Should WWE wrestling be considered Martial Arts?

Question

I was just thinkin' ,....Those IS some DEADLY Lethal moves!
How about gettin Piledrived on the Pavement! How about gettin Supplexed on the Sidewalk! How about Choke-Slammin somebody,...so they LAnd on the Table(Back first!)

Answer 1

Sure in a way why not, did you see the special on Ultimate fighter and grecko wrestling?

Martial Arts does not always mean fancy kicks and such. it means exactly what it says, a Martial (Disciplined) art (fighting style). so yes wrestling is in a sense a form of martial arts esp when used be a MMA,

Others my disagree with me but i can see the beauty in all art forms and their strenghts.

Answer 2

The moves of wrestling are inspried and derived from many martial arts such as Jujutsu, Pankration, et cetera....

The moves are very glorified and theatrical in a normal settings (In addition to being modified, so that they are less painful, but sometimes seeming more) with the exception of some hardcore matches. If that was taken out: I would consider it to be a "Deadly" (If you want to call it that... I'd prefer a different term) art in itself.

Chun Kuk Do (The art that Chuck Norris made) combines Muay Thai, BJJ, Tang Soo Do, Tae Kwon Do, Shodokan, other arts, and Wrestling. If one learns to use some of those moves as an integral part an overall flow: They can work with the right person.
Fujiwara armbar- That could hurt a bit.
Boston Crab- Done it on someone already: PAIN INFLICTION! :P

Some of the moves are very powerful, but inflicting them is the issue here. Most of the other wrestling styles are straight to the point about grappling, getting the upper hand (And staying close to some extent), and finishing.

It has a big emphasis on the entertainment factor. UFC, for example, has that element too, but it is more based around the fighting than the entertaining nature of it all. If the WWE changed to that balance, then it might recieve more postiive feedback from the people here. I think it's ok: I just don't like the fans sometimes, but I can say that about certain UFC Fans too a la "Ur style doesn't werk cuz I neva saw it on tv."

"Professional Wrestling" when modified can make for a decent style, but the practicality of it is questionable. There's some good parts though: Some of those submissions will definitely hurt whether they are staged or not for example.

Answer 3

I'd say yes, if it were real. It is not. WWE wrestling is acting, nothing more. Just like movie actors who pretend to do martial arts but just act like it. There not doing martial arts they are acting like they are, just like wrestlers. But I can see the point of the question and it is the one (and only) WWE wrestling question that I think is worth even asking here. But if you look at it all those so called martial artist do all that kata and it, as well, is scripted and fake. You know, in some weird and twisted way, thinking about that kata thing. Maybe, just maybe ?

Answer 4

The WWE has already answered that one. They consider themselves to be entertainers.

"Martial" means "war", not entertainment. Yes, some of what they do would be dangerous if they really executed the move. The fact that nobody dies in WWE shows that they are not truly fighting.

They are superb athletes, and could easily do lethal damage to an opponent. While they were doing that, they would be doing a martial art.

When they are entertaining the crowds, they are actors and stunt men, doing a set routine that is designed to avoid injuring their partner.

Martial arts are designed to damage your enemy.

See the difference?

Answer 5

Definately. Professional Wrestling moves are based on American Folk Wrestling, which is very effective indeed (and similar to Pankras, which seems to be everyone's buzz at the moment). Sure, they are scripted, but so is Kata. Those guys can do some amazing stuff that I have never managed in my 17 years of martial arts training.

Answer 6

I'm going to say no.

First and foremost, none of the WWE fights are real fights, they are scripted and choreographed like a dance. Although I do give the Actors a lot of credit because the "fights" take a lot of physical skill. You could easily call them athletes.

Secondly, the techniques used would never ever be practical in a real life street fight. The things you see on WWE are glorified, and aside from backyard wrestling, realistically the only other place you will see it is in movies. I'm not saying there aren't some fights that look like WWE wrestling, but very few.

So again I say NO WWE should not be considered a form of Martial Arts, WWE is exactly what the E stands for Entertainment and Entertainment ONLY.

Answer 7

Its not a martial art because it is a choreographed and predetermined set of actions that claims to be a sport.

Answer 8

NO.

Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat, WWE wrestling is not combat, is a choreographic dance that looks like combat, so by definition alone you CANNOT consider it a martial art. The moves they perform are from or derived from martial arts though.

Greco-roman wrestling, or catch wrestling are real martial arts, and very effective.

WWE is entertainment, it's scripted, and as such it doesn't share the common goal all martial arts share: to defeat a person physically or to defend oneself from physical threat.

Now, can WWE performers be considered athletes? yes of course, they do amazing acrobatics, moves that require a great deal of strength, and the injuries they sustain are very real.

Answer 9

I'm sorry but I can see no martial arts in wwe. Besides the fact that the whole thing is scripted. They need like twenty seconds to set up a move and the opponent is always in the right spot. It's not practical or martial art.

Answer 10

the real question is "would you consider stunts marital arts?"

the answer to that is no, a martial arts is a form of discipline and teaches you actual self defence and fighting techniques meant for ACTUAL fights not scripted wrestling. In my opinion REAL wrestling is a martial arts, but in no way is proffesional wrestling.

One thing you should know is those proffesional wrestling moves and stunts are based off of REAL moves, proffesional wrestling did not invent the slam (power bomb, suplex) or the high kick(that one move shawn micheals or whatever his name does) that was invented way back in the day back in ancient wrestling and is commonly used in mixed martial arts and actual wrestling.