I’ve been a die-hard fan of pro wrestling since I was 12. It’s an entertainment genre that can hook you in so many ways: the eye-popping displays of athleticism, the fancy production value, the nail-biting storylines, and even the roar of the live crowd. While these in-ring spectacles wow me, I am also fond of pro wrestling for a more profound reason.
Watch any pro wrestling event, and you’ll find performers giving impassioned speeches, showing off their mastery of wit, and whipping the audience into a frenzy. Because verbal eloquence — or, as they say in the business, “mic work” — is a standard by which all pro wrestlers are measured, I’ve come to appreciate the sport as an action-packed Public Speaking 101 course.
So what have I learned from my highly charismatic, fiercely competitive professors in trunks and tights? Like the epic conclusion to a wrestling match, let’s count these insights: 1—2—3!
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Confidence lets you lay the smackdown
If I had to pinpoint one quality I admire most about pro wrestlers, it would have to be confidence.
When I look at personalities like The Rock and John Cena, I see individuals who fully believe in their ability to captivate a crowd. This healthy dose of self-assurance allows pro wrestlers to masterfully work the mic in front of a sold-out arena and millions more watching on TV.
Here’s a fun way to build confidence à la pro wrestlers: Try role play. Stand in front of a mirror and pretend to speak like a certain character — a popular personality, perhaps, or a particular profession like lawyer, doctor, or chef. In essence, this is what pro wrestlers do — get many, many reps of public speaking by embracing the role of a unique persona.
By delivering one-minute, character-driven speeches in front of a one-person audience, you’ll exercise your speaking skills and your creative thinking.
One of the most daunting occasions in my public speaking career was emceeing a 2018 gathering of academic administrators from all over my home country of the Philippines. It was intimidating, but what I had was belief in myself, and my confident delivery made me a true master of ceremonies.
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Storytelling is the name of the game
If you see a wrestler with a mic in their hands, there’s a good chance you’ll hear a speech (or “promo,” in wrestling parlance) that will cover storytelling elements like character, motivation, and conflict. On top of that, pro wrestlers usually deliver their promos within time limits, given there’s so much that can fit within a televised episode of a wrestling program.
I can certainly relate to this particular experience of pro wrestlers, as I frequently find myself in situations where I have to narrate events under pressure. Case in point: When I was the commencement speaker for a graduating class of high school students in 2019, I adhered to a time limit to ensure the program ran efficiently.
If there was anything I learned from wrestlers like Dusty Rhodes, it was to resonate with a crowd through concise, powerful storytelling.
So what did I do on graduation day? Within the limited time that I had on the microphone, I regaled my audience (students whom I had known as an English teacher and assistant principal) with stories and references that kept us bonded through the years. The ovation I received afterward validated the power of my succinct storytelling.
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Three words: “Where’s the money?”
In an appearance on “The Stone Cold Podcast,” longtime wrestling personality Paul Heyman shared a priceless insight from his mentor, Rhodes: In 1988, Rhodes assigned Heyman to cut the final promo of a wrestling event. In his promo, Heyman pulled out a bag of verbal tricks, including impersonation, theatrics, and punchlines. Needless to say, he felt pretty good about how he connected with the audience.
Rhodes gave Heyman this feedback: “The question I have for you is, where’s the money?”
Heyman had forgotten the most important piece: the call to action. He did not tell the crowd to tune in to their upcoming pay-per-view event — which was the point of the promo.
Any form of public speaking — a product demo, a wedding toast, a call for campaign contributions — should be anchored on a distinct objective. While witty one-liners and attention-grabbing delivery are nice to have, they end up as empty calories if the speech is not driven by purpose.
This mindset came to the rescue during a nerve-wracking time in my teaching career, when I was going to teach Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” to my class of high school juniors. Aside from the cultural disparity — how do you get Filipino teens to appreciate the impact of this Civil Rights Movement speech? — I was set to undergo a classroom observation in which I’d be teaching in front of my subject area coordinator and the school’s assistant director.
While I used a bunch of teaching strategies to spice things up, I pulled this lesson off mainly because I anchored my discussion on an established set of objectives. By staying focused on promoting cultural appreciation and instilling pride in one’s heritage, my students got to appreciate the legacy of “I Have a Dream” while my supervisors got to see me at the height of my teaching skills.
It’s not easy to engage high school students in literature, I can tell you that much. But, when the proverbial bell rings, I approach the role of educator and public speaker with a rush of vigor.
How? I pump myself up with supreme confidence — a conviction that I can rise to any challenge. With this internal boost, I tell stories that appeal to my audience while also operating within the confines of a time limit. I relentlessly pursue my objectives, keeping in mind that every element of my delivery and content needs to serve my ultimate purpose.
Ultimately, I picture myself like a pro wrestler — an inimitable personality that wins over any audience, in any arena, at any given time.