Guest Post: Pro Wrestling Saved My Life
by K.L. Robinson from The Extroverted Writer
This is the first guest post for The Pro Wrestling Exuberant.
writes The Extroverted Writer. I like his writing style a lot and have been enjoying his fiction series, Underside. It’s a supernatural detective mystery, and the main character is compelling. I highly recommend subscribing to his Substack.
Like myself, K.L. is also a passionate wrestling fan who has watched wrestling for decades and worked in the past as a pro wrestling referee.
I intend to feature more guest writers on The Pro Wrestling Exuberant and make guest posts a periodic ongoing feature. I like the idea of having other narrative voices besides myself writing about pro wrestling here.
Whether you’ve written about pro wrestling before or not, if you enjoy watching it, and there’s a specific wrestler, show, or promotion you feel enthusiastic about, please direct message me through Substack chat to let me know what you’d like to write about.
Hello everyone, and welcome to a very special post here for the Pro Wrestling Exuberant.
If you’re new here, I’m going to first request that you hit that subscribe button if you love pro wrestling content. If you’ve stumbled upon this post because you’re a member of my audience over at the Extroverted Writer, please show some love here. I’m a wrestling fan, as you’ll soon see, and it’s one cornerstone that has made up my life.
If you’re a reader of The Pro Wrestling Exuberant, then let me introduce myself. My name is K.L. Robinson and I’m the writer of a Substack here known as “The Extroverted Writer”.
I do a LOT of fiction, opinion pieces, among other things. One thing I don’t talk about a lot there is my love of professional wrestling.
That’s where this match was made.
With that said, let me give you my own credentials in terms of the pro wrestling business. I’ve been a fan for almost 30 years at this point. In that time, I’ve hosted numerous podcasts, written for several publications, and took part in quite a few panels in the world of pro wrestling. I also worked as a wrestling referee and semi-manager for almost four years. I worked in the Midwest and my journey’s span several states and indie promotions.
Now that hopefully you realize I’m not just a fan of the business, but it’s ingrained in my blood and soul, today I want to share a story with you.
This is the story of how pro wrestling literally saved my life one evening. The night in question occurred back in 2005. This was in an era before cable internet and quick loads were commonplace. This was also in a time when WWE offered up their monthly shows, known then as Pay-Per-Views. WWE offered their monthly shows, known as Pay-Per- Views, at a premium cost of around 40 dollars per show.
We didn’t have the money to spend on these shows every month, but like a true fan I wanted to follow along. It was also during this time that I discovered a website known as gerwek.net. This website housed results on the shows in real time. Someone was updating the stories in real time, telling a story of their own, trying to keep those that were watching the website enthralled.
On this evening, I wanted to make sure that I was following along with the show, Taboo Tuesday, at home. It was also this night that my uncle decided he wanted to go a couple of towns over from our rural home. Usually, I would ride with him just to get out of the house.
On this evening, I stayed home so that I could follow along. It was a decision that I wouldn’t regret in the slightest. A few hours later, my aunt received a phone call. My uncle had taken a corner too sharp, the explorer that he was in flipped side over side numerous times. The explorer’s roof had caved in, the windshield had shattered, and the windows had blown out.
General thoughts on the accident was that if I had been in the passenger seat like I normally would have been, I would have been crushed. The explorer rolled five times and ended upside down in the ditch. Pictures didn’t do the accident justice. They were also correct about my outcome. I could have been decapitated if I had been in the seat. I wish that were an over exaggeration but it’s not.
It didn’t hit me at the moment, but as time proceeded, I realized just how lucky I was.
As each day went by, I realized that in a roundabout way, pro wrestling honestly saved my life.
Had there not been a Pay-Per-View that evening, I wouldn’t be here to write this today. In fact, as I put the finishing touches on this article, I’m watching Bash In Berlin, the WWE PLE (Premium Live Event).
This business is in my blood in a way that I can’t explain. There are very few things that have spanned three decades of interest in me. Pro wrestling is one of the craziest sports/ entertainment outlets that exist. I love it. There isn’t a better entertainment form on the planet than wrestling when it’s done well.
Pro wrestling sparked how I’ve written some of my fiction over the years. However, that’s a post for another day when Russell allow mes the gracious ability to post here again. In the meantime, I’ll once again remind you to follow along and ensure that you subscribe to this wonderful Substack. I found it by accident and I’m so happy that I did.
I appreciate the opportunity to take some of your time today. If you haven’t had the chance to get caught up on some pro wrestling, go watch yourself some Monday Night Raw, Friday Night SmackDown, NXT, or some TNA. All of these are fantastic programs that give you the sense and vibe that only pro wrestling can.
Until the next time we meet,
K.L. Robinson
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