>>16257244Fights have been worked for at least 2000 years, they worked Gladiator matches. Pugilism existed for a shitload of time, but modern boxing is heavily based on pro-wrestling promotion and characters, with Ali and Tyson being the standouts who based their personality on wrestlers, and Don King changed the manager dynamic by being like a wrestling manager. Wrestling works evolved from it being a shoot (amateur and shoot fighting) then becoming a work for an easier payday and to be able to book storylines, and was inspired by sumo, which Japanese worked to draw more money. Modern MMA was pioneered by Bruce Lee who had many worked fights to display different techniques and not get anyone injure before shooting movies, etc.
