Is WWE fake? Are we going crazy over wrestlers winning or losing while they throw scripted punches at each other? Is this all a deceitful ploy to fool the world and earn millions? Read on to learn the entire truth behind WWE and their scripted dramas!
Is WWE fake?
In one word, yes. A large component of the World Wrestling Entertainment or WWE is scripted, choreographed and dramatized to entertain the millions of WWE fans all over the world.
But we can’t call it a deceitful ploy because they never claimed their wrestling was 100% real. The fact that WWE fights are choreographed is an open secret. In 1989, Vince McMahon, the chairman of WWE, officially acknowledged that the WWE was not real.
The primary purpose of the WWE is entertainment. It’s just like a movie where all the actors follow a script. The outcome of the wrestling matches is already predetermined. And yes, so are the violent death threats, all that anger and animalistic behavior. Probably, none of those actors behave like that in real life. 
The wrestlers you see on screen are excellent actors. But they are not without strength or skill. They really do punch each other and wrestle. Fighting does happen for real, but not with the same passion as athletes. The scripted parts in WWE include their emotions, threats, speeches and who wins.
Though WWE wrestlers do throw real punches and get beaten up for real, they are not seriously harmed. Think of them as stunt artists. They are trained to throw and receive punches in a way that they are harmed minimally. Even the most dangerous moves are practiced beforehand and performed in a way that they are not seriously harmed.
And this might come as a surprise. But the blood is real. They really do break limbs, break noses and draw blood. And if they fall injured, that is sometimes real, too. There have also been many instances where the wrestlers are secretly handed razor blades when they fall. They cut themselves lightly and draw blood, effectively creating a bloody and defeated image.
However, there have been instances where the performers used fake blood to enhance the bloodiness of the match. Wrestlers reportedly use hidden blood capsules to show bleeding.
In a nutshell, WWE is a place where men and women combine wrestling with scripts, acting, choreography and showmanship. This scripted acting is accompanied by outlandish characters, weird music, graphics and provocative clothing.
So the answer to the question: Is WWE fake is “Yes, but not entirely.” A wrestler cannot be called fake. The proper term is kayfabe. Kayfabe is a very complicated term. It is when the competition, rivalries and relationships between participants are portrayed as genuine while it is all scripted. So, calling a wrestler fake is politically incorrect. But yes, you can say they are kayfabing.
The truth all WWE fans have to know is that WWE is categorized as ‘sports entertainment’ and not professional wrestling. Sources say that the performers usually practice the scripts, the moves, lines and fighting tactics months before the actual match. The performance is created by WWE scriptwriters who dictate a good show for the public.
So, the main scriptwriter or the chairman of the company gets to decide who wins and who is to be promoted among the public. Understand that if one wrestler is more popular than the others, then it’s all the work of scriptwriters behind the scenes. 
Moreover, the chairs and equipment used in WWE matches, which some contenders use to beat each other up, are real. While in some instances, they use real steel chairs, ladders and equipment, in other cases, they also use special equipment made of lighter material.
Since everything is scripted, the real entertainment comes from the suspense and mystery created. Nobody knows what the script tells. Nobody knows who will win or what will happen. Not every show is the same. Some injuries may be faked, and others may be caused for real. WWE is chaotic and unpredictable for the millions of enthusiastic fans.
Will Exposing the Fakeness of WWE Affect its Popularity?
Knowing that everything is scripted can put off some people, but the number of WWE fans is incredible. People are still enthralled by the matches, thanks to the realistic performance of the contenders and the scriptwriters. Even if the fighting is not real, they still manage to keep blood boiling and fans entertained. You really have to admit. WWE performances leave us with a mixture of horror, admiration, disbelief and euphoria.
The fact is that there wouldn’t be so much drama and suspense in a real fight. Actually, wrestling is about winning and losing. But WWE is much more. We witness love stories, betrayal, suspense, drama, action and denial. People are more interested in drama than in reality.
Watch this video for the number of times the WWE was exposed for kayfabing!
Have any WWE contenders played out of script?
Yes! And this again adds to the suspense and mystery of WWE. There have been instances where contenders have broken out of script and fought for real.
In 1999, the Acolytes and their arch-rivals, The Public Enemy, fought for real. While the Acolytes were supposed to win, the Public Enemy pummeled them viciously and won (going against the script)
Most recently, Brock Lesnar hit Braun Strowman for real in 2018. So, the unexpected and unscripted can happen in WWE, too.
Is WWE fake? The Conclusion
Yes, the fact that WWE is fake is an open secret. Everything is scripted, pre-planned and practiced beforehand. The winner and injuries are scripted. But some fighting does happen for real, though they are meted out in a way that minimal damage is caused. Nevertheless, that doesn’t stop the millions of WWE fans all over the world from watching and being entertained.
Also read: is UFC fake?
*All pics are courtesy of Unsplash.com
