WrestlePosium

WrestlePosium is an annual academic symposium that brings together scholars, researchers, students, and fans to explore the cultural, artistic, and social dimensions of professional wrestling through research, theory, and creative work. This event features a dynamic lineup of scholarly presentations, panels, and creative discussions that dive into wrestling’s cultural, artistic, and global impact. Past Wrestleposiums have showcased:

Sports business management, economics, and industry perspectives
Fandom, community engagement
Narrative storytelling, psychology
Social commentary, cultural studies
Art, performance, intersectionality
Politics, history, international relations

It’s a dynamic space where academic rigor merges with the creativity of pro wrestling culture.

A black and white photograph of two masked wrestlers in a wrestling ring, with one wrestler in camouflage pants being lifted or thrown by the other wrestler in elaborate costume, during a wrestling match.

Submit your proposal to be a part of our next WrestlePosium!

A wrestling ring with red, white, and blue ropes on a dark background. Overlaid with text announcing a virtual event for proposals by the Professional Wrestling Studies Association, scheduled for April 25, 2026, from 11 to 5 ET, inviting submissions for their annual WrestlePosium focusing on narratives, storytelling, scholarship, and cultural performance in wrestling.

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

A promotional graphic for the 7th Annual WrestlePosium event, featuring a wrestling match with two competitors and a referee in a ring, with a large audience in the background. The event is scheduled for April 25th, 2026, and will be held virtually via Zoom with free submission. The poster highlights the theme of narrative clash in wrestling with a call to register at prowrestlingstudies.org.

Interested in attending WrestlePosium? Attendance is virtual (and FREE!). Click the button below to register.

click here to register

WrestlePosium VI 2025 –– Robert D. McDermand presents “Business Model of Pro Wrestling.”

As a Sports Business faculty member, Robert uses the business model of professional wrestling and sports entertainment to encourage students to dig more deeply into the business-side of the sports world. This short session integrates lessons from the business side of professional wrestling into academic curriculum.

WrestlePosium VI 2025: Academic Keynote with Shannon Bow O’Brien.

Shannon B. O'Brien specializes in American Politics, focusing on the American Presidency and Political Development. She has published two books, Why Presidential Speech Locations Matter: Analyzing Speechmaking from Truman to Obama and Donald Trump and The Kayfabe Presidency: Professional Wrestling Rhetoric in the White House.

WrestlePosium VI 2025—Embrace the Hate: Rereading Elon Musk as a Chickenshit Heel

Presenters Marek Muller and Dr. Cecilia Cerja analyze Elon Musk as a particular professional wrestling archetype: the chickenshit heel. When heels enter the ring they are often met with boos or jeering from the fans, and their prowess as a heel is judged on their ability to get the crowd to truly hate them. Nonetheless, many fans love heels for their abilities or their character work, and many wrestlers have preferred “playing the heel” because it is “more fun.” Thus, when we name Musk as a “heel” archetype, we do so from an oppositional political standpoint and an understanding that Musk, at times, embraces his hate and “plays” heel with enthusiasm.

Watch Previous WrestlePosium Sessions

Check out previous WrestlePosiums incld. panels, presentations, keynotes, and more from past years––all on our YouTube Channel!

🎥 Explore the depth of academic and cultural conversations around pro wrestling with some highlighted sessions below. ✨

WrestlePosiun V: 2024 — Beyond the Ring: Exploring the Intersection of Cultural Wellness, Mental Wellness, and Gender Identity in Professional Wrestling

Roundtable with Milaun Murry (University of Texas- Arlington), Aaron Machbitz (You Are Loved Founder, VP of Experience Wrestling), and Hollie McMillan (University of Texas-Arlington, M.S. candidate).

This panel seeks to shed light on the multifaceted impact of cultural wellness, mental wellness, and gender identity on the overall well-being and success of professional wrestlers.

WrestlePosium II: Jazzy "Alpha Female" Gabert

For the 2021 Professional Keynote, German professional wrestler Jazzy Gabert aka Alpha Female discusses the struggles she had to overcome to achieve the international success she has accomplished. Learn more about Gabert's life and her experiences in the male-dominated world of professional wrestling.

WrestlePosium V 2024—Parallel in Storyline: Connection between Marvel Cinematic Universe and Bloodline Saga in WWE

Presenter Swapnaneel Basu Roy––Saint Xavier’s College, Kolkata, India.

The ongoing narrative captivating the WWE, the foremost professional wrestling promotion, is none other than the compelling Bloodline saga. This in-depth study embarks on a comprehensive analysis of the storyline trajectories, spanning Bloodline’s inception in 2020, with the overarching goal of showcasing the striking parallels that unfold between the captivating Marvel Cinematic Universe movies and the enthralling Bloodline saga.

VIew more on the PWSA YouTube