WWE Reportedly Moving Away from "Sports Entertainment"

[Bobby Barrows]

WWE is reportedly moving away from the term ‘sports entertainment’

We figured as much when Michael Cole exclaimed,’ Damnit, I love professional wrestling’ at the end of WrestleMania XL. Now we’re hearing this is the latest directive for the company’s new, post-Vince McMahon era.

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It wasn’t the first time we’ve heard the words “pro wrestling” on WWE programming recently. With Vince McMahon holding less and less power at the company over the past couple years (down to, as WWE President Nick Khan said in a podcast interview last week, his current “zero, zero, zero” involvement in their business), the ban on that and other terms seems to have been lifted.

That was clear in Michael Cole’s latest excellent call*, this one following WrestleMania XL’s epic main event. Of new WWE Universal champion Cody Rhodes, Cole said:

“He left here disgruntled, heartbroken, to go create his own story. And Cody Rhodes came back here as a Superstar. Cody Rhodes came back here and did something that his father, one of the greatest of all-time — the American Dream Dusty Rhodes — could never accomplish. Cody Rhodes came back here and won the WWE championship."

“Damnit, I love professional wrestling!”

Moments later, Cole’s partners Corey Graves and Pat McAfee would each use the once-verboten phrase. Graves declared that “pro wrestling is back”, to which McAfee would add “pro wrestling is beautiful”.

Coincidence? Apparently not. Both Fightful Select and Ibou, of WrestlingPurists report their sources tell them WWE is making an effort to leave “sports entertainment”, the term McMahon preferred in place of “pro wrestling”, behind.

Swearing, blood, and now “professional wrestling”? It really is a new era at WWE

Posting this mostly for speculation, but if it's true that WWE is easing back Pro Wrestling as it's de facto term, then I'd say kudos. It's about time for "Sports Entertainment" to die, and hopefully dying alongside Vince.

 

[Rosie]

Thank God. There's room for only one Sports Entertainer.

And his name is Daddy Magic.

 

[Death By Looch]

Anyone remembering this forbidden words list making its rounds on Twitter last year?

Here's to hoping they use as many of Vince's forbidden words and moves as possible, just so he chokes on it.

 

[Chris]

Anyone remembering this forbidden words list making its rounds on Twitter last year?

Here's to hoping they use as many of Vince's forbidden words and moves as possible, just so he chokes on it.

I don't remember this one at all, the last one I remember was the one after Pat became commentator that had a lot of shit he'd been saying on there

 

[Cwalker]

I’ll believe it when k see it

 

[Deezy]

Call it whatever, just wish mahks would stop acting like sports entertainment and pro wrestling are not the same fucking thing.....are you a thespian or an actor? A janitor or custodian? A secretary or administrative assistant.....why do people even care?