[Tristan Lall]

Who, exactly, other than the odd second-grader, actually thinks that it isn't a performance? It's clearly there to make lots of money by entertaining the simpletons that enjoy grunting poseurs promoting the objectification of men and women alike. In any case, as entertainment goes, it's pretty much crap, but (most) of the participants are quite obviously athletic; so I suppose it wouldn't be a travesty to call them athletes.

So, is it fake? Only if you were under the impression that it was an actual prize-fight in the first place. Taking it at face value, it's a real performance, with choreographed bits, and ad lib. bits alike. Remember, when you hit someone with a chair, it's got a ton of surface area; that area catches air (and slows it down), spreads out the force of impact, and makes a lot of noise; I'm sure it stings, but if you are 80% muscle (or in at least one memorable instance, 80% fat), you can probably deal with it. Similarly, Owen Hart really died (by accident, of course), but apart from that, you can't trust them to represent their injuries truthfully. If it serves a promotional purpose to appear wearing a cast, or to writhe on the floor like a wounded snake, they'll do it.

Incidentally, the ex-WWF got in a little bit of trouble (with the other WWF—the one with the panda logo), and has been known as the WWE for the last few years.