Against the Ropes (2023) follows the journey of Angela, who becomes a professional wrestler for her daughter. The show effectively captures the magic of wrestling while leaving out some minor details.
Against the Ropes (2023), for the most part, portrays a Lucha Libre style of wrestling. It’s a term used in Latin America for professional wrestling.
It was introduced to Mexico in the 20th century, and since then, it has developed its own unique style that involves wrestlers wearing colorful masks and performing back-to-back rapid holds and maneuvers with high-flying action.
Against the Ropes (2023), despite being more of a mother-daughter drama and about sisterhood, uses the wrestling element to its best.
The creators have done immense research; from kicking off Bride in Black’s career from the ground up to the mentions of big leagues like WWE, the series shows how a wrestler grows.
While some of these aspects are depicted up to the mark, Against the Ropes (2023) does miss a few minor details that may give regular viewers a different idea about the professional wrestling world.
The wrestling storylines
Right from the beginning, the show’s main plot has those ingredients that could easily form an entertaining wrestling storyline.
Candy steals Angela’s daughter and becomes her role model, Angela returns one day, and the drama that ensues after that makes for a great storyline.
The promoter of the local wrestling show, where Angela and Candy first fought, wanted Angela to return so that their drama could continue.
These kinds of family dramas have always been relevant in the wrestling world, even today. In fact, the wrestling world has often gone on to portray some of the most bizarre storylines accompanied by unbelievable match stipulations.
A big mainstream company, such as WWE, has produced a match where two wrestlers fought for the custody of a child. The match involved the legendary Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio Jr.
Angela and Candy’s arguments in and out of the ring
To make the storyline more believable, there must be an immense amount of hate between the two wrestlers involved. The words given to them should come from their hearts.
The show portrays the rivalry between Angela and Candy well. Their back-and-forth arguments contribute to the main event that will take place between them.
Wrestling requires charisma and good mic skills in addition to a great body and athleticism. These mic skills have made wrestlers like The Rock, Chris Jericho, and Stone Cold Steve Austin what they are today.
Both Angela and Candy’s arguments speak a lot about the kind of person they are. These callouts and self-promotions are called ‘promos’ in the wrestling business.
The audience often switches on who they want to support throughout this rivalry after hearing what the wrestlers have to say.
On top of that, the show keeps these quarrels fresh. The viewers get to see them fight at school, inside the locker room, then brawl with each other, along with their respective stables, at a local event.
Angela’s rise as Bride in Black
Over the years, there have been a number of ways a wrestler has risen through the ranks to join the big leagues. WWE has its own performance centers, where they mold an athlete to become a professional wrestler that suits their product.
Despite all of that being relevant today, most wrestlers around the world rise by performing at independent events. The past decade saw the rise of independent wrestlers who made smaller promotions popular before making their way to the big leagues.
Lucha Libre wrestling is quite popular for holding local wrestling events. Angela’s Bride in Black’s rise is much similar to these independent wrestlers. She doesn’t get a chance to directly challenge Candy, who is a four-time Iztapalapa champion.
Bride in Black battles and answers several challenges. She even loses a match and her well-built momentum too.
To face Candy, Angela participates in a match that is much similar to Battle Royales and wins it so that she could head to the main event everyone is looking forward to.
The significance of stables in Lucha Libre wrestling
Tag team wrestling has been quite prevalent in Lucha Libre. Lucha Libre wrestlers come from extended wrestling families and form their own stables.
In Against the Ropes (2023), Angela also hails from a wrestling family. Her father, Anibal, also known as the Black Mist, and her mother, Victoria, also known as the Sovereign, both wrestled in their heyday.
Angela forms a stable of her own with her colleagues. They call themselves ‘the Bridesmaids of Horror’.
In Lucha Libre, tag team wrestling involving trios is quite popular, and the Bridesmaids of Horror itself is comprised of three wrestlers. The stable’s tag team includes Lucia as Alstroemeria, Josefina as the Sleeping Volcano, and Malena as Lilith.
Bride in Black and Candy’s main event match
The main event match between Bride in Black and Candy is where Against the Ropes (2023) mixes things up a bit. The match is quite impressive and entertaining. Both competitors give their all to each other.
The match lives up to its hype. It’s fast, athletic, and all about storytelling. The only takeaway is that it isn’t a Lucha Libre match. It comes out more as a mix of Lucha Libre and the American style of professional wrestling.
To be more precise, the match replicates the style of mainstream wrestling relevant in the late 2010s and 2020s. The kind of matches wrestlers like the Young Bucks, Seth Rollins, and AJ Styles put on nowadays.
Both Bride in Black and Candy perform various holds, maneuvers, spots, and moves such as the 619, popularized by Rey Mysterio Jr., who makes a cameo in the show.
The lack of portrayal of off-screen relationships
The results of wrestling matches are predetermined. Against the Ropes (2023) ditches the portrayal of the off-screen relationships the wrestlers share with each other.
Even if they hate each other, they have to follow the rules given to them. They have to perform the spots, keep the opponent safe, and adhere to the fixed outcome.
Against the Ropes (2023) opts to portray professional wrestling as real combat, where the wrestlers are trying to intentionally hurt each other and grab the win.
The significance of Bride in Black’s loss
Candy wins the main event match against Bride in Black in Against the Ropes (2023). She gets the pass to WWE, while Angela is forced to reveal her face to her daughter, Rocio.
The match’s stipulation involved the loser removing his mask. The masks for a luchador have significance. There is a sense of respect, and Lucha Libre often contests matches where the loser must permanently remove their mask.
Rocio accepts her mother and chants the name of Bride in Black, along with the audience. In a way, Angela accomplishes her motive to win her daughter’s respect back, though she loses the match.
The loss also holds another significance. Candy might be the one heading to WWE, but Angela has still put on a show to remember. Wrestling storylines often involve the wrestlers on the good side losing in their first efforts.
These losses often lead the fans to support them through their loss. The second rise then sees the particular wrestler becoming a big household name.
The chanting of Bride in Black’s name at the end suggests that, if there is a second season happening, Bride in Black may not stop right there; she would continue to rise through the ranks.
The mention of WWE also signifies that creators may have plans to continue Candy and Bride in Black’s rivalry, which will soon have them going up against each other at Wrestlemania, the Super Bowl of wrestling.
Also Read: Against the Ropes (2023) review: A perfect balance of comedy and wrestling