7 Ways Pro Wrestling Shaped Modern MMA
3. Gaining Mainstream Acceptance
Had it not been for the sometimes ridiculous levels of violence pro wrestling portrayed during the mid and late '90s, MMA would never have made it to the mainstream.
Pro wrestling promotions in Japan and the USA developed and perfected the concept of "hardcore" wrestling in the early '90s. This form of wrestling would see wrestlers use various props and weapons in matches, to inflict very real damage upon one another.
This style of wrestling would heavily influence "normal" match types as well. The levels of acceptable violence would continue to soar throughout the decade. WWE's "Attitude Era" came to exemplify this approach. These levels of violence became the norm on prime time television.
Needless to say, this helped desensitize the general public to pretty extreme levels of violence. It also assisted ushering in a wider culture shift, where maturely themed content would become normal, rather than frowned upon.
By the early 2000s, the world seemed more ready to embrace combat sports. After all, if it is OK to powerbomb a 70 year old woman through a table, surely the idea of two professional athletes agreeing to compete in a martial arts contest is not too far fetched, right?