The Wrestler has just been power-bombed on his head. He most likely has a concussion, but has luckily avoided paralysis or life-threatening injury. But the concussion sparks a crisis: is it worth it to continue wrestling? He goes back through his wrestling career, beginning when his friend Jimmy Double T got him to start a wrestling federation in Jimmy’s backyard—just for fun—using old mattresses and hiding it from Jimmy’s mother. He remembers creating his character, their first matches, the arrival of fans and new wrestlers—and he begins to see where it all began to spiral out of control, with the fans demanding crazier, more violent matches and him liking the attention. Not only does he like that attention, but he can feel himself getting hooked on it. He’s at the height of his popularity, but is he still wrestling for the right reasons?
