Not everyone in wrestling sees Dark Side of the Ring the same way, but MVP thinks the hit documentary series lands somewhere in the middle. While he admits the show benefits from telling some of wrestling’s darkest stories, he also believes it does a good job preserving the industry’s history.
Speaking on the Marking Out podcast, MVP was asked whether Dark Side of the Ring honors wrestling history or simply profits from other people’s tragedies. His answer wasn’t one or the other—it was both.
MVP admitted he isn’t glued to every new episode, but he’s watched enough of the series over the years to know why it has become such a hit with wrestling fans. Overall, he thinks it’s an entertaining show and one that usually does a solid job telling some of wrestling’s biggest stories.
“Dark Side of the Ring is, uh, it’s pretty entertaining. I don’t watch it regularly, but I have watched more than a few episodes. And, um, for the most part, you know, I find it pretty entertaining.”
One thing he really appreciates is when the show brings in people who actually lived through the events being discussed. In MVP’s opinion, those firsthand voices give the episodes a level of credibility that outside commentators simply can’t match.
“You know, I like some of the talking heads on there because they are actually experts that know what they’re talking about. Jim Cornette being one of them.”
That said, he doesn’t think every guest is the right choice. MVP joked there have been times when someone popped up on screen and he couldn’t understand why they were being treated like an authority on a story they weren’t around for.
“And then sometimes they have people on there that I’m like, as Conor McGregor would say, ‘Who the f*** is this guy?’ You got people on there that, dude, you weren’t even around. You don’t know.”
For him, the best episodes are the ones where the audience hears directly from the people who experienced those moments instead of people looking back years later. That’s what makes the stories feel authentic.
“I have a little criticism of some of the people that they choose sometimes, you know, to give their… But I love it when they have people who were actually there, who were involved, who knew the people, who were around, because that gives it a certain depth.”
When it came to the bigger question of whether Dark Side of the Ring is honoring wrestling history or making money from tragedy, MVP didn’t think those two ideas cancel each other out. He believes the show succeeds because people naturally gravitate toward dramatic stories.
“So, to your question, I think it’s definitely a little bit of both. Um, because, I mean, let’s just keep it real, man. People love a train wreck, you know? Like, who doesn’t?”
He compared it to drivers slowing down every time they pass an accident on the highway. Even when traffic could keep moving, people can’t help but look.
“Every time there’s an accident, people, you know, you get a traffic jam. Not because the traffic can’t continue to flow, but because people want to slow down and look and see what happens. They’re rubbernecking, right?”
At the same time, MVP doesn’t think telling those stories is automatically a bad thing. He believes some of wrestling’s saddest moments can become valuable lessons for others if they’re handled the right way.
“So, um, I think they do a little bit of both, you know, which is fine because sometimes these tragic tales can be inspirational to other people, you know, a tale of caution. ‘Hey, be careful that this doesn’t happen to you.’”
He acknowledged that profiting from tragedy purely for shock value can come across as tasteless. However, he doesn’t believe Dark Side of the Ring crosses that line.
“And I think that’s fine. Um, I think sometimes, you know, when you’re just profiting on tragedy just for the sake of tragedy, it can be a little tasteless, but I don’t think that Dark Side of the Ring does anything tastelessly. I don’t believe they do.”
MVP did have one complaint, though. While he understands why the producers use dramatic recreations, he admitted some of those scenes can be unintentionally funny.
“Although I think some of the reenactments are kind of dodgy sometimes, you know, with the actors and the bad wigs and whatnot, but I know what they get and it’s fun.”
Looking back on the series as a whole, MVP said he honestly can’t remember watching an episode he didn’t enjoy. In fact, he admitted he should probably watch more of them because they’ve consistently been entertaining.
“So yeah, I mean, and for the most part, I haven’t seen an episode of Dark Side of the Ring that I didn’t like, and I should probably watch more of them because, for the most part, you know, the ones that I saw were entertaining. And if you’re a wrestling fan and you actually like wrestling history, I think it’s pretty good content.”
MVP isn’t pretending Dark Side of the Ring doesn’t benefit from telling some of wrestling’s darkest stories. He just believes the series has managed to find a balance, turning painful moments into compelling television while still preserving an important part of wrestling history.
Do you agree with MVP’s take on Dark Side of the Ring, or do you think the series leans too far toward tragedy instead of history? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
