Daniel Garcia Weighs In On Whether Pro Wrestling Is More Challenging Than Sports Entertainment
For some, the lines between professional wrestling and sports entertainment are blurred, often to the point that the two pursuits could be viewed as a single entity. But for AEW's Daniel Garcia, there is a clearly defined border separating the two.
In an interview with Bleacher Report, the 23-year-old member of the Jericho Appreciation Society explained why he divides these two sectors into separate entities.
"I do think that pro wrestling and sports entertainment are different things," Garcia said. "I know you've heard people even say it on podcasts. You've heard Triple H say it on Logan Paul's podcast that there's a difference between a sports entertainer and a pro wrestler. And I think I'd be lying if I said there wasn't any difference."
For Garcia, sports entertainment was "maybe more challenging than pro wrestling," noting that he "never grew up saying I want to be a sports entertainer."
"Sports entertainment, people think it's more consumable to a wide audience," he continued. "And it's not. Pro wrestling can garner just as much emotion and as much storytelling as sports entertainment can, if not more."
Garcia also warned that "sports entertainment can possibly be limiting" and runs the risk of having a negative impact on wrestling if not done correctly. He gave a hat-tip to Chris Jericho, the leader of the Jericho Appreciation Society, for enlightening him "about the entertainment aspect of wrestling" through his segments.
"That's the biggest thing I learned from him: How to portray a story and how to portray emotion without necessarily having to state it abruptly and so broadly to the audience," Garcia said. "I think he's a master at telling the story through his body language and pushing narratives forward without having to say it so straightforward."