Today as millions (and millions!) of Christians celebrate the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ, it’s time to put the Messiah’s death and resurrection into terms that wrestling fans can understand.
G.O.A.T.? That goes without saying and my esteemed colleague Colby Faria writes about the wrestling greats so well, I don’t want anyone to think I’m moving in on Colby’s excellent work. Naturally, Jesus of Nazareth wasn’t a professional wrestler (it would be nearly two millennia before the pro game started), but if He was, he would be the G.O.A.T.
However, while He wasn’t a wrestler, there are many similarities between God’s Only Begotten Son and professional wrestlers. First, He was over like rover, He had huge influence with management, He had the best pyro and entrances ever, and He staged the greatest comeback of all time, long before Hulk Hogan made the Superman comeback a thing of beauty. Don’t believe me? Let’s look at the evidence.
Jesus Christ was undoubtedly the biggest babyface of his time, with people following Him from town to town. Despite what you may have read in The DaVinci Code, Mary Magdalene was no ring rat. She was just one of many women (and men) who couldn’t resist the Savior’s message of love and positivity. Long before the New Day rocked, the Messiah could hold an audience in the palm of His hand. While He never worked any coliseum shows, the Son of Man drew thousands and His promos are still with us including His legendary Sermon on the Mount.
Anyone familiar with the original King of Kings knows that He had strong ties with management, but He was still a man of the people. He didn’t use His ties with His Heavenly Father to get himself over but to help others get over whether it was the blind, the infirm, or the lame. As we’ll see later, the Lamb of God didn’t have to do the Crucifixtion, but chose to do it because He knew it was good for business, i.e. the salvation of humanity.
Undoubtedly, the Second Adam’s biggest achievement was His legendary comeback following what seemed like certain defeat during the events of Good Friday. Christ was beaten mercilessly then crucified, today’s equivalent of a squash match, but like any good squash, one designed to get someone over (in this case, all of humanity). As we see today with super-over babyfaces, the crowd that once loved Him, quickly turned on Him. Were there “Thank you Romans?” chants from the crowd as Christ died for our sins? I don’t know but it wouldn’t surprise me. As the Son of God’s life slipped away, He still could have called on management to save Him (there were legions of babyface waiting to run in for the save but Christ knew he had a job and the ultimate job to do). The Messiah was selfless in putting humanity over in dying for their sins. With his last breath, He said, “It is finished. ” A cryptic promo at the time but one that had deep meaning. for the insiders who knew He was the Messiah come to sacrifice Himself for humanity’s sins. Nevertheless, He wasn’t finished, rising from the grave just days later in a comeback that has been copied in wrestling, but never matched in its significance.
Finally, Jesus Christ had fantastic entrances and exits, and incorporated miracles into His ministry, miracles promoters (or anyone else for that matter) have yet to duplicate. Whether it was feeding the 5,000, raising the dead, walking on water, or healing the sick, Jesus Christ was the original Show-Stopper. His run also featured a number of fantastic angles including the Virgin Birth, the aforementioned death, burial, and resurrection, and the always-impressive Ascension into Heaven.
2,000 years later, Jesus Christ is still a major part of life for many people and despite Hulk Hogan’s claim that “Hulkamania will live forever” or Ric Flair’s “diamonds are forever and so is Ric Flair,” Christ’s message and legacy will live on long after the Hulkster and “Slick Ric.”
For those celebrating Easter during these trying times, Happy Easter and stay safe!
