Originally Posted by Big

ODH,

I am typing this stuff with a smirk on my face. Of course none of this is as simple I post here but I do believe there is some truth to it.

Before 1992 Wrestling was mostly about which system is better, communist or capitalist. That is why rules were relatively constant and wrestling was based on what determines the very best.

With the fall of Soviet Union the interest for wrestling naturally waned among lay people. Olympics became more and more sponsored by advertisement and it became important to tailor it to lay people to provide the highest viewership.

Wrestling today is tailored to please lay people and not to provide the best wrestling. This is because ultimately it is all about selling advertisement and people need to want to watch wrestling to watch the advertisements as well.

I would not be surprised if Martinetti consulted his own daughter and wife on such changes as 3 periods with rest and scored separately. "Dear, what do you think should be changed in wrestling to make it more appealing to women?" Martinetti's wife or daughter: "Oh I think it should be more like tennis. I love watching tennis". Not surprising wrestling has 3 periods, not 5, like women's tennis and not men's.

Wrestling is very political or at least used to be. Almost every American who is not even familiar with wrestling knows that some American HWT beat an "Unbeatable" Russian HWT in Sydney.