Try to tell me that doesn't take athletic ability. The same applies to pro wrestling. Drozdov will never walk again. Hart fell from rafters 40 feet above the ring, hitting his head on a turnbuckle on the way down and snapping his neck. Knee and back injuries plague wrestlers from Hulk Hogan to Steve Austin and all the way down, and always have.
Pro wrestling is just as dangerous as pro football.
And wrestlers get paid a whole lot less, on average. Pro wrestling is not for everyone, and I would be naive to think I could change a lot of minds with this piece. However, I hope I have given sufficient examples as to why pro wrestlers should be given more respect as athletes.