We saw this in Perth, Australia at Elimination Chamber. We saw this in Puerto Rico at last year’s Backlash. On Friday, the French crowd had absolutely insane energy, and it made what would have been another edition of “WWE SmackDown” so enjoyable.

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The energy in Lyon was exhilirating from the beginning moments of the night and didn’t taper off for the entirety of the two-hour broadcast. We saw France lose their mind over WWE Women’s Champion Bayley (correctly so), sing the lyrics to Randy Orton’s iconic theme song, and even chant Paul Heyman’s unmistakable introduction alongside “The Wise Man.” We even got “we want Roman” chants, in 2024! The Lyon audience left nothing unsaid, no match without a supportive crowd behind it, and no superstar unacknowledged by the finest folks France had to offer. The entire show was taken from a B-rating to an A-rating, because the energy of the crowd was just that infectious. The experience, even while watching from a computer an ocean away from the LDLC arena, was elevated as a result.

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To see a crowd so fully invested in a show, because they genuinely love professional wrestling and love the product WWE is putting out, is a humbling experience. Throughout the entire show, one is made very aware that an international show like this doesn’t happen often. The crowd is electric in their excitement because they are experiencing something us North American fans take for granted — seeing a live show for something they love. Sometimes in the United States, where we have several opportunities a year to go watch our favorite mainstream promotions in-person, we tend to take the magic of seeing a wrestling event live for granted. We get bogged down by the poor booking decisions, the controversies, and the tribalism — so much so that we forget why we even bother turning on the television or the computer every Monday, Friday, Wednesday, or Saturday night. This is not saying that we shouldn’t be conscious consumers. When our “why” becomes less about enjoying a performance and more about finding things to critique and argue about, though, there’s something to look at. Both realities can exist.

Friday’s Lyon crowd sparked a love for wrestling that may have laid dormant in a lot of jaded viewers for a long time. Seeing WWE’s international fanbase just immerse themselves in a rare opportunity to enjoy the product should serve to remind our American-based audiences just what a privilege it is to experience a wrestling show live. It is an experience that brings us together. We are all here because we love this, and international fans remind us of that love, no matter how unhinged it may be.

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We appreciate you, Lyon, Perth, Puerto Rico, and assorted international audiences! Us over in North America — we should take this as a sign to be more appreciative of the craft we have access to every week. Let’s all love wrestling together.

Written by Angeline Phu