10 Signs Wrestling Is Heading Towards A New Golden Age
4. Athletic Standards Are Through The Roof
Athletic evolution is inevitable. Many decry the likes of Will Ospreay and Ricochet for pulling the artform away from from its grounded routes, but such criticisms are nothing new. Karl Gotch once accused Harley Race of "killing wrestling" for the simple act of executing a diving headbutt, while Ricky Steamboat and Ric Flair faced similar accusations throughout their legendary feud.
Style is subjective, and there's nothing wrong with feeling disconnected from the sport's ever-shifting form, but change can never be halted. Athletes like Ospreay aren't "killing the business," but pushing it forward by showcasing previously unthinkable levels of athleticism, creating a sport that has never been so visually astounding.
Escalating risk levels are a problem, but athletic standards have never been so high, and they'll keep improving as each new generation enters the sport. The stylistic changes won't be for everyone, but they're vital to wrestling's continued growth, as there's no value in an artform that stays stuck in the same place forever, dealing only in content that the audience has seen thousands of times before.
Yes, wrestling is supposed to resemble a simulated form of real-life combat, but provided an exciting visual spectacle is just as important. In that regard, wrestling is healthier than ever.