Behind the Curtains: Pro Wrestling’s Secret Figures

Pro wrestling has taken on a unique identity in every corner of the world, originating in 19th century Greco-Roman wrestling that would appear in European carnival sideshows.

The distinctions between Mexico’s colorful, high-flying lucha libre and Japan’s hard-hitting and “stiffer” puroresu, for example, can jar, although they regularly overlap. There is more to pro wrestling than any single organization or match, despite the staged combat sport’s unquestioned goal of entertaining.

It’s easy to miss its presence and dismiss it. But when entering this world, though, you’ll discover not just an art form that transcends time, borders, race and gender, but also a functioning and self-sustaining ecosystem.

While professional wrestling is often founded on a desire for fortune or fame, it is also rooted in something much more important: love.

But perhaps even more fascinating than the love of those in the ring is the love of those who aren’t.