The Open Door: Is the Ease of Access Helping or Hurting Pro Wrestling?

 

There’s a growing sentiment among veterans of professional wrestling that the business "just gets worse and worse every day." One longtime pro recently said, “Anybody's allowed in—it's just too easy.” For many old-school fans and wrestlers, that statement hits hard because it carries truth.

Back in the territory days of the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, the wrestling business was a closely guarded world. You didn’t just walk in, drop a few bucks, and declare yourself a wrestler. You had to earn your way in—often through tough, even brutal, training at the hands of seasoned veterans. It was a trial by fire designed to weed out those who didn’t have the heart, grit, or respect for the craft.

But times have changed.

Today, it’s easier than ever to break into the business. With the right amount of money and a willingness to travel, almost anyone can find a wrestling school. In some states, all you need is a physical, a wrestling license, and a Facebook page, and you're off to the races. But is that a good thing—or a problem?

Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of this lowered barrier of entry.

ADVANTAGES OF EASIER ACCESS

1. More Opportunity for Talent Discovery

Wrestling used to be about who you knew and whether or not you had the right look. Today, anyone with passion, drive, and willingness to learn can find a ring. That means undiscovered talent from overlooked communities finally have a chance to shine.

2. Diverse Styles and Perspectives

With open access, the business has seen an explosion of different styles—strong style, lucha libre, hardcore, comedy wrestling, and more. We’re seeing performers from all walks of life bring unique flavor to the sport, something that was sorely lacking in the days when everyone was expected to follow a rigid mold.

3. Faster Growth of the Indie Scene

With more wrestlers come more promotions. That means more shows, more fan engagement, and a wider reach for pro wrestling. It’s never been easier to attend or participate in a local show. This accessibility has turned wrestling into a more global and grassroots phenomenon than ever before.

DISADVANTAGES OF EASIER ACCESS

1. Lack of Proper Training

Let’s be blunt: not everyone who steps into a ring today is ready to be there. Too many aspiring wrestlers get minimal training—sometimes as little as a few weekends—and are then booked on shows simply because they’re available and willing. That’s not just a disservice to the fans—it’s a danger to everyone in the ring.

2. No Respect for the Business

In the past, wrestlers were taught to respect the ring, the veterans, and the psychology of the sport. Today, the floodgates have opened to people who treat wrestling like a cosplay hobby or YouTube stunt rather than a time-honored craft. The result? The art form suffers. The storytelling suffers. The audience suffers.

3. Devaluation of the Craft

When anyone can be a wrestler, the title means less. The bar gets lowered. Booking becomes about quantity over quality. Locker rooms become overfilled with half-trained talent who’ve never learned the basics of ring psychology, etiquette, or business sense. It dilutes the product and creates a crowded field where the truly talented can be hard to spot.

THE REALITY CHECK

Wrestling is evolving, and with evolution comes growing pains. Veterans have every right to be frustrated when they see the business they bled for being treated like an open mic night. But it’s also true that not every new face is a problem. Many young wrestlers coming up today do respect the business—they’re simply navigating a different, more accessible landscape.

What’s missing is accountability and quality control. Schools and promotions need to take responsibility for the standards they set. Booking untrained talent just to fill a card is lazy and dangerous. Wrestlers who truly care about this business should be hungry to learn, to earn, and to represent the profession with pride.

CONCLUSION

The ease of access to pro wrestling today is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it’s helped usher in a new era of inclusivity, opportunity, and global reach. On the other, it’s chipped away at the very foundation of what made wrestling an elite and protected craft.

The solution isn’t to close the doors again—but to raise the standards within them. Train harder. Book smarter. Hold each other accountable. Because if we don’t protect the art of professional wrestling, no one else will.

And that’s something the old-timers and the new blood should agree on.