When DC was the Center of the Pro Wrestling Universe

Great article by Dave McKenna of the Washington City Paper:

I grew up with wrestling, for starters.

But, also, to my untrained eyes, a typical UFC beating isn’t any more artistic than the drunken bar brawls in Georgetown I used to love watching in my high school and college days.

To get over, wrestlers have to have as much size and strength and speed as MMA’ers, plus acting and microphone skills. Plenty of wrestlers can throw a punch as pretty as Chuck Liddell; nobody in MMA can showboat like Ric Flair.

Plus, I grew up with wrestling, and have always been peeved that D.C. doesn’t get enough credit for being the city that launched Vince McMahon, the greatest promoter in the history of the sport, or whatever you want to call it.

McMahon’s father, Vincent J. McMahon, was based here, and started the family wrestling empire now known as WWE more than half a century ago at Turner’s Arena on W Street NW...More?