Bron Breakker picked up a big win this week on Raw when he defeated…
Whatever. Who cares about match results? You can find those here.
That’s not why I’m here.
Bottom line: Seth Rollins has to defend his World Championship this Sunday at Clash in Paris against LA Knight, Jey Uso, and CM Punk in a Fatal 4-Way.
Yeah, yeah. Important stuff. Championship implications. Blah, blah, blah.
Anyway, Rollins and Breakker ended up putting the boots to Knight and Uso when the Second City Saint became the Monday night savior,
coming in to break up the beatdown.
As Punk made his way to the ring, he teed off on Breakker before running him into the post.
Yawn.
Here’s the thing: As Punk arrived on the scene, his entrance theme, “Cult of Personality,” hit — and the crowd exploded.
And then? No one gave a damn about the fight.
Why?
Because the people wanted to sing a song that predates most of them. Even after WWE cut the music, they just kept going.
And you know what? They weren’t half bad. They knew when to pause, when to hit the beats. It wasn’t quite 12,000 Corey Glovers in the house, but they were solid.
And as Punk and Rollins came face-to-face for a big stare down, still — no one cared. The crowd just kept singing.
Unfortunately, they only knew the first verse. So that’s all we got.
And sadly, that’s like the third or fourth time this year that Punk squared up for a dramatic confrontation… only to be drowned out by a crowd that got through 30 seconds of the song and then fizzled out.
At this point, I don’t even care about the wrestling. I want — no, I’m praying to Gorgeous George almighty — for one crowd to get through the entire song.
Sure, a melee could be happening. Maybe Punk has the upper hand, maybe not. Meh.
I want to hear the fans sing.
Now, I know what some of you are thinking. You’ve read my stuff for years. You’ve heard me gripe about fans hijacking shows and the use of entrance music during saves. So, you would be right to assume I’m being sarcastic.
In October 2013, I attended Matt Rushmore — my first Pro Wrestling Guerrilla event. After years of hearing the hype, seeing the clips, and reading the forums, I hopped in my Oldsmobile, drove up to Reseda, and found myself inside the legendary American Legion Hall — shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the most hardcore fans on Earth.
That night, I saw names that would later headline major promotions: Kevin Steen, Johnny Gargano, Adam Cole, Tommaso Ciampa.
But what I remember most? The arrival of Rich Swann.
Now, I could do the journalist thing and look up the card, figure out who he wrestled, give you the play-by-play. But I won’t lie to you.
I forgot.
I don’t remember who he faced or why he was there.
What I remember — what I’ll never forget — was his entrance.
Rich Swann came out to Lionel Richie’s “All Night Long (All Night).”
And man, the Hall popped.
Swann danced to the ring, and when the chorus kicked in, something magical happened: the crowd, maybe 300 to 500 strong, all started singing.
I’ve been to church more times than I can count, but I’ve never felt anything like that moment. I swear to you, I had an out-of-body experience. I know I was singing, but I could see myself standing there among the throng. I saw every face in that crowd.
People were smiling. Some were arm-in-arm. There were no divisions. Politics didn’t matter. Race didn’t matter. Sexuality, favorite wrestler, brand loyalty — none of it mattered.
For that moment, we were one.
We were happy.
And that’s what I hear now when Punk’s music hits and the people start to sing: joy.
Yes, most nights I roll my eyes when crowds hijack the show. But this? This is different, and even I can’t fully explain why.
Maybe it’s because everyone — from kids to lifers — knows that one song from back when Reagan was in office. Perhaps it’s just how a particular crowd sounds on a certain night. Or maybe it’s because I can still feel Reseda in my bones. I don’t know.
But when they sing, I get goosebumps.
So yeah. Cut the wrestling. Skip the promos. Fast forward through all the horseshit that makes up your average wrestling show.
Let the people sing. Let them be merry. Let them revel in each other’s company.
Just do me one favor.
Learn the rest of the song, folks. Thanks.
*Author’s note: While embedding the highlight clip from Matt Rushmore, I discovered that Swann teamed with AR Fox to take on Chuck Taylor and Trent, so there you go.
