Pro wrestling is often mocked as “fake” because of the pre-determined outcomes each match has, as well as the choreographed moves each athlete performs while in the ring.
Certainly, each move comes with its own set of consequences. The injuries are real, the blood, sweat and tears are real, and sometimes, the beef between wrestlers is all too real.
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Jason Kelce, right, appears during Rey Mysterio-Dragon Lee vs. Dominik Mysterio-Santos Escobar during Wrestlemania XL Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on April 6, 2024. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)
Former Philadelphia Eagles star Jason Kelce learned firsthand just how real pro wrestling is. He and former teammate Lane Johnson interfered in a match at WrestleMania 40 earlier this year, which took place at Lincoln Financial Field.
Kelce explained in an appearance on “The Rick Eisen Show” how he got acclimated to pro wrestling after being unfamiliar with it.
“WrestleMania was a thing, but we never watched it, and I didn’t really know what to expect,” he said. “It got announced it was coming to Philly and that they wanted Lane and I to be a part of it. I started to get acclimated to what this event is and how big of a deal it is to the wrestling community.
ESPN personality and former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce on set before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Nov. 18, 2024. (Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Image)
ERIC BISCHOFF HOPES PRO WRESTLING COMPANIES PUT MORE OF AN EMPHASIS ON THIS ASPECT OF THE SPORT
“Then Lane and I went to a couple wrestling gyms in South Jersey. We were literally doing moves and bumps. I learned how to bump; I learned how to clothesline. I learned how to get slapped in the chest and not act like it hurt, because it actually does hurt. It’s like a massive slap to the chest.”
Kelce said his brief time in the pro wrestling arena dispelled any notion, for him, that wrestling was “fake.”
“It was a blast. It was a ton of fun. Everybody made it a lot of fun,” he added. “Again, a lot of people say wrestling’s fake or whatever, and it’s like, well, so is the TV show you’re watching.
“But you can still have a level of respect for the amazing physical specimens that are doing outrageous things in front of you at speed. It might be choreographed a bit, but it’s still nonetheless very impressive.”
Jason Kelce, ESPN analyst, looks on before the New York Jets play the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on Sept. 9, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
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Kelce retired from the NFL after the 2023 season. The Super Bowl champion has become a mainstay on ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown” with a larger role reportedly on the way.
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