Professional wrestling in China

Professional wrestling in China has been a rarity since it became a republic in 1912.[1]

History

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Professional wrestling originates from Japan has a long backstory with various organizations bickering back and forth, it is unclear how big the market is in China, and indeed, if there would even be enough to argue about.[2] Ashley Desilva is a local independent wrestler who has performed all over the country, and wrestles under the ring name Ash Silva. He says that China is a fertile ground for professional wrestling.[2]

Beginning in the mid-2010s, the United States-based WWE, expanded its market into China by performing several house shows in Shanghai and Beijing.[3][4] The WWE Network over the top streaming service, launched in 2014, is currently available in Hong Kong and Macau.

Notably one of the WWE's profile stars, John Cena, speaks Mandarin.[5]

Promotions

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Notable wrestlers

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "#DiscoveringWrestling Presents – State of the Middle Kingdom: An exploration of the burgeoning Chinese Pro Wrestling Scene". March 15, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Professional wrestling on the rise in China - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on September 9, 2018.
  3. ^ Staff, The Ringer (October 6, 2016). "WWE's Slow Boat to China". The Ringer.
  4. ^ Gough, Neil (December 25, 2016). "'Suplex' in Chinese? Professional Wrestling Tries a Big New Market". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
  5. ^ "John Cena speaking Mandarin, the world's hardest language, will blow your mind". July 4, 2019.