It's wrong to say that professional wrestling is fake. Pro wrestling is scripted. It's theater with body slams. It's cocky standup rants interrupted with punches. It's Cirque du Soleil with actually coherent narratives. Wrestling fans (largely) aren't all rubes being fooled, they're just gleefully buying into the predetermined reality. And these days fans that want the absolute best pro wrestling has to offer turn to NXT.

Think of NXT like World Wrestling Entertainment’s minor league system. Before wrestlers get a shot at performing on Monday Night Raw or WrestleMania, they hone their skills in NXT, which airs every Wednesday night on the online subscription-based WWE Network. Here’s the thing: NXT has somehow become way better than the main roster WWE product.

On Thursday, May 12, NXT makes its first ever trip to Seattle for NXT Live at the Paramount Theatre. The event features stars Samoa Joe, Finn Balor, Asuka, Bayley, and Shinsuke Nakamura. Before any blows get thrown, let us explain a few of the reasons why NXT currently rules the pro wrestling landscape, and why you'd be foolish to miss NXT Live.

In-Ring Action

NXT focuses on great wrestling matches. That's why it's the best. That may seem like an insulting oversimplification, but it makes a lot of sense when compared to the main WWE roster. Instead of spending a ton of time cutting promos to build convoluted storylines for TV, NXT tells the majority its stories in the ring. Much of the talent on the roster comes from independent wrestling organizations, where technical skill is valued over Herculean body types and the ability to talk tough on a microphone. Add in the various styles of the performers—from tag team American Alpha's legitimate amateur wrestling grappling to Samoa Joe's overpowering strength a quickness combo—and almost every match in NXT delivers an action-packed spectacle.

The Women Are Legit

For the longest time, the WWE treated women as insignificant objects trotted out in skimpy outfits to add a little sex appeal and ease any discomfort for the dudes uncomfortable with the realization that they were watching buff men engage in sweaty hug dances. There was a Women's Championship, but only lasted a few minutes and were considered "popcorn matches"—the time when fans in the audience could take a break to grab snacks or head to the restroom. They weren't even called women's wrestlers—the WWE referred to them as "divas." NXT changed all that.

In NXT the female competitors are actually able to show off their in-ring skills and wrestle real matches. The outfits may still show a little too much skin, but the women are given time to tell stories in their matches, and the NXT fans don't treat them like second class citizens. The women's movement in NXT reached its tipping point at last year's NXT Takeover: Brooklyn event, where Sasha Banks and Bayley competed in a match that was so superb that almost every mark fan considers it the best match of 2015. Not just in NXT—in all of WWE. And not just among women—among women and men. It was that great. And then the pair followed it up with a rematch that headlined the next major NXT event and it somehow lived up to the prior match's hype.

Bayley has since dropped the title to Japanese dynamo Asuka, and both are scheduled to appear at NXT Live Seattle. In an industry long ruled by ugly sexism and in a culture where women's athletic feats are often looked down on, NXT lets the ladies shine.

Anything Can Happen

Typically, nothing that interesting happens in house shows (the wrestling term for non-televised wrestling events). Why give away a significant moment to a small audience? NXT Live recently changed that. At an April 21 house show in Lowell, Mass., Samoa Joe became NXT Champion by defeating the long-reigning title holder Finn Bálor. The shocking result quickly spread across social media, and implanted the idea that—even at a house show—anything can happen in NXT.

Now thinking rationally, there's no reason for something like that to happen again anytime soon. The idea is out there in the minds of NXT fans, and it will stick there for years. Every house show match that seems too obvious now gets tied to the thought, "But remember when Samoa Joe..." It's a brilliant move to keep fans engaged.

Both Samoa Joe and Finn Bálor will be at the Paramount, but don't expect another title change. Then again...

The Crowds Are Insane

Seattle has developed somewhat of a reputation in WWE circles for fan chanting at live events. In December 2013, the crowd at KeyArena essentially hijacked a live episode of Monday Night Raw by chanting the name of hometown hero Daniel Bryan. The moment has been credited in starting a fan movement that actually forced the company to eventually make him champion at WrestleMania. NXT crowds are almost that insane on nightly basis.

There's a communal sense of babyface celebration and heel heat, as NXT fans have chants for every significant wrestler on the roster. From the generic cries of "N-X-T" and "This is awesome [clap clap clapclapclap]" to the gleefully repeated prematch warnings like "Asuka's gonna kill you," the nights are nonstop chant fests. The fans have even been known to sing songs with the wrestlers names in them (see the horribly shot, but audibly delightful video below). If you want to make the most of your NXT Live experience, prepare for a hoarse throat in the morning.

Strong Style

The newest NXT star isn't that new for worldly wrestling fans. Shinsuke Nakamura spent over a decade as one of the top names in New Japan Pro Wrestling, before debuting on NXT in April. This dude absolutely oozes charisma. He sports a playful in-ring confidence draws style influences from Michael Jackson (no, really), but when he gets down to the fight, things turn beautifully brutal. Nakamura wrestles strong style, a Japanese method that emphasizes the combat of wrestling with martial arts striking and technical precision. It contrasts starkly with the grappling and high flying WWE styles that American audiences are used to watching, and makes every Nakamura match a must-see. He's the odds on favorite to be the highlight of NXT Live Seattle.

Wait... It's At the Paramount?

This is the wild card of the night. How exactly do you put pro wrestling into the Paramount? The traditional wrestling layout features a ring in the center of a large space, surrounded on all sides by seats. The Paramount doesn't allow for that. When contacted via email, NXT officials said the plan is to place the ring on the Paramount stage. This unique staging should make Seattle's edition of NXT Live a truly one-of-a-kind visual experience.

NXT Live
May 12 at 7:30, Paramount Theatre, $20–$75