“Everything with wrestling is always changing and that’s kind of the beauty of it”

Wrestling as a performance sport has begun to move away from its traditional canon, and a new fandom is emerging: thrill-seekers chasing a progressive display of the sport. On Tuesday 9th May BAMM visited a Hustle Wrestling event, where wrestling enthusiasts and curious spectators gather to witness animated matches that re-imagine what wrestling as a performance sport could be.

As part of BAMM’s recent trends report exploring the world of fandom, this was one of five cross-market fan events visited by our RAW network. Capturing the action through vox pops, photography and immersive 360 filming, we experienced the screams, jeers and stunts of a high energy wrestling match - and what makes people return every month.

Hackney Wick, located in East London and once an industrial zone, is known for its edgy, hipster-esque vibe. Converted breweries, curated graffiti-covered walls and indie cafes line up riverside. Housed in The Colour Factory, an underground-feel events venue, this evening’s Hustle Match put on a show that gave a fresh perspective on what the sport is all about.

The Colour Factory, Hackney Wick, the location for Hustle’s monthly wrestle event

Shifting conventional ideas of wrestling as reserved for more macho wrestlers and a male demographic, Hustle offered its crowd a contemporary performance. Through playing into overly-dramatised showmanship and platforming wrestler’s identities, fans new and old got to enjoy a new face of wrestling. With tickets selling out every month, the match’s growth in popularity is because of its commitment to the symbols and rituals of the sport whilst breaking the constraints of who gets to be a wrestler.

*A more open and inclusive culture is forming through the wider style and characters portrayed in the ring*

“It’s a perfect storm of a bunch of stuff I’m into. It’s performance, it’s DIY, punk-rock, it’s martial arts…it’s a bit of crowd interaction, it’s a bit immersive. A perfect storm.”

Wrestling as a performance sport provides live entertainment that appeals to thrill-seekers, and the crowd we spoke to found excitement in the amplified danger of the act. Entering the venue space with strong, exaggerated personalities, the wrestlers created a theatre-like experience. Taking on the familiar wrestling tropes of villains and heroes, exaggerated showmanship was on full display and made for an engaging, dynamic performance.

The moments around the match, like the walk-ins or monologues, had just as much momentum as the fight itself. Wrestlers used their over-the-top personalities to encourage cheers, heckles and applause. Whether it was dancing to the DJ soundtrack, running out of the ring or falling into the crowd, we witnessed fans seated both ringside and further back never lose momentum.

Combining athleticism with drama and audience interaction was what made the people we spoke to feel immersed in the match, a part of the performance itself.

The crowd capture the action, theatre, shock and awe of each wrestling bout

“Even though we say it’s not real, there’s still a large aspect that is real. The fact that you can go to a show, the fact that you can interact with wrestlers that you like.”

Maintaining the symbols, codes and rituals found within wrestling, whilst remaining culturally relevant, is what made the sold out Hustle show a refreshing take for the audience. Coming into the ring with storylines rooted in wrestler’s identities, the Hustle match offered an experience that felt fresh and culturally relevant. Platforming any and every kind of wrestler, we saw the conventional norms found within traditional wrestling being bent.

From having mixed-gender matches that saw the crowd erupt with cheers of praise, to LGBTQ+ pride showing up in the ring, to seeing a variety of body sizes and types, the experience pushed the boundaries of what wrestling could and should be. This was also reflected in the audience demographic- with wrestling being a notoriously male sport, we saw a diverse gender turnout in the crowd fully engaged.

The Hustle Match introduced the idea of evolved sporting which opened the doors to the fandom for both long-term wrestling fans seeking a new experience, as well as those less familiar. By maintaining the fundamentals of traditional wrestling whilst being grounded in the now is what made this evening feel relevant and reflective of its community.

The main event of the night, two female wrestlers battle it out for the top belt

The Hustle Wrestling match’s accessibility meant that we met a range of fans in the audience, inviting people to move into this non-exclusive community. At twenty pounds a ticket, the affordability of Hustle allowed wider access for both die-hard wrestling fans and curious spectators. With entry points into fandom like social media opening the doors into older communities, the gap between these two fan labels shrinks. We met young first-timers who had never been to a match as well as fans who’d grown up engaged with the world of wrestling and never missed a showing.

Hustle’s live action was a nostalgic presentation of the 90’s-style era of wrestling that could be enjoyed by anyone. With wrestler costume choices like neon spandex and mullet hairstyles nodding to the era’s fashion, the crowd was immersed in the tropes typical of the sport. Some of the die-hard fans we spoke to said their interests began in childhood, citing video games and online forums as spaces where they could express their personal interests. Attending IRL matches allowed for new ways of connecting with the wrestling community. For less familiar fans, the Hustle Match offered the opportunity to tap into their curiosity. With the idea of ‘fandom fluidity’ allowing people to move into a fandom without needing much knowledge, the evening saw people able to enjoy a casual viewing experience.

Words by Tahanni Yehya

Photos by Matt Baker