PICTORIAL STORY
April 20, 2025
BEYOND THE MASK
Wrestling vs Depression
Photography and story by Matteo Bergami with Red Scorpion
Introduction by Melanie Meggs
He enters the ring. The crowd rises. A mask. A name. Red Scorpion. Applause like thunder. And beneath it all — a silence no one hears.
This is not just a story of sport.
It is not about victory.
Not about belts, titles, or bruises won in the spotlight.
This is a story of what happens after the lights go out.
When the mask is peeled away.
When the body, sculpted and celebrated, begins to ache in quieter ways.
In his project Wrestling vs Depression’, Italian photographer Matteo Bergami peels back the theatrics of professional wrestling to reveal a far more complex and urgent narrative. Through intimate images and documentary storytelling, Matteo invites us into the personal life of Red Scorpion — not as a spectacle, but as a man whose greatest opponent is not in the ring, but in his own mind. The project goes beyond sports photography; it is a human narrative about stigma, vulnerability, and the power of showing up — for oneself and for others.
Matteo, whose work often focuses on the overlooked narratives within contemporary society, approaches this subject with the same clarity and respect that defines his best-known projects. From ‘Pamela: Storia di Lotta Dentro e Fuori il Ring’, which follows the double life of a nurse and boxing champion, to his sociological lens on ultras subculture in ‘Faith – Identity of an Ultras Group’, his photography consistently centers stories of identity, struggle, and quiet resilience. In this latest series, he shifts his focus to the high-stakes world of professional wrestling, only to reveal the internal stakes that remain largely hidden.
In a world where athletes are celebrated for their endurance and punished for their humanity, Matteo offers a necessary counter-narrative. It asks us to reconsider what it means to be a hero. It reminds us that resilience isn’t always visible, and that the fight for mental health is as real — and as noble — as any championship belt.
Matteo doesn’t dramatize this admission. Instead, he captures the moments in between. The glaze of eyes in thought. The posture between matches. The solitude between stages. These images are not of defeat, but of the emotional endurance of feeling.
In Matteo Bergami’s hands, the camera does not intrude — it listens. Through the story of Red Scorpion, he extends an invitation:
To look again.
To look deeper.
To acknowledge that behind every performance, there is a person, and that the bravest thing that person can do, is to take off the mask.
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Behind the mask and sculpted muscles of Fabio Giarratano, known to the world as Red Scorpion, lies a warrior soul that has fought far beyond the ring. Born in Palermo in 1990, Fabio built his legacy through sacrifice, discipline, and passion, becoming a seven-time Italian champion, a three-time European champion, and reaching the pinnacle of his career with the world championship title in 2023. But his greatest story is not measured in trophies — it is a silent, invisible battle against depression that has made him a true symbol of resilience.
Since ancient times, the line between strength and vulnerability has been thin. Greek heroes, fearless in battle, carried inner torment and fear, proving that even the strongest have the right to fall and rise again. Red Scorpion embodies this truth without filters. Before every match, Fabio shares videos and testimonies from famous figures, such as singer-songwriter Mario Biondi, to raise awareness about the importance of mental health. With courage, he challenges the stigma surrounding mood disorders, showing that speaking about one’s struggles is not a sign of weakness but of true strength.
The life of an elite athlete is a constant swing between glory and sacrifice. Behind the spotlight lie immense pressures, isolation, and injuries that affect not only the body but also the mind. In wrestling, the blows taken in the ring are not just for show — concussions can have devastating long term effects, leading to memory problems, difficulty concentrating, mood swings, and, in extreme cases, an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases. It is an invisible fight, yet one that takes a daily toll.
Fabio is not alone in this battle. World-renowned champions like Michael Phelps, Simone Biles, Chris Rock, and David Beckham have shared the weight of their anxiety and depression. Their testimonies shine a light on a truth often ignored: mental health is just as crucial as physical health. Over 300 million people worldwide live with mood disorders — a silent epidemic that makes no distinctions between athletes, artists, or ordinary people.
Red Scorpion’s story is a tribute to the courage of showing oneself as they truly are, beyond the armor of fame and physical strength. The greatest victory is not won in the ring but against one’s own shadows. Only by embracing this reality can we build a more humane sport, where psychological and physical well-being matter more than any trophy.
Wrestling is not just a sport — it is an art form where deep emotions are channeled. Behind every hold, every acrobatics, every takedown, there is a powerful energy that turns pain into spectacle and struggle into rebirth. Red Scorpion is living proof of this: a warrior fighting not only against opponents but for a greater cause. And in this battle, his greatest strength is his humanity.
Red Scorpion’s journey, as seen through the empathetic lens of Matteo Bergami, is more than a portrait of an athlete — it is a powerful reminder that vulnerability and strength are not opposites, but partners in the human experience. By stepping beyond the scripted world of professional wrestling and into the raw terrain of mental health, Matteo and Fabio challenge long-held myths about masculinity, endurance, and heroism.
In a time when the conversation around mental wellbeing is more urgent than ever, ‘Wrestling vs Depression’ stands as a timely and necessary documentary. It invites reflection not just on the struggles of a single man, but on the silent battles fought by many. In telling Red Scorpion’s story with honesty and care, Matteo elevates documentary photography to its highest purpose — bearing witness, breaking silence, and reminding us all, that the most courageous act is often removing the mask.
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author/s, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team.
