The WWE Universe is one of the most clued in sports fans in the world.
Little gets past them, few things go without being heavily scrutinised, opinions are divisive but respected and their allegiances are backed up with loyal vitriol.
Popular chants are replicated, all mannerisms are copied and for every claim to wrestling being fake, none are wiser to what they are witnessing than the ardent fans that turn out to shows all around the world.
With that being said, outside of the televised shows of the WWE something peculiar takes place.
The look and feel of the event is unmistakably WWE and the Superstars in the ring are the same that grace TV screens across the globe.
But in amongst it all there is a flexible, reactionary approach to the action with no scripted storyline and heels and faces determined on the night, not by their RAW, Smackdown or NXT personas.
In Abu Dhabi last year this was well evidenced by The New Day who were absolute hits with the crowd despite being branded the obnoxious heels that they were meant to be on TV.
Here in Dubai last weekend it was much the same.
While the familiar chants of “you can’t wrestle” rang out at the sight of the Big Show, as soon as he gave Alberto Del Rio a Rikishi-inspired Stinky Face in the corner the fans were, ahem, behind him.
GALLERY: The best photos from #WWEDubai including @RonKillings @KalistoWWE @HEELZiggler https://t.co/GVlldEjo7P pic.twitter.com/uhz0PjhGbn
— Sport360° (@Sport360) April 15, 2016
It was something Show has never been a fan of doing despite the ability to sell the displeasure in such a big man wiggling his rear end into someone’s face but in front of a more conservative audience it’s the sort of stuff that sells.
It’s cheeky, good natured fun and that was exactly the kind of thing that went down so well.
R-Truth killed it with his rap-a-long intro just the beginning of a love affair between he and the crowd that spanned the course of both days.
Getting Goldust to join him in full robotic dance mode secured the deal.
Some of the Superstars were allowed to stick to the script and Kevin Owens, AJ Styles and Ryback were prime examples of working angles already popular among core audiences but even they were allowed to improvise in the manner that has seen so many of the top wrestlers of years gone by prove so successful.
Here at Dune Bash, Sami Zayn addressed the crowd in Arabic, told them the Middle East was his home and applauded Dean Ambrose and Dolph Ziggler holding aloft the UAE flag.
These examples make for a better, more custom-made product and are why the LIVE events have proven so popular in markets worlds away from each other.
Audiences are aware that anything goes and a show will be crafted in their vision, the ultimate selling point for any fan.
