History Main / ProWrestlingEpisode

* ''Fanfic/ASecondChance'' has two examples, both featuring [[MaskedLuchador Lunatic Lynn]].

* The ''ComicBook/SonicX]'' comic book features several issues revolving around [[BigBad Dr. Eggman's]] MaskedLuchador persona "El Gran Gordo". Being [[MadScientist Dr. Eggman]] and all, he cheats using his advanced technology, and Sonic tries to unmask him in a match--until he sees Chris Thorndyke, who idolizes both Sonic and El Gran Gordo, crying. In the end, Sonic [[{{Jobber}} loses to Eggman]] to preserve {{Kayfabe}} for Chris. While Eggman invented El Gran Gordo for EngineeredHeroics, he slowly [[BecomingTheMask begins to enjoy his heroic persona]] and even [[HeelFaceTurn wins a match clean]].

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[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* Franchise/SpiderMan's origin story involving him in the ring with Crusher Hogan.

* In ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW'' Issue #29, we learn [[CoolTeacher Cheerilee's]] twin sister Cherry Blossom is a pro wrestler when the heroes attend an event. When Cherry Blossom gets injured, they talk Cheerilee into taking over for her while she recovers. Rarity eventually joins her as her tag team partner. Before this, Cheerilee had issues with her sister and thought wrestling was barbaric, but then she learned that the wrestlers are good friends outside of {{Kayfabe}} and that Cherry Blossom does it to cheer up children.
* One ComicBook/MickeyMouseComicUniverse story had Mickey investigate a traveling group of wrestlers for thefts happening in the towns they visited, finding both confirmation that the matches are scripted... And discovering that [[ProWrestlingIsReal the wrestlers also have legitimate fighting skills]]. The bit about the skills is made clearer when the culprit, a rather skinny cruiserweight, is unmasked and [[UnderestimatingBadassery a dozen cops try and arrest him expecting no resistance]] only for him to [[OneManArmy kick their collective asses]] until the other wrestlers ([[GenreSavvy that Mickey had in the next room just in case]]) join the frame.
* The ''[[ComicBook/SonicX Sonic X]]'' comic book features several issues revolving around [[BigBad Dr. Eggman's]] MaskedLuchador persona "El Gran Gordo". Being [[MadScientist Dr. Eggman]] and all, he cheats using his advanced technology, and Sonic tries to unmask him in a match--until he sees Chris Thorndyke, who idolizes both Sonic and El Gran Gordo, crying. In the end, Sonic [[{{Jobber}} loses to Eggman]] to preserve {{Kayfabe}} for Chris. While Eggman invented El Gran Gordo for EngineeredHeroics, he slowly [[BecomingTheMask begins to enjoy his heroic persona]] and even [[HeelFaceTurn wins a match clean]].

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* ''Film/TheThreeStooges'': In the short "[[Film/GripsGruntsAndGroans Grips, Grunts and Groans]]", Curly is forced to impersonate a champion wrestler named Bustoff after accidentally incapacitating him.

* In ''Series/MamasFamily'' episode "Mama Mania", Naomi fills in for the TagTeam partner of a former classmate of hers named Dee Dee, Naomi agrees when Dee Dee says she'd do all the wrestling. When Thelma accidentally knocks out Dee Dee, Thelma fights in her place. Thelma and Naomi win becoming Tag Team champions. The fact that the opponents were DumbMuscle helped.
* Similar to the ''Mama's Family'' episode, ''Series/FamilyMatters'' episode "Psycho Twins", Urkel and Carl take over for his former classmate and his tag team partner after they drink a potent soporific called "Snooze Juice" that Urkel carelessly left. Carl and Urkel (under the name the Psycho Twins hence the title) were facing real pro-wrestlers, Wrestling/TheBushwhackers, who offered to go easy on them. When Urkel revealed to them that Carl was a cop, the Bushwhackers (who hate cops) attacked them legitimately and started a fan-riot. Afterwards Carl and Urkel were heavily bandaged up. This has been inducted into Website/{{WrestleCrap}}.
* ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'' has "The thrilla in Philla" where class bully Frankie's father is pro-wrestler Wrestling/{{Vader}}. The episode starts as a collegiate wrestling rivalry between Corey and class-bully Joey. Until Vader shows up and he Joey and Frankie team up against Corey. Eric, Mr. Feeney and Mr. Turner come to his aid and get Vader to back off. Vader than say the next time he'll take on Feeney in a Texas Death Match.
* The show ''Series/{{Learning the Ropes}}'' is about Robert Randall, a teacher, vice principal and father of two who moonlights as a pro wrestler named the "Masked Maniac". Several [[Wrestling/NationalWrestlingAlliance NWA]] wrestlers, including Wrestling/RicFlair often guest star.
* The show ''Series/{{Nikki}}'' stared Nikki Cox (of ''Series/UnhappilyEverAfter'' fame) as Las Vegas showgirl living in Las Vegas with her husband, a professional wrestler. Suffice to say several episode were Pro Wrestling Episodes.
* ''Series/XenaWarriorPrincess'' has at least two: one visited event and one Xena stages herself.
* ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'' had an episode involving not a show but a professional wrestling training program. The witches were challenged to take on Wrestling/BookerT and Wrestling/ScottSteiner in order to get...[[ExcusePlot something]]. The best wrestling was in a cameo by Buff Bagwell.
* ''Series/NightMan'' once went to a Wrestling/{{WCW}} event because one of his friends was an avid fan of new wrestler, the "Golden Boy".

* The main cast goes to see a Professional Wrestling event on ''Series/That70sShow'' which features modern wrestlers like [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] playing his own father, Rocky Johnson ([[Wrestling/MattHardy the]] [[Wrestling/JeffHardy Hardys]] had roles too). "Wrestling is Fake" is mentioned (though it wasn't common knowledge in the time period, Red is said to have wrestled himself in the past).
* ''Series/QuantumLeap'' had a wrestling episode but as every episode has a different premise, it was probably inevitable.
* ''Series/ZekeAndLuther'' get themselves involved in a professional wrestling show.
* ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'' had two.
** Both featured a Bundy from the main cast getting manhandled by wrestlers at the show. One did it for money and the other got himself booked by accident. One of the wrestlers was said to be Peg's cousin and was played by Wrestling/KingKongBundy.
** King Kong Bundy made an appearance as himself. The Bundys and their neighbors the Rhoades (Steve and Marcy) were ''named'' for King Kong Bundy and Wrestling/DustyRhodes. This was something of a parody of ''Series/GrowingPains'', where the main family, the Seavers, and their neighbors, the Koosmans, were named for [[UsefulNotes/MLBTeams New York Mets baseball players Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman]].
* On the ''Series/HoneyIShrunkTheKids'' TV show, [[Wrestling/BretHart Bret and]] Wrestling/OwenHart come to the Szalinskis' hometown and get hurt accidentally by Diane and Chief [=McKenna=]. They ask Wayne and the chief to wrestle in their place because wrestling promoters "aren't very understanding" on why a match can't take place. Not only did they beat their opponents (due to Wayne's [[ClothesMakeTheSuperman strength-enhancing suit]] and an abrupt redition of "Pop Goes the Weasel") but it turns out the opponents were escaped convicts. Particularly notable in that at the time Bret and Owen were wrestling for Arch-Rival Promotions WCW and WWF respectively. They were in the mist of the Wrestling/MondayNightWars and didn't want the wrestlers fraternizing in any kind of way.
* On ''Series/TheJeffFoxworthyShow'', the episode "Wrestling Opera" had Jeff take his son to a night of pro wrestling to avoid a class trip to the opera. Wrestling/RandySavage and Wrestling/{{WCW}} boss Wrestling/EricBischoff guest star.
* In the short-lived Creator/{{UPN}} show ''Series/TheMullets'', the Mullet brothers get tickets to "Wrestling/{{Wrestlemania}}" (but as shown, it's clearly just a WWE House Show, not actually ''Wrestlemania''. They give the tickets to their mom, the former Mrs. Mullet, who is thrilled. Her new husband, not so much. The Dudley Boys appeared [[AsHimself as themselves]].

* ''Series/TheAdventuresOfSuperman'': Superman foils the schemes of the VillainOfTheWeek, who is out to cripple all the wrestlers in town whose contracts he doesn't own.
* ''Series/{{Bonanza}}'': Hoss accidentally hurts the wrestler in a travelling carnival and takes over the gig while the wrestler recuperates.
* ''Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'': In the 1979 episode "The King is Dead", the sport's early carny origins are exposed, although in the climactic scene the champion wrestler in this episode — an aging athlete suffering from heart failure — defeats a loudmouthed challenger using his own, legit athletic skills (putting the arrogant challenger in a legit bearhug and refusing to let go until the mouthy youngster passes out); he dies shortly after winning the match. The champion wrestler's manager, played by Ray Walston (of ''Series/MyFavoriteMartian'' fame) is named ''[[HilariousInHindsight Jimmy Hart]]'' ... the real name of [[Wrestling/JimmyHart a young musician who would become one of the best-known WWF personalities in the 1980s and 1990s.]]
* ''Series/TheDickVanDykeShow'': at the end of an episode which is about the new song/dance craze The Twizzle (a combination of the Twist and the Sizzle), Sally comes in with a new version: the Twazzle, a combination of the Twizzle and wrestling. Done by [[Wrestling/FreddieBlassie "Classy" Freddie Blassie]].

* Bull from ''Series/NightCourt'' ends up getting a job as a wrestler for a very short time. Unlike most examples it actually pretty much poked kayfabe in the eye. Notable scenes include 'You came this close to hitting me!' with a wrestler holding his hands half a metre apart, and later a wrestler going through an actual script wondering why Bull's match isn't going the way it should.

* ''Series/TheDailyShow'' has had occasional appearances by The Hardcore Legend himself, Wrestling/MickFoley, usually identified as the Daily Show's "Senior Asskicker".

* A ''Creator/MontyPython'' special for Austrian TV (which is also on the Live At City Center album) features a wrestling match of Colin "Bomber" Harris vs. himself.
* ''Series/MyNameIsEarl'' episode B.L.O.W. centers around the titular wrestling promotion (a parody of Wrestling/{{GLOW}}) whom Joy's [[SitComArchNemesis arch nemesis]] discovered to be half sister wrestles for as a baby {{face}}. Well, the promotion and the fact Joy is going to court and needs all the sympathetic family members she can find. Unfortunately her sympathetic sister isn't sympathetic to Joy.
* The ''Series/TalesFromTheDarkside'' episode "Basher Malone". A popular wrestler is contacted by a sleazy manager type who offers his services. When he refuses, the manager reveals himself to be an agent of Hell, and forces the wrestler to face a hulking demon in a two out of three falls match, with his soul forfeit if he loses. The opponent demon [[EmotionEater gets stronger and heavier from negative feelings like pride and anger]], giving him the advantage.
* An episode of ''Series/TheDrewCareyShow'' featured the main cast getting professional wrestler The Disciplinarian (Wrestling/TripleH) to sponsor their microbrewed beer. It only improves their sales after Disciplinarian quits drinking and claims this beer "kicked his ass".
* The ''Series/MurdochMysteries'' episode "Crabtree Mania" has Constable Crabtree investigating a murder at a 1900s local wrestling stable, and being shocked to discover that the sport may in fact be faked. He ends up in the ring with a wrestler who is ''not'' faking, and only makes it out when his girlfriend hands him a folding chair...

* ''Series/TheBionicWoman'' episode ''In This Corner'' sees her attempt to track down a missing OSI agent lead her to join a pro wrestling fed with a [[TheSavageIndian Savage Indian]] gimmick.
* ''Series/TheBeverlyHillbillies'' has at least a couple. ''The Rass'lin' Clampetts'' features the family trying to curb [[NeverMessWithGranny Granny]]'s aggression by having her watch pro wrestling on television. However, Granny gets so angry watching a baby face "Rebecca of Donnybrook Farm" get cheated and beat up that she goes to storms off to the show to do something about it. Interestingly, pro wrestling is portrayed as a city activity the country folk are new to.
* ''Series/{{CSI}}'': In "Mascara", one of Ray's former students is murdered and the investigation plunges the team into the mysterious world of Mexican wrestling.
* ''Series/StarskyAndHutch'' has two: "The Omaha Tiger," in which the guys investigate a series of suspicious deaths at a wrestling arena, and "The Golden Angel," in which a wrestler is shot in the arm while training, requiring Starsky to go undercover as a wrestler.
* In the ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'' episode "Lucha de Apuestas", Mona accidentally sends Koanane the Kaupe, a wolflike creature from Myth/PacificMythology, to sixties Mexico, where he becomes a MaskedLuchador under the name El Lobo, and becomes immensely popular through the simple tactic of just winning all the time. The team has to get history back on track by convincing El Curo (a NoCelebritiesWereHarmed El Santo) to reclaim his title.

* Mitchie-M's "Seraphim on the Ring" acts as this for his discography as well as for Crypton Future Media. Music/HatsuneMiku and Kagamine Rin are the Cutie Angels, a tag-team babyface pair. The song and music video cover their championship match against a heel team played by Megurine Luka and MEIKO, while Len is a referee and KAITO is an overly enthusiastic commentator.

* ''Franchise/TheSimpsons Wrestling'' can be seen this way, considering it involves Monty Burns holding a wrestling tournament and several Springfield residents take part in it.
* One of the endgame story missions in ''VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird'' sees the Boss and Angel de la Muerte double-team the DragonAscendant Killbane in an over-the-top wrestling match aptly titled "Murder Brawl", complete with live commentary, ridiculous weapons, and massacring mooks with a chainsaw. The whole episode is justified in that Killbane's entire gang is composed of evil {{Masked Luchador}}s, so his power base can only be destroyed if he is defeated in a wrestling match by another pro wrestler (the original plan was for Angel to do this, but Killbane disables him, leaving it up to the Boss alone).
* Chapter 3 in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'', while not wrestling, is set in the Glitz Pit, a stadium with a similar atmosphere, sense of showmanship, and spectator behavior.
* ''VideoGame/HeroesOfTheStorm'' had the Nexomania! event, a set of skins based around a realm where everything is themed around Mexican wrestling.

* "WTF", an episode of ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', has the kids get really into wrestling after seeing Wrestling/{{Edge}} and Wrestling/JohnCena. They don't really care about ''wrestling'' so much as for ChewingTheScenery and {{bathos}}. This is presented as better than the alternative, though -- at the end of the episode, a real fight breaks out between all the boys. This causes everyone in the stands to get up and leave, as the clumsy, unchoreographed brawl is idiotic and boring.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' had "Impeach Fuzz," in which the Mayor loses his job as Mayor of Townsville to Fuzzy Lumpkins. When Fuzzy puts on the Mayor's prized hat, the two fight it out in a wrestling ring.

* The ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'' episode "Oh Yeah!" is this with the Titans wanting to be over the top wrestlers. Robin is the [[TheDandy Deadly Dandy]], Beast Boy is the Wild Man, Starfire is [[NoIndoorVoice The Yeller]] and Raven is [[Wrestling/TheUndertaker The Grave Mistake]].

* Chapter 32 of the ''Manga/KitsuneNoYomeiri'' manga sees [[{{Tanuki}} Kanon]] recruited, by a former JapaneseDelinquent trying to go straight, to team up for a pro-wrestling tag match. Before the match the pair are told that they are [[ThrowingTheFight supposed to lose]] but after the ex-delinquent is poisoned by their opponents and her place secretly taken by [[{{Kitsune}} Kyouka]], Kanon uses her [[SuperStrength full power]] to easily wins the match and expose the opposition's cheating.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants:'' Krusty Krushers, which has Mr. Krabs entering [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick a wrestling match to defeat the two undefeated wrestlers in order to win money.

* ''Film/TheThreeStooges'': In the short "[[Recap/TheThreeStoogesGripsGruntsAndGroans Grips, Grunts and Groans]]", Curly is forced to impersonate a champion wrestler named Bustoff after accidentally incapacitating him.

* Music/TheWonderYears' video for "Melrose Diner" makes the [[BreakupSong song]] about an underdog {{emo}} {{Face}} wrestler called The Lone Wolf who loses the title after his vampy ring girlfriend leaves him for his [[{{heel}} evil opponent Kraagh]]. The rest of the video shows a series of matches against gimmicky, until The Lone Wolf is able to activate his secret power-up ability, the Wolf Cry, through the support of a new GirlNextDoor from the audience.

* Mitchie-M's "Seraphim on the Ring" acts as this for his discography as well as for Crypton Future Media. Music/HatsuneMiku and Kagamine Rin are the Cutie Angels, a tag-team babyface pair. The song and music video cover their championship match against a heel team played by Megurine Luka and MEIKO, while Len is a refree and KAITO is an overly enthusiastic commentator.

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]

* Cartoon Network loved the idea of using classic Hanna-Barbera characters and having them meet present-day WWE stars:

* ''Manga/MaicchinguMachikoSensei'' had a few episodes centering around either pro-wrestling, school centered Olympic wrestling, or sumo wrestling. Naturally Kenta often use DefeatByModesty tactics while wrestling women (two are school matches and one is a professional event). He does it to Machiko once. Later, he wrestles a blonde wrestler who doesn't seem to care much, averting this trope.

** A later episode called "Moong Fu Samosa" follows up on the events of "Sumo Momo", this time with Samosa being challenged to a fight by Sumo Momo's friend Judo Momo. Samosa trains in a [[FantasyFightingStyle fictional martial art]] called "moong fu" to prepare and takes on the wrestler in the same arena as in "Sumo Momo".

** A later episode called "Moong Fu Samosa" follows up on the events of "Sumo Momo", this time with Samosa being challenged to a fight by Sumo Momo's friend Judo Momo. Samosa trains in a FictionalMartialArt called "moong fu" to prepare and takes on the wrestler in the same arena as in "Sumo Momo".

* The first episode of ''Animation/SimpleSamosa'', titled "Sumo Momo", is about Samosa going with his friends to a wrestling match featuring Sumo Momo, his favorite professional wrestler. On their way to the match, Samosa makes up an entire story about how he once took down ''two'' Sumo Momos, which Dhokla and Jalebi immediately realize is fake but not Vada; when they make it to the arena, Samosa is surprised to hear the announcer say ''he's'' the challenger who's going up against Sumo Momo, who is directly provoked by Vada's cheering for Samosa into taking on the scared challenger. Sumo Momo then proceeds to clobber Samosa in multiple unique ways for ''93 rounds in a row'' [[spoiler:which is followed by him giving Samosa just enough of an injury to give the tip on his head a slight crack... a move that makes him so furious that he gives the wrestler a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown and is able to win the match]].

* An episode of ''Series/TheDrewCareyShow'' featured the main cast getting professional wrestler The Disciplinarian ( ProfessionalWrestling/TripleH ) to sponsor their microbrewed beer. It only improves their sales after Disciplinarian quits drinking and claims this beer "kicked his ass".

* The episode "The Blind Bandit" from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' has the Gaang check out an underground earthbending tournament in hopes of finding Aang someone to teach him the art. The tournament, "Earth Rumble VI", is a blatant AffectionateParody of pro wrestling with a championship belt, an ForeignWrestlingHeel, and an earthbender [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson named The Boulder]] [[ThirdPersonPerson who speaks in the third person]] and is even voiced by [[Wrestling/MickFoley a semi-retired pro wrestler]]. Half the plot has to do with the organizer and other "wrestlers" believing that the reigning champ (Toph) worked with Aang and threw a match so they could claim the prize money.

[[folder:Web Original]]