S**T. For those pro wrestlers that shorten their own careers in the pursuit of becoming real life superheroes, this article is for you.
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
