The World According To Wrestling

The World According to Wrestling is back...in book form and it's out on 18 June!

Here is a sample chapter of Lords of the Ring: The World According to Wrestling, available to order now in hardback and ebook and available as an audiobook on Audible and Spotify.

"Brilliant and electrifying...I loved every trash-talking, spandex-wearing and body-slamming page of it. Do try this at home." - Dan Schreiber, Host of No Such Thing As Fish

Wrestling is at a new peak of popularity but for years it has operated as an unregulated soap opera
with controversial storylines and surprising presentations. It is a world where fact and fiction are regularly blurred, where stereotypes dominate and ruthlessness reigns supreme. But what does this eccentric phenomenon tell us about our society and culture? And why does it matter?

In Lords of the Ring, Dan Higgins makes it his mission to find out. Examining the myriad ways that our social, cultural and political landscape intersects with the sport, he explores how wrestling relates to and has shaped our ideas about gender, race, national identity and sexuality. Higgins also turns to the sport's relationship with politics – including how Donald Trump cultivated a character on the scene – shining a light on the key characters inside and outside the ropes, as well as their unlikely, unusual, and sometimes
dark stories.

The guests in this episode are former WWE writer Court Bauer, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Brad Maddox and Ryan Satin.

In the wrestling writer's room, you're often damned if you do and damned if you don't. So who are these people? How are the shows written? And what is the life of a wrestling writer like? In the final episode of series 2, we explore the creative process.

The World According To Wrestling is hosted by Dan Higgins and produced by Danny Smith, Rob Brandon, Dan Higgins and Ben Higgs. The show was edited by Danny Smith and mixed by Will Berger. The visual identity is by The design practice of James Lunn and the illustrations are from the pen of Paul Cooper. Original music in this episode by WeAmSam.

The guests in this episode are Rikishi, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Neville, Dave Meltzer and Court Bauer.

Throughout it's history, wrestling has churned out all sorts of overt national stereotypes. Everything from the heroic all Americans and evil Russians to British kings, Irish leprechauns and Samoan wildmen. How do the wrestlers playing these characters feel? And has the industry moved on? Let's find out.

The World According To Wrestling is hosted by Dan Higgins and produced by Danny Smith, Rob Brandon, Dan Higgins and Ben Higgs. The show was edited by Danny Smith and mixed by Will Berger. The visual identity is by The design practice of James Lunn and the illustrations are from the pen of Paul Cooper. Original music in this episode by WeAmSam.

The guests in this episode are Dave Meltzer, Ryan Satin and Abbey Arthur.

As a journalist, how do you cover wrestling? As a sport, a TV show or both? Is it reported for real? What is this world and who occupies it? Let's find out.

The World According To Wrestling is hosted by Dan Higgins and produced by Danny Smith, Rob Brandon, Dan Higgins and Ben Higgs. The show was edited by Danny Smith and mixed by Will Berger. The visual identity is by The design practice of James Lunn and the illustrations are from the pen of Paul Cooper. Original music in this episode by WeAmSam.

The guests in this episode are Court Bauer, Sam Adonis, Dave Meltzer and Heather Bandenburg.

Did the President of the United States use wrestling as a dress rehearsal for his political career? How was the character of "Donald Trump" written and what legacy did he leave behind in wrestling? Let's dive deep into the politics.

The World According To Wrestling is hosted by Dan Higgins and produced by Danny Smith, Rob Brandon, Dan Higgins and Ben Higgs. The show was edited by Danny Smith and mixed by Will Berger. The visual identity is by The design practice of James Lunn and the illustrations are from the pen of Paul Cooper. Original music in this episode by WeAmSam.