PWInsider - WWE News, Wrestling News, WWE

THE STRANGE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WRESTLING AND POKER

Professional wrestling has grown into a hugely popular globally entertainment industry. Meanwhile poker is one of the classic card games of all time – with a following that ranges from casual backroom amateurs to an international tournament circuit.

What do the two sports have in common? Let’s have a look at each in turn – and discover the surprising links between these two great activities.

Wrestling

The world of wrestling today includes major international events with a significant global fan base. Promotions such as World Wrestling Entertainment and All Elite Wrestling in the United States, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling in Japan have massive followings. 

Wrestling has evolved beyond just a sport and is now a form of sports entertainment, combining athleticism with theatre. It’s all about storytelling, colorful cartoon-like characters and performances.

The sport has a dedicated fan base for events such as WrestleMania and G1 Climax. Pay-per-view and online-streaming events draw large audiences. 

Poker

The game of poker is one of the classic card games and has been widely played around the world for generations. The appeal of poker has a long history but has enjoyed a recent surge due to the accessibility and visibility of online poker. 

Major events like the World Series of Poker, European Poker Tour and the World Poker Tour showcase some of the best players competing for significant cash prizes. The emergence of televised poker shows has also contributed to the growth of professional poker.

Online poker has had a big impact. Players can now participate in tournaments from the comfort of their homes. It has produced a new generation of players who have honed their skills in the digital realm.

Links between poker and wrestling

Poker and professional wrestling have some interesting similarities. Here are a few parallels:

Theatrical Elements

Professional wrestling is known for its theatrical, scripted storytelling, character development and dramatic confrontations.

Poker also has its theatrical side too, especially in televised events. Players adopt personas to project a certain image with their bluffing and strategies adding a layer of drama.

Psychology

Mind games, psychological warfare, and the manipulation of opponents are common in both. Both poker players and wrestlers need luck on their side, if a poker player is continuously getting dealt bad poker hands, they are going to struggle. And if a wrestler is weaker than their opponent they will be the underdog, to combat this, Wrestlers often use tactics to get into the heads of rivals while poker is at its heart a game of psychology. 

Players must read their opponents, discern bluffs, and manage their own emotional responses. The ability to understand and manipulate the mental aspects of both games is crucial.

Character Development

Wrestlers develop distinct characters with personalities, catchphrases, and backstories. Fans become emotionally invested in these characters.

In televised poker events, players often have established personas too. Whether they are perceived as aggressive, conservative, or unpredictable, these traits contribute to the narrative of the game.

Audience Engagement

The audience plays a significant role in wrestling events. Their reactions, cheers, and boos contribute to the overall experience.

In both live and televised poker, the audience's reactions add an extra layer of excitement. Big bluffs or unexpected moves generate audible reactions from the crowd.

Global Appeal

Professional wrestling and poker both have a global fan base. Major tournaments attract players and viewers from diverse backgrounds, contributing to the global appeal of both.

Poker and wrestling crossovers

Perhaps because of so many similarities, plenty of players and stars have been involved in both poker and wrestling. 

For example, top professional poker player Maria Ho is a huge wrestling fan who has made appearances on wrestling shows. Meanwhile wrestler and commentator AJ Kirsch is also known as a serious poker player. 

Among the millions of people who love playing and watching poker are many of the top professional wrestlers. Some head to the card table as soon as they are out of the ring.

These super fit athletes look for the same rush in their downtime that they get from their sport and find it while playing poker. 

Pro wrestler PJ Black is known as a big poker enthusiast. He even played in the 2019 World Series and is a regular at tables at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Florida.

Once Black even announced he was taking time away from wrestling to focus on poker. 

Former World Heavyweight Champion John Cena is another wrestling legend who is less likely to be seen in the ring these days – he’s more likely to be seen hosting poker games. Cena usually plays Texas Hold’em after watching pro players in the World Series. 

And popular wrestler Dash Dudley quit the sport to try becoming a poker pro. Since then he has won two bracelets at the World Series and has a world ranking on the Global Poker Index. 

The two sports are of course pretty different – but the strong parallels between wrestling and poker in the psychological sphere mean mind games have a major role in both. Psychological skills helps both wrestlers and poker players succeed. 

And those same skills attract players and fans of one to try watching and joining the other.

 

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!

• Tweet