A little International wrestling flavor with those Hot Dogs and Apple Pies

Nothing is more American than hot dogs and apple pies.

You can now add WWE to that list.

WWE is the biggest North American company, and thus is the company most international spectators (and even Americans) think of when they hear the term "American Wrestling."

But there is an entirely different world of wrestling out there.

Therefore, the purpose of this article is to introduce the common American fan to some other wrestling styles out there in the world today.  Who knows, you may even get curious and want to check them out.

Let's start by crossing the border into Mexico.

"HOLA!"

Now that we have that out of the way, Mexicans love their Lucha Libre (loosely translated as Free Fight).  Actually, Lucha Libre is the second most popular sport in the country, besides, of course, soccer.

Lucha is all about tradition, plain and simple.

For instance, Mexicans wear masks as an homage to the Aztec culture and tradition.

Another difference between the American and Mexican versions of this popular sport, is the passing of the gimmick.  Masks, and even entire personas, are passed down from generation to generation, so the same characters have been seen by fans since the "golden age" (the time when Lucha was created, roughly 100 years).

The final difference I will highlight is the style itself.  American style is largely toned down and uneventful compared to the fast-paced and high-flying style of their American counterparts.

Oh, and they have a hexagonal ring.  Which would be a difference if TNA had not ripped it off.

BUT WAIT!  It doesn't end there.  No, no, no, you are truly getting your money's worth with me today.  At the risk of looking like a complete geek, I am going to compare yet another country's wrestling culture to that of America's!

You are no doubt wondering to yourself, "But James, the guy in the picture isn't a Mexican," and you're right.  He's Japanese.  His name, for the uninitiated, is Dragon Kid (who is arguably the biggest star in the Dragon Gate promotion).

And we are about to travel deep into Japan to find out about his country's style. 

Or at least take a little plane over it, as this will just be a brief over-view (let's just hope the FAA doesn't regulate our fuel).

Puroresu (short for professional wrestling) as it is known in japan, is incredibly similar to the Lucha Libre style, as Japan and Mexico had a "talent exchange" for a number of years.

The masks are colorful (and passed down).

The wrestlers are small and quick.

Really, the most notable difference between Japanese and Mexican wrestling (besides the names and languages) is Japan has more of an emphasis on power moves (watch any Jushin Lyger match from the past 10 years) and submission holds.

If you really want to experience the Japanese wrestling culture, watch an Evan Bourne (Matt Sydal) match, as he graduated from the same dojo (wrestling school) as Dragon Kid.

The point, my fellow wrestling fans, is this.  WWE getting you down?  Fear not!  Boredom coupled with Youtube has brought this largely unnoticed art form to the masses.

So next time you are searching around on youtube, take a few minutes to check out the international wrestling scene and compare it with American wrestling.

You will be glad you did.

As always, comments are greatly appreciated.

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