The Main Event is meant to be the hottest, wildest, most exciting match of the night. They hype it all evening, and possibly for weeks beforehand. And only the most renowned veterans are deemed worthy to appear in the blessed Main Event.
But I’ve noticed for years that, unlike most wrestling fans, I usually find the “Match You’ve All Been Waiting For” to be boring compared with the earlier bouts. For me, the Undercard is where the allure and excitement of the sport is found. I often Fast-Forward right through the final match, or Rewind to re-watch an earlier match between less famous wrestlers that inspired or excited me. Here are a few reasons why the Undercard is often better than the Main Event:
1. The More Squash, The Better
Call me a sadistic, twisted pervert, but I love a good one-sided beating. Back-and-forth matches can be great too, don’t get me wrong, but when a huge, dominant beast just absolutely owns his submissive, overwhelmed jobber, something clicks in my brain, something really pleasurable.
You will very seldom see a good old jobber whupping as the last bout of the evening. The Main Event is meant to be a close fight, a battle between two evenly matched adversaries. If you enjoy the taste of squash, then you better get your fill during the appetizer round, because it will be gone before the entree arrives.
2. They Wrestle
The earlier matches may still contain something you seldom see in pro wrestling any more: actual wrestling holds. The wrestlers are less pressured to excite the audience with their flippy move-set or violent fisticuff exchanges that are required during the Main Event.
So there is a slower, gentler pace during the fore-play earlier in the evening (perhaps to make the Main Event seem faster and more furious in comparison.) You may actually see an Arm Bar or Body Scissor during the Undercard!
3. Up-And-Comers
The Main Event spots are reserved for (or perhaps “controlled by” is the better term) the famous veterans who have risen to positions of power. If you want to appear in the Match They’ve All Been Waiting For — especially in the big federations with the big purses — you need to have been around for a long, long time. You need to have been seen in so many matches, the audience can predict everything you’re going to say, do, and sell.
But let’s face it — old guys are no good at everything. And it gets boring to watch the same two fossils gumming each other year after year.
The earlier matches have the advantage of youth: handsome rookies with great bodies who are hungry to please you and entertain you. You may get to see holds you’ve never seen before and gear you’ve never seen before during the Undercard, while the Main Event is usually the same old, same old.
4. The New Guy Effect
Speaking of never-before-seen, the Undercard is where rookies are displayed for the first time. If you enjoy pleasant surprises when the curtain opens, don’t miss the Undercard. You will never find “Heart-Throb” Timmy Olsen in the Main Event. You will only experience the wonderful feeling of Lust At First Sight early in the night where the New Guys are trotted out and put through their paces.
So if you’re like me and you enjoy Exciting-and-New over Tried-and-True, you better sneak out of work early so you can get to the wrestling show in time for the very first match.
5. Tag Teams
If you’ve been following this Blog for a while, you may have noticed I enjoy Tag Team wrestling. I get off on the matching gear, the dirty Double-Team moves, the drama of the Isolated Face-in-Peril. Don’t judge — I was born this way.
For whatever reason, the Main Event is usually a monogamous affair — mano on mano. Even the Tag Team Championship of the World is usually settled in the penultimate match. I suppose Tag Team wrestling is considered less exciting because one man from each team is always resting and relaxing outside the ropes. Whatever — I just know that I love Tag Teams so I love the Undercard.
So if you see me at a wrestling show and I am walking out early, don’t bother asking me: “Why the hell would you leave BEFORE the Main Event??”
Don’t worry — I’m not disappointed, I’m not feeling sick, and it’s not past my bedtime. I’ve seen everything I needed to see. While you’re screaming your head off at the two old-timers drilling each other in the Main Event, I’ll be driving home and dreaming about the delights of the Undercard. It’s OK — different people just enjoy different things. You can even steal my seat if you want it — I won’t be back until the next show starts.
