In wrestling, chants have to be earned. Those who were around the ECW days will remember “Holy Shit” when a long sequence of reversals and high-flying moves would inspire a pop in recognition of technique and athleticism. “This is awesome” comes up when a match is running on the 5-star lane, when everyone involved is firing on all cylinders.
AEW Dynamite’s February 5th show at Las Vegas produced one such chant, one that was infused with a political force that rarely gets the time to build an take over the entire audience live on TV. In the opening seconds of the show’s main event match between Brody King and the champ MJF, the crowd let out a crystal clear “Fuck ICE” chant that made MJF break character for a bit to acknowledge the moment.
The inspiration behind this coordinated fan roar falls squarely on Brody King, a true heavyweight champion contender that’s been vocal both in the ring and online about his disdain for ICE and its unconstitutional and unethical tactics. Brody is an agile big man, covered in tattoos, that looks like Death Metal personified. He’s currently presenting as a badass good guy, a face that’s not afraid to get rough.
Thus far, Brody has produced anti-ICE t-shirts and has collaborated with Michael Kingston’s Headlocked Comics for an “Abolish ICE” variant cover (illustrated by Daniel Warren Johnson) for his Tales from the Road comic book to generate funds go directly to organizations that offer aid to families affected by the deportations.
Were this any other sport, Brody would get his spotlight moment and then we would all collectively move on. But this is wrestling, and now “Fuck ICE” is part of his wrestling persona. Wrestlers are like living documents with muscles, their narratives build or change as they jump in and out of feuds and story arcs. To watch them week in and week out is to witness the real-time development of legends (in the literal sense of the word). As such, Brody’s legend now includes a firm anti-establishment stance that’s rooted in the real world.
Again, chants are earned. That the audience acknowledged Brody’s work with the “Fuck ICE” chant means fans have decided it’s now part of his gimmick, both in the ring and out of it. This is how we relate to a lot of wrestlers. Stone Cold Steve Austin is inseparable from Austin 3:16 and opening a can of whoop-ass. The Rock will always be about what he’s cooking. Ric Flair? All about how his opponent isn’t the same level of Rolex-wearing and limousine-riding son of a gun that he is.
For Brody, it is now about telling the people that signed up for ICE to fuck off.
Politics have always been a part of wrestling, especially in the indies. The wrestlers that inhabit this scene don’t have a group of lawyers pouring over their every move in case a fiery promo or social media post puts future profits at risk.
Historically, wrestling’s been quite conservative, especially during the 1980s. Hulk Hogan was the personification of the American Dream in this era, a superhero that faced foreign opponents such as The Iron Sheik and put them down like a “real American.” Later on, John Cena would traffic in the same messages.
This brand of politics was standard in the process of hero-making in the 80s. Ronald Reagan was president and both his terms ran on a “Make America Great Again” sentiment that let people take shelter in the concept of traditional values and feel justified in doing so.
The WWE capitalized on this, considerably. It planted the company firmly in conservative land. It’s still very much a part of that landscape, especially in this second Trump administration. Linda McMahon is Secretary of Education and Triple H has seemingly been involved in Trump’s half-measure attempts at establishing new physical health guidelines for the countries.
AEW (Brody’s current home), on the other hand, has showcased a more laissez-faire approach with its roster. Wrestlers are allowed to express themselves, for the most part, in whatever way they want. The company’s culture sticks closer to the indie way of thinking rather than to the big corporate ideals the WWE adheres to. Brody took full advantage of this and brought his politics to the ring, with a rawness that puts it on a league of its own.
Brody King is an affront to the politics of Hulkamania. No blanket expressions of vanilla patriotism, no oversimplified expressions of national exceptionalism. Brody homed in on a particular problem and decided to face it head-on, with his gimmick at the forefront. In the process, he built on his legend, adding justice and basic human decency to it. None of it softens the heavy metal powerhouse persona he’s developed. Instead, he’s given people a way to fight the power through fandom. Nothing sells that better than a righteous chant that announces the imminent arrival of an ass-kicking.
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