List of professional wrestling terms
Encyclopedia
Professional wrestling
has accrued a considerable amount of slang
, in-references, and jargon
. Much of it stems from the industry's origins in the days of carnival
s and circuses, and the slang itself is often referred to as "carny
talk." In the past, wrestlers used this lingo in the presence of fans so as not to reveal the worked nature of the business. In recent years, widespread wrestling discussion on the Internet
popularized the terms. Many of the terms refer to the money-making aspect of the sport rather than the athletics themselves.
: a group of a wrestling promotion's top stars who compete at a given event. (Compare "B-Team")
: to discontinue a feud, angle, or "gimmick" suddenly, usually without explanation or due to a lack of fan interest. This is an older term, not generally used today because of its objectionable basis. The term is also used by various reviewers to discredit particularly bad angles or shows.
: management employee, often a former veteran wrestler, who helps wrestlers set up matches, plans storylines, and relays instructions from the bookers. Often acts as a liaison between wrestlers and higher-level management. Referred to as "producers" by WWE. Sometimes they help train and teach younger active wrestlers and give criticism.
: the personality type used by wrestlers. For example, if they are a babyface
, they are said to be "face-aligned". See also heel
and tweener.
: a fictional storyline. An angle usually begins when one wrestler attacks another (physically or verbally), which results in revenge. An angle may be as small as a single match or a vendetta that lasts for years. It is not uncommon to see an angle become retconned due to it not getting "over" with the fans, or if one of the wrestlers currently involved in the angle is released from his contract.
: an old-style professional wrestling magazine that sticks to kayfabe
and usually consists of made-up articles and interviews. The term refers to the magazines at one time connected to journalist Bill Apter
, such as Pro Wrestling Illustrated
.
: refers to a time period from King of the Ring 1996 to WrestleMania 17 when the World Wrestling Federation product shifted from being family-oriented entertainment to being "edgier," more crude
, and dealing with more "adult" situations (frequently sexual in nature).
: group of wrestlers on a B-Show. Frequently, the B-Team will compete at a different venue the same night wrestlers on the A-Team are competing in a different event, although a promotion will sometimes schedule an event with B-Team wrestlers to test a new market.
: a good guy. (Referred to as a Blue-Eye in British Wrestling.) See also heel
and tweener.
: the act of staging pro-style wrestling (not to be confused with sport wrestling or amateur wrestling) as a hobby rather than a job, usually (but not always) by untrained wrestlers, predominantly teenagers.
: when a wrestler or other performer is the recipient of a beating, usually by a group of wrestlers.
: the act of cutting oneself or another person open in order to bleed, usually done on the forehead (also called "juicing"). The blade is usually concealed in tape on the hands or somewhere it can be used without being obvious.
: a tag made in a tag team match where the wrestler on the apron tags his partner unbeknownst to him or without his consent. It can also refer to such a tag where the tagger's opponent is unaware a tag has occurred, leaving him open to a blindside attack. Most often occurs when the partner in the ring is thrown against the ropes or backed into his own corner.
: the final match in a feud. While the involved wrestlers often move onto new feuds, sometimes it is the final match in the promotion for one or more of the wrestlers.
: to become cardiovascularly exhausted during a match.
: see Babyface
: a term that refers to the predetermined nature of wrestling and the logistics of executing same. The person in charge of setting up matches and writing angles is "the booker." It is the wrestling equivalent of a screenwriter
. A booker can also be described as someone who recruits and/or hires talent to work in a particular promotion. The United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
defined a booker in 1956 as "...any person who, for a fee or commission, arranges with a promoter or promoters for the performance of wrestlers in professional wrestling exhibitions." Booking is also the term a wrestler uses to describe a scheduled match or appearance on a wrestling show.
: a scripted move that failed.
: when a wrestler hits the mat or ground. A flat back bump is a bump in which a wrestler lands solidly on his back with high impact, spread over as much surface as possible. A phantom bump occurs when a wrestler or referee takes a bump even though the move they are selling was visibly botched
or otherwise not present. Phantom bumps are most commonly performed when the offensive wrestler is new.
: A time limit draw.
: refers to the worked lowering (relegation) of a popular wrestler's status in the eyes of the fans. It is the act of a promoter or booker causing a wrestler to lose popularity by forcing him to lose in squash matches, continuously
, and/or participate in unentertaining or degrading storylines. It can be a form of punishment for real-life backstage disagreements or feuds
between the wrestler and the booker, the wrestler falling out of favor with the company, or the wrestler receiving an unpopular gimmick that causes him to lose credibility regardless of win-loss record. It is also a result of a company seeing a wrestler as having no potential or charisma
. The term can also be applied to a wrestling company that jumps the shark
, rapidly loses ratings, fans, and finally becomes bankrupt. According to many critics, the most infamous burial of a company was The Fingerpoke of Doom
, a pivotal incident in the Monday Night Wars
that took place on January 4, 1999 on WCW Monday Nitro
at the Georgia Dome
. (Compare "push")
: the term used to describe professional wrestling instead of referring to it as a profession or sport.
: when one wrestler instructs the other of what is going to happen in the match.
: when cheers or boos are pumped into an arena via the sound system or added to a television show in post-production.
: the lineup of the matches that will be staged at a given venue for a given performance. The card is generally performed in a roughly inverse order to the way in which it might be printed for posters or other promotional materials. The major matches between well-known opponents may be for "titles" and are said to be "top of the card" or "headliners" while the preliminary matches between lesser-known opponents are said to be the "undercard." In Lucha libre
, cards are generally five matches although big events might have more and smaller promotions might not run the full five match card. The first match is called the Primera Lucha, the second is called the Segunda Lucha, the third is usually the Combate Especial or the Lucha Especial, the fourth or second to last match is called the Lucha Semifinal, and the main event is called the Lucha Estelar or Lucha Estrella.
: A language used by wrestlers to talk to each other around people not associated with the business so they would not understand what they were saying, often used to keep the secrets of the business. (see kayfabe
)
: A phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Example: "because Im the Miz and im Awesome"
: in kayfabe
, a recognition of a wrestler being the best in his or her promotion or division in the form of a championship belt (also "title" or "strap"). Outside of kayfabe, championships are won/held by a wrestler whom the bookers believe will generate fan interest in terms of event attendance and television viewership.
: when a wrestler (often a heel) incites a negative crowd reaction by insulting the crowd (by insulting the city or a local sports team, like wearing a Yankees
jersey in Boston
) or by using a news event as part of his promo. A famous team to use this technique is Edge and Christian
.
: when a wrestler (often a babyface) incites a positive crowd reaction by "kissing up" to the crowd (for example, mentioning the name of the city or complimenting a local sports team). Heels
often follow the same principle but in reverse: insulting the city or bringing up something it is infamous for (such as an under-performing sports team) to get booed.
: when a wrestler uses a low blow or a foreign object to get an advantage over his opponent.
: to draw blood. Especially in UK Professional Wrestling. A promoter might say "I want some claret in this match".
: when a match ends without cheating or outside interference, usually in the center of the ring. (Compare "screwjob")
: originally coined by Dusty Rhodes
, it is the act of two or more people beating on another with at least four fists simultaneously.
: a current titleholder (usually a heel
) who ducks top-flight competition, cheats to win (often by managerial interference), and—when forced to wrestle good opponents—deliberately causes himself to be disqualified (since titles often do not change hands by disqualification) to retain his title.
: a term used by wrestlers and promoters to discuss the amount of bloodshed in a match.
: a member of the announcing team who assists the play-by-play
announcer by filling in any time when play is not in progress, providing humor, and explaining storylines.
: where a superstar has been bleeding so that their face is covered in blood, comparable to a mask.
: an event which occurs when two or more rival promotions put together one card or wrestling event. Some promoters have used cross-promotion style angles to further interest. Cross promotion dates back to the early days of wrestling as challenges between rival promoters in the same area often occurred.
: the incident at Madison Square Garden in the spring of 1996, when WWF superstars Shawn Michaels
, Diesel
, Razor Ramon
, and Triple H
broke kayfabe
in front of a live sold out New York crowd, playing it out in a farewell to the crowd and a group hug.
: To go limp in the middle of a move. This could be done intentionally, either to make an opponent look weak or just "rib" him, or unintentionally because the "dead weight" wrestler is unfamiliar with the cooperation needed to pull off a particular wrestling hold (or just not paying attention) or as a result of injury. Intentionally deadweighting is considered very unprofessional and can lead to injury to either party involved. See (Sandbag)
: an insider newsletter (or website) in the professional wrestling business.
: aside from the usual colloquial meaning of a hard to work with individual, this term is used, mainly by WWE, to refer to any woman involved in wrestling, either as "eye candy" or as a wrestler (or frequently both).
: the rare occurrence when both the babyface and the heel switch roles during an angle or a match. An example of this is the Bret Hart
/Steve Austin
match at WrestleMania 13
and the Powers of Pain
/Demolition
at Survivor Series 1988
.
: a wrestler who is able to attract the attention of the audience; someone fans are willing to pay to see.
: when a wrestler is booked to lose to a contender (the loser agreed to drop the match to the winner).
: typically a finish in which the face appears to win a big match, but the decision is later reversed due to interference by other heels to save the heel champion, as, in most federations, the title could not change hands on such a disqualification. Can also refer to an ambiguous finish to a match where neither wrestler can be claimed the winner. The "Dusty" in the term refers to Dusty Rhodes
, who booked many such finishes in NWA
and later in WCW
. The first, and most infamous, case of this was Starrcade (1985)
when Rhodes faced Ric Flair
for the NWA World title after a long layoff by Rhodes due to injury by Flair and his henchmen. Rhodes would win the match, by pinfall, as a second referee came in for the count, but original referee Tommy Young
would later reverse the decision (disqualifying Flair for interference by Ole and Arn Anderson while Young was knocked outside the ring), with the fans only finding out on the next week's television programming. The Dusty Finish is often seen as quite deceptive to the fans, and is not usually well-received.
, whose nickname was "The Enforcer". Another definition is an individual (usually a celebrity) who acts in a "special guest referee" capacity from outside the ring, usually favoring one wrestler over another (such as Chuck Norris
at Survivor Series 1994
or Mike Tyson
at WrestleMania XIV
).
: a style of wrestling based heavily on highspots, no limits, and no boundaries. Matches that are more fast-paced and over the top with high impact style are seen in Japan and Mexico. Sometimes confused with hardcore wrestling
due to the fact that the rules are more relaxed allowing the use of chairs and tables, but it involves much more wrestling abilities than hardcore wrestling.
: usually, the ending of the match. A fall is obtained by gaining a decision in any manner, normally consisting of a pinfall, submission, count-out, or disqualification. In a two out of three falls match, a wrestler must gain two decisions to win instead of only one. (See near-fall)
: when a babyface mounts a brief offensive flurry before losing it to a heel wrestler after being dominated for several minutes. Usually, it occurs before the actual comeback. Hulk Hogan tended to use this to "sell" an improbable comeback.
: a match ending pinfall which is kicked out of, usually after a finishing move or series of high impact moves. This builds crowd anticipation towards the actual finish.
: a battle between two or more wrestlers or stables, often involving matches, promos, and angles. A feud usually lasts for several months.
: the planned end of a match. (See "Dusty Finish" and "Clean finish")
: a wrestler's signature move that leads to a finish. Some Finishers Include Randy Orton
's RKO, Eddie Guerrero
's Frog Splash, John Cena
's Attitude Adjustment, or Diamond Dallas Page's "Diamond Cutter" This can be a unique move entirely(like Razor Ramone's Inverted Crucifix) or a known standard move with a new name.
: a particular combination of moves that a wrestler uses in every match, often in the same sequence, and usually leading to the finish. Often associated with Bret Hart
(debated) , Hulk Hogan
or, more recently John Cena
.
: a move, popularized by Ric Flair
, where a wrestler is flipped upside down upon hitting the corner turnbuckle and often ends up on the other side of the ropes on his feet on the ring apron.
: also a Ric Flair
specialty, it involves falling flat on one's face as a delayed sell of an opponent's offense.
: an object that is illegal to the match, such as a chair, brass knuckles, or garbage can. WCW
announcers called these implements "International Objects" for a time in the 1980s when WCW owner Ted Turner
banned use of the word "foreign" throughout his media empire.
: an unofficial rule which allows any two members of a stable with three or more members to defend a tag team championship. Named for The Fabulous Freebirds, who did this in Georgia Championship Wrestling
.
: a term used to a wrestler fired or released from a wrestling promotion. Widely used by WWE in its website using the phrase "We wish the best of luck in his/her future endeavors."
: 1. Steroids (see also juice and roids) or 2. Stamina (as in "out of gas", when a wrestler is tired and unable to wrestle properly) Similarly, "tank" can be used to describe one's ability to wrestle for long periods of time (e.g. at the 2005 Royal Rumble
, Jim Ross
noticed that Chris Benoit
was still in the ring after the 30th man had entered, despite him being #2, and remarked "Benoit's got an extra tank other guys don't have.")
: the blade a wrestler uses to cut himself.
: a wrestler's personality and/or other distinguishing traits while wrestling. It can also be an implement used to cheat. Some gimmicks, like CM Punk
's being straight edge
, are based on real life.
: the championship belt.
: to beat someone.
: refers to a wrestler (often called a green horn) who is in the early stages of their career and, as a result, may be prone to make mistakes because of their inexperience.
: a deep cut that bleeds a lot, usually caused by a mistake while blading but can be intentional.
: blood produced by means other than blading.
: wrestlers use nothing but weaponry or highly planned out spots to attack each other; the term also refers to outrageous gimmick matches that have no obvious elements of traditional in-ring competition.
: see Paying dues.
: a wrestler getting a negative crowd reaction. (See "cheap heat" and "canned heat") Can also refer to a wrestler having negative relations with the other wrestlers or the bookers/administration of a promotion -- as in "He has heat with the locker room for last week's incident."
: a move which, as a result of a botch
, causes the receiver to be dropped on their head, often resulting in a legit concussion or other injury such as a broken neck. Also, especially in puroresu, the term can refer to a bump which is intended to make a move appear as if the receiver landed on his/her head. In reality, the full force of the move is intended to be taken on the upper back and shoulders, though such moves still carry a high degree of legitimate risk with them.
: a bad guy or the wrestler who the crowds are intended to boo. See also babyface
and tweener.
: a top-rope move, or a series of maneuvers perceived as dangerous.
: a wrestler with strong legitimate mat-wrestling abilities and an array of match-ending (or in extreme cases, career ending) holds known as "hooks," hence the name. In the early 20th century, one who has worked for carnivals taking on "all comers." Since these types of events are on the decline, this word is falling out of common usage. A hooker is the opposite of a pure wrestler.
: when a promoter or booker rushes to a feud, a climax of a feud, or books a big match on television
instead of at a pay-per-view
in order to get a short-term boost for business. Also applies to angles or turns that are done for shock value rather than acting as a part of an ongoing storyline.
: in a tag team match, when a babyface
wrestler tags in a fresh partner after several minutes of being dominated by his opponents, usually immediately followed by the freshly-tagged-in babyface getting in a quick burst of offense. Often the hot tag happens after several teases (where the other face is enticed into the ring, only to be stopped by the referee and the heels getting away with illegal tactics).
: a non-televised show. (Compare "dark match")
: Refers to someone who is not part of the match getting involved; this may involve distracting or assaulting one or more of the participants in the match.
: Refers to wrestling storylines in which a group of wrestlers, normally wrestlers who had recently appeared in one promotion, then appear in another promotion. In some cases, this happens suddenly without advance warning or notice, and usually involves the invaders attempting to take the promotion over. The concept originated in Japan, following the demise of the IWE
in 1981. Due to the lack of competition brought on by the territorial system used in the United States at the time, the idea would remain unknown there through the 1980s. A prototype invasion angle did occur in Memphis in late 1983 involving Randy Savage
and Lanny Poffo
, late of their father's "outlaw" ICW
promotion. The best known examples of invasion storylines are The Outsiders, which evolved into the nWo
, during the 1990s, and The Invasion, which occurred in 2001, when WCW and ECW went out of business.
: Internet wrestling community, the community in webboards or forums that discussing about pro wrestling.
: a scheduled loss.
: a wrestler whose primary function is losing to better-known wrestlers.
: a mid-level wrestler who jobs for top talent but can defeat pure jobbers.
: steroids. (See gas and roids). It can also mean blood, usually from the forehead.
: To switch to a different promotion or to move over to a different brand.
pronunciation of the word "fake" ("akefay").
: when a wrestler rises to their feet in a theatrical way, used commonly by Shawn Michaels
and The Rock, and can lead to a superhuman comeback.
: when a competitor is knocked out by their opponent, usually by a large blow to the head or by exhaustion. This can be by accident or intentionally. This is usually a term used in "Last Man Standing" matches after a 10 count is issued to a downed competitor. In kayfabe, however, a wrestler can be announced as having been "won by knockout". This is rarely utilized in American wrestling. Matches under the round-based system used in the United Kingdom and continental Europe can be won by knockout in addition to fall(s) and/or submission(s). In Japan, Hulk Hogan
won a controversial victory over Antonio Inoki
in 1983 by knockout, long debated as a possible shoot
by Hogan. Knockout is also a term used as a brand name for the female wrestlers
of TNA
.
skill and ability, as opposed to his gimmick, to gain notoriety and popularity with fans. The term is also often extended to mean a wrestler with a legitimate background as an actual street fighter or brawler (the individual may be a former professional boxer, a stuntman, martial artist, or have crossed over from some other professional or amateur sport), who brings legitimate fighting skills to the apparent, but often tightly controlled, "chaos" of the pro wrestling arena. The term can also be attributed to an incident where a legitimate injury occurs during a professional wrestling match. Often used as a synonym for shoot
.
: a real-life conflict between wrestlers.
: Little kids who watch wrestling. First used in WWE by R-Truth, who compared John Cena
's fans to the American
comic character, Little Jimmy
.
: a grapple at the beginning of a match.
: A hit to the opponent's groin.
: An unskilled or inexperienced wrestler who typically fights at the beginning of a show.
: translates to "Free Fighting". It is used to describe the Mexican style of wrestling that consists of high-flying acrobatic moves. A Mexican wrestler is a luchador.
: With the importance placed on masks in lucha libre
, losing the mask to an opponent is seen as the ultimate insult, and can at times seriously hurt the career of the unmasking wrestler. Putting one's mask on the line against a hated opponent is a tradition in lucha libre as a means to settle a heated feud
between two or more wrestlers. In these battles, called luchas de apuestas ("matches with wagers"), the wrestlers usually "wager" either their mask or their hair, though there are wagers involving other items as well. While the culture of Luchas de Apuestas is unique to Mexico, matches of this sort do occur elsewhere. A famous example in the United States took place during the 1977 promotional war in Memphis. Bill Dundee
and Jerry Lawler
engaged in a feud which lasted for several months. The blow off match, a hair versus hair match in which Dundee lost his hair, in fact did not end the feud. The following week, Lawler put up his hair against the hair of Dundee's wife Beverly and was once again victorious.
: A (most often) wrestler who stands close to the ring, usually in a lumberjack match, in which he or she (and others similarly called upon) are to forcibly return to the ring any competitor who attempts to leave or is expelled therefrom. Usually, in the case of a heel, he or she is actually helping one or more (rarely all of them) wrestlers.
: a performer assigned to accompany a wrestler to the ring and, usually, put them over in interviews. They are often used to help a heel
cheat and incite the crowd.
: insider term used to describe fans within the professional wrestling business. Any person in the wrestling business who doesn't know how to separate their "gimmick" and "real life" is also a mark.
: the act of reacting to an event in wresting as if it was legit even though the person reacting to it knows it to be staged.
: When many modern tag teams split up, there is usually someone called the "Shawn Michaels
" for being recognized as the star or ending up with a more successsful singles run, while the other half of the team usually falls into obscurity; this is called the "Marty Jannetty
" or simply "the Jannetty" of the tag team, which is usually used as an insult to the latter.
: a wrestler who wrestles in the middle of programs, is seen as being high in seniority but less than a money draw, usually competing for the secondary title of a federation.
: a move in which the timing is off. Sometimes called mis-selling.
: a non-title match which was the most heavily promoted of the card that is placed near or at the end of a live event, which is the main reason fans attended the event or watched the event.
: a villain who is portrayed as unstoppable, usually to set up a feud with a promotion's lead babyface
. Particularly applies to heels who are physically monstrous, grotesque, or just plain scary. For example, The Great Khali made his debut in 2006 by easily overcoming The Undertaker.
: an incident at Survivor Series
in 1997 where referee Earl Hebner
claimed that Bret Hart
submitted to Shawn Michaels
and Vince McMahon
ordered the bell to be rung in order to take the WWF Championship title
from Hart who was exiting the World Wrestling Federation for World Championship Wrestling
.
: a manager who does the promos, or all the talking, for a wrestler possessing little or no mic skills.
: An informal measure among some fans, mostly smarks, of the amount of blood lost by a wrestler during a match. Ranges begin at 0.0 Muta, with 1.0 Muta being equivalent to the blood loss of The Great Muta
during an infamous 1992 New Japan Pro Wrestling
match with Hiroshi Hase.
), or because of interference. It may also come about due to an actual emergency, such as a fire where the venue must be evacuated. Derived from boxing terminology.
: occurs when a wrestler's shoulders are pinned to the mat for a count of two, but the wrestler manages to escape before the referee's hand hits the mat a third time, which would signify a pinfall. The term is used more often the "closer" the referee's hand gets to hitting the mat for the third time.
: giving no reaction to another wrestler's offense or moves, as a way to demonstrate a wrestler's unbelievable endurance (like Hulk Hogan
), make the wrestler appear "invulnerable" to pain (like The Undertaker), or to legitimately defy an opponent, such as Road Warrior Hawk
popping up from every piledriver.
: when a wrestler doesn't show up for a match. No-shows are usually staged, often for the purposes of a storyline. Legit no-shows are less frequent, since the wrestler (or other employee) typically faces disciplinary action after such an act.
.
: the extent to which a performer has been accepted by fans. A face
wrestler is considered over when he is being cheered and supported by fans, whereas a heel
is considered over when he is booed and hated. The term suggests that the fans are buying into what the wrestler is selling, meaning his character and perceived abilities. Since outcomes of matches are predetermined and participants are not actively competing to win a match, winning a match is referred to as "going over" in the wrestling industry. To lose to another wrestler in a match is referred to as "putting him over." Other ways to put over another wrestler is to convincingly sell his offense, or to give an interview that talks up the main qualities and abilities of another wrestler's character.
: showing too much of a reaction to another wrestler's offense. For example, tumbling head over heels all the way across the ring from a simple punch would be an over-sell.
: a weak or easily beatable champion.
: Billing a wrestler as being from "Parts Unknown" (rather than from his real hometown or another actual place) is intended to add to a wrestler's mystique. In some territories, the phrase commonly was applied to masked wrestlers. In the post-kayfabe
era, it is used less and less, and usually with a certain air of levity. Sometimes, wrestlers can hail from other, abstract places; for example, the tag team of Deuce 'n Domino
hailed from "the other side of the tracks", the Dudley family
who came from "Dudleyville," The Boogeyman
who came from "the bottomless pit," Shark Boy
is billed from "the deep blue sea," Eric Young
who, for a time, came from "Freedomville, USA," and "Now residing in an undisclosed location," and Judas Mesias, who came from "The Depths of Hell." In an interview, Chris Jericho
described it as a city in central Wisconsin
.
: the concept that newer or younger wrestlers must be punished in the early parts of their careers, both in and out of the ring. When addressing a specific individual, the speaker may call it "paying your dues." (See "job
", "rib" and "stiff")
: is a professional wrestling
term for a trained wrestler or actor who poses as a fan, usually seated in the front row of an event. Plants are a good tool for a heel
wrestler to gain heat
from the crowd. Usually the "plant" is an unknown trained wrestler, often off the independent circuit
.
: the reporting of a sporting event with a voice over describing the details of the action of the match in progress. The play-by-play person is assisted by a color commentator
.
: a sudden crowd reaction, either positive or negative. It is measured by the amount of cheers or derision a wrestler gets during his entrance, interviews, and in-ring performance (especially when a trademark spot is performed by the wrestler).
: striking or hurting another wrestler more than necessary. A wrestler who endures one or more potatoes is likely to potato the perpetrator back, which is known as a 'receipt'.
: The act of getting out of the ring forcefully.
: a series of matches in which the same wrestlers face each other.
: a promotional interview (as in "cutting a promo"). Often includes either an "in-ring interview" or (on television) a skit by wrestlers and other performers to advance a storyline or feud.
: manager of a promotion.
: a group that organizes professional wrestling events.
: Japanese professional wrestling
: when a wrestler gains popularity with wins and positive exposure. A push can be a sudden win over a major superstar, or becoming involved in a high profile angle. (Compare "bury")
: to allow oneself to be pinned or otherwise defeated by someone. The person who the wrestler is putting over is said to be getting over.
style of professional wrestling
which emphasizes kayfabe
and stiffness, with fewer squash matches and generally longer feuds. Also a derisive phrase, used mostly by mainstream media in its depiction of professional wrestling itself.
: when a wrestler or personnel is fired or "let go" from their contract.
: if a champion loses his/her title to another, they may invoke this clause to have a rematch in an attempt to regain their lost championship. This can only be used once but the rematch itself can be held on either the day it is invoked or at the next major event. The concept is used for storyline purposes, and is occasionally forgotten altogether.
: a hold applied more lightly at a designated point in a match in order to save energy.
: practical jokes played by or on wrestlers. Wrestlers spend a lot of time together in close quarters and often resort to practical jokes, either to break the monotony or to get revenge for real or imagined wrongs.
: someone involved in the pro wrestling business who is well known for playing practical jokes backstage.
: an experienced veteran who knows how to carry a match to its full potential.
: wrestling a match properly so that the crowd becomes personally involved in the show.
: similar to a rock and roll groupie
, it is someone with amorous feelings for wrestlers and frequents wrestling events to flirt or pursue sexual liaisons with wrestlers. They can also be referred to as arena rats.
: when a wrestler is out-of-practice, and thus more prone to miss spots, as a result of a long period away from wrestling.
: slang phrase for steroids. Roid Rage is the paranoia, depression, and explosive outbursts caused by excessive steroid use.
: occurs when one or more individuals who are not actively participating in a match run into the ring. Run-ins are almost always made by heels
, typically to further a feud
with a babyface
. More often than not, a run-in will result in a "beat down" in which the heel(s) pummel the babyface(s) until the script calls for the beating to stop, either from the heels' satisfaction with their handiwork, a retaliatory run-in by one or more babyfaces, or (less often) the entrance of one or more authority figures (referees, agents, security personnel). Sometimes a run-in results from a babyface wanting to stop a heel from physically punishing a weaker opponent, usually to set up a feud.
: when the end of a match is hurried, usually due to a botch, injury, or time constraints. A match may have a rushed finish for the following reasons: a person in the match is injured
, and needs the match to finish as soon as possible to protect themselves (they often do this by rolling up their opponent for a pin or causing a disqualification); the match is a timed match, where the viewers can see a clock, and the match must end before a certain time on the clock, for storyline purposes; the match is televised, and it had been going on for too long, so its end had to be shortened; or there was a botch
in the match, and the wrestlers have to recover the situation to make it look realistic
.
and to act as dead weight, which makes the moves the wrestler is attempting much harder, if not impossible to pull off. An alleged sandbagging incident occurred on an episode of SmackDown! in 2002 when Hardcore Holly
sandbagged Brock Lesnar
when attempting a powerbomb, causing Lesnar to drop Holly on his neck - leaving Holly sidelined for over a year.
: a school or gym that teaches students the necessary skills to become professional wrestlers. Students undergo strenuous physical conditioning while learning the basics of the wrestling industry, proper performance techniques, and character development. The courses are taught by qualified professional instructors who have usually worked for several years as professional wrestlers themselves. Some schools are affiliated with a specific promotion company, others are independent.
: a match with a controversial or unsatisfying finish, often involving cheating or outside interference. A worked screwjob, is part of the storyline and the match is intended to end controversially. A shoot
screwjob is extremely rare and occurs when a change is made without one of the participants knowing, creating an outcome that is contrary to what was supposedly planned for the storyline by the participants. The most famous example of a screwjob of this type is the Montreal Screwjob
.
: a non-wrestling part of the show, which may include a promo, a backstage scene, an interview segment (for example, Roddy Piper's
Piper's Pit or Chris Jericho's
The Highlight Reel or Christian's The Peep Show), or any other period of the show which does not originally contain any form of violence (as segments may break into scripted fights).
: reacting to an opponent's attacks in a manner that suggests that the techniques are being applied at full-force. In general, selling is the act of convincing the audience that what is happening is real; a key aspect of professional wrestling. Certain wrestlers have long-established reputations for "no-selling" (generally refusing to sell), "overselling" (overexaggerating the move's damage), or "mis-selling" (dramatically mistiming the impact to where it looks fake on camera) the opponent's moves.
: any "real" event in the world of wrestling. Many former or retired wrestlers will release information seen as confidential or overly revealing about the business or a particular performer. (Compare "worked shoot") A shooter is a wrestler who has a background in legitimate fighting (originally catch wrestling
, now more often martial arts), for example: CM Punk
and his Muay Thai
background; or otherwise has a reputation as a tough guy.
: Any event for a wrestling promotion that a wrestler is scheduled to appear at. A wrestler will often describe keeping his or her schedule of appearances as "making his or her shots". Not making ones "shots" is considered one of the most unprofessional things a wrestler can do and can easily lead to termination by the promotion.
: competitive mixed martial arts competition, used in comparison to the scripted combat of professional wrestling
.
: a move performed by a wrestler on a regular basis for which the wrestler is well-known.
: a program or story-line that develops over a long period of time.
: a phrase coined by Internet wrestling fans to describe a fan who enjoys pro wrestling despite or because they know that it is scripted, as well as generally knowing the "ins-and-outs" of the company and knowing many things about the industry or wrestlers collected by sources and are posted online. Smarks may also be criticized for believing they know more than they do in reality about the workings of the wrestling industry. (compare "mark").
: someone who has inside information on the wrestling business.
: a term coined by WWE to differentiate its product from traditional professional wrestling as an attempt to garner interest from a broader audience. It refers to the mix of wrestling, scripted storylines, and concepts that borrow from other forms of pop-culture entertainment.
: a preplanned move, which is designed to get a particular audience reaction or determine the pace of the match. Spots can be anything from an Irish Whip at a certain time, to a series of spots, for example a succession of reversals. Wrestlers who choreograph their matches before the show will usually decide on an opening spot and an ending, as well as several spots to use throughout the match. The remainder of the match will be divided between transition moves and general offensive and defensive moves. A high spot is a move that is particularly exciting. (See "missed spot")
: A wrestler who relies mostly or entirely on high spots to make the fans excite, but rarely has any technical ability. There is a difference between a high flyer and a spot monkey. High fliers generally have technical skills and/or brawling skills to back up their high flying moves, while spot monkeys generally are just acrobats with little to no actual wrestling talent.
: an extremely one-sided match that is usually over quickly. Squash matches usually consist of various wrestlers fighting unknown jobbers, usually to help get a gimmick or moveset over. They are also used to portray a larger wrestler as an unstoppable monster heel
. Babyfaces
also win squash matches to show that they are prepared for a bigger challenge.
: is a group of wrestlers within a promotion
who have a common element—friendships, either real or storyline
, a common manager
, or a common storyline—which puts them together as a unit.
: when a wrestler puts excessive force into his attacks or maneuvers on his opponent, deliberately or accidentally. Vader is an example of someone known for his stiff style of wrestling (he once broke the back of a young wrestler named Joe Thurman, who was paralyzed from the waist down for a couple of hours), as is Jacqueline Moore
according to former WWE divas who have worked with her. Another wrestler renowned for a very stiff style is New Jack
Stiffness is sometimes considered stylistically appropriate during certain match types, for example hardcore matches. Professional wrestling promotion Ring Of Honor
is known for having a lot of stiff wrestling matches
: although this sometimes means "to tell on someone," it more often refers to a heel
wrestler booked in the position of underling associate of another heel. The stooge will do his boss' dirty work, such as getting squashed in matches against a babyface
(with whom the heel has a feud) to set up a run-in (and subsequent beatdown) and future match.
: word used for championship belt.
: a Japanese-inspired professional wrestling style that is worked, yet aims to deliver realistic performances. The style emphasizes stiff attacks and worked shoots.
: when one wrestler, usually a babyface
, no-sells his opponent's offense, usually after several minutes of being dominated. Hulk Hogan
is famous for this kind of comeback, often called 'Hulking up'. John Cena
has been known to do this as well. After performing his signature sit-up
, The Undertaker would follow-up with this comeback.
: a term used by the WWE when both the Raw and SmackDown brands perform together on the same night.
: a term that was first used by WWF/WWE in reference to the talent on their roster.
: The move consists of one wrestler picking up his or her opponent off the ground (or mat) and then using a large portion of his or her own body weight to drive the opponent down on the mat.
: a sudden change in the direction of a storyline to surprise the fans. Often, it involves one wrestler turning on an ally in order to join someone who had been a mutual enemy up until that point. Swerves frequently lead to the start of a new feud
between the former friends. Another kind of swerve is when a booker does everything in their power to convince the fans that something specific is going to happen at a show or someone they're expecting is going to debut (or come back), only to then do something completely different. It is sometimes the result of a false report by a wrestler to the press.
: When an opponent is taken to the mat from a standing position.
: another name used to describe wrestlers.
: a division of the WWE that deals with the build and introduction of wrestlers. Also given the power to fire wrestlers.
: submitting to a submission maneuver by tapping on the mat (or, on occasion, on the body of the other wrestler at some obviously-seen point), as in mixed martial arts, rather than verbally acknowledging the submission, as was previously common in professional wrestling. In kayfabe
, it indicates that a wrestler is giving up because the submission maneuver they are in is too painful. The tap out was introduced to pro wrestling by former ECW wrestler Tazz
, who was experienced and well-versed in Judo.
: when the referee slaps the mat with his hand to count a pinfall. In theory, a 3 count lasts for three seconds; however, individual referees have their own cadence. When heel referees are used in storylines, they either frequently use slower or faster counts to favor heel wrestlers, or refuse to count a pin against heel wrestlers.
: a screen which is directly above the stage area of the arena used for showing entrance videos, other segments, and promos. Based on the naming convention of Sony
's well-known JumboTron
, a large video screen used primarily in stadiums, arenas, and other public venues, the TitanTron was introduced as part of WWE's Raw set and was named after the then-parent company of the World Wrestling Federation, Titan Sports. The -Tron suffix has since been used to unofficially identify other big screens used in wrestling, such as the "OvalTron" formerly used on SmackDown, or the "PandaTron" used on TNA programming (an allusion to Panda Energy, one of the chief investors of the promotion), or the "JeriTron 5000" used on Chris Jericho
's in-ring interview segment The Highlight Reel.
: An eye disease caused by a mixture of ring dust and sweat, which caused blindness in several wrestlers including Ed "Strangler" Lewis
.
: a holder of a traditionally-short title reign which bridges two "eras", long-running title reigns by usually-popular champions.
: when a wrestler switches from babyface to heel or vice versa. A hard turn occurs when a wrestler becomes a babyface or heel in a sudden surprise plot twist. In contrast, a soft turn is a gradual switch to babyface or heel over an extended period of time.
: a morally ambiguous wrestler, neither a babyface
or heel
(an inbetweener). This term is also used to describe wrestlers who use tactics typically associated with heels (e.g., cheating), yet are still cheered by fans in spite of (or because of) these antics. The term is also used to describe wrestlers that remain popular, even though they are actually heels. (In both of the last two cases, a great example is The Road Warriors
.) Recently, CM Punk
is another example of a heel who is highly popular.
: the count at which a wrestler is said to escape from a pinfall when a referee's hand comes very close to hitting the mat for a three-count. These are often used many times in matches to build excitement. Other fractions are used to denote even closer "counts" -- "two-and-three-quarters" is a common one. (see "Near-Fall")
: wrestler who gets too little of a push or who are popular with fans but are not involved in main event matchups.
: the act of combining two championships into one; the result of which is either an entirely new title or the consolidation of one title into another. In the past, there were a number of matches booked to unify two major federations' belts, but these matches would often end inconclusively -- the unification angle only used as a drawing point.
: when an underdog
defeats someone who they realistically should not be able to, such as a new wrestler defeating a veteran, or a huge, monster-like wrestler being defeated by a smaller wrestler. For instance, Rey Mysterio is known for upset victories due to his small stature.
in which it is not held by any wrestler(s) due to scripted or legitimate circumstances and injuries.
: a typically female accompanying a male performer to the ring. Many times she functions as "eye candy" and plays the role of an agitator or a source of interference.
: any piece of video footage featuring characters or events which is shown to the audience for the purposes of entertainment or edification. Usually, they are meant to either introduce a debuting character or to get a wrestler over before their TV wrestling debut. In WWE, wrestlers rarely acknowledge that they are being filmed, forcing the viewer to "suspend disbelief
" as to why a camera operator would be allowed to witness and record an intimate or secretive situation
: A pinfall that the referee doesn't see, but the crowd does. It is usually followed by a late kickout when the referee eventually sees the pinfall and starts counting. It's used to heighten the drama of a match.
during his time in the Alliance, it has become a highly annoying chant from disrespectful fans, during the pauses in a wrestler's promo, to show how far from over the wrestler is, or how slow and uninteresting the promo is being delivered. Rude fans sometimes end up burying performers with this chant or just cause a nuisance, even to other audience members. More experienced speakers such as Vince McMahon can manage to drown out the what by not giving the audience clear cut pauses in his speaking. Often, the chant is used whenever a heel is speaking, with the fans chanting every time the heel pauses. When the heel makes an especially bold, arrogant, or untrue remark, fans will generally respond in unison with a much louder drawn-out chant.
: an event booked to happen, from the carnival tradition of "working the crowd." A work can also refer to the match itself. The opposite of a work is a shoot
.
: to specifically and methodically attack, especially a single body part. To "work" on a body part (i.e. an arm) would be to repeatedly use force on that part, until it is damaged enough to be used in the finish of the match. Also, the act of deceiving or manipulating a person or persons, which may or may not be done to preserve kayfabe.
: a wrestler, manager, valet, referee, announcer, or commentator.
: a scripted segment that takes place in a show with elements of reality being exposed, such as an off-screen incident between wrestlers being used as fuel for an on-screen rivalry between them. It can also be a segment that fans are meant to believe is a shoot, but is not, recently used by CM Punk
. Made famous by Vince Russo
.
: a wrestler's use of "work" to develop a match. One's workrate is determined by his or her ability to "work" in an intelligent and productive manner. When used by critics, it is an analysis of the action in a match and the skill level exhibited. This word is mostly used by fans and remains unrecognized by most workers.
: the unofficial forum among WWE wrestlers for the policing of wrestlers that violate the rules and traditions laid down by the company. The punishments meted out can range from prank
ing to paying for other wrestlers' travel expenses. In Matt and Jeff Hardy
's book Exist 2 Inspire, they mention an incident they had with The Court while it was still headed by The Undertaker:
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
has accrued a considerable amount of slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
, in-references, and jargon
Jargon
Jargon is terminology which is especially defined in relationship to a specific activity, profession, group, or event. The philosophe Condillac observed in 1782 that "Every science requires a special language because every science has its own ideas." As a rationalist member of the Enlightenment he...
. Much of it stems from the industry's origins in the days of carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
s and circuses, and the slang itself is often referred to as "carny
Carny
Carny or carnie is a slang term used in North America and, along with showie, in Australia for a carnival employee, as well as the language they employ...
talk." In the past, wrestlers used this lingo in the presence of fans so as not to reveal the worked nature of the business. In recent years, widespread wrestling discussion on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
popularized the terms. Many of the terms refer to the money-making aspect of the sport rather than the athletics themselves.
A
: a wrestling event where generally a company's biggest "draws" wrestle.: a group of a wrestling promotion's top stars who compete at a given event. (Compare "B-Team")
: to discontinue a feud, angle, or "gimmick" suddenly, usually without explanation or due to a lack of fan interest. This is an older term, not generally used today because of its objectionable basis. The term is also used by various reviewers to discredit particularly bad angles or shows.
: management employee, often a former veteran wrestler, who helps wrestlers set up matches, plans storylines, and relays instructions from the bookers. Often acts as a liaison between wrestlers and higher-level management. Referred to as "producers" by WWE. Sometimes they help train and teach younger active wrestlers and give criticism.
: the personality type used by wrestlers. For example, if they are a babyface
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
, they are said to be "face-aligned". See also heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
and tweener.
: a fictional storyline. An angle usually begins when one wrestler attacks another (physically or verbally), which results in revenge. An angle may be as small as a single match or a vendetta that lasts for years. It is not uncommon to see an angle become retconned due to it not getting "over" with the fans, or if one of the wrestlers currently involved in the angle is released from his contract.
: an old-style professional wrestling magazine that sticks to kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
and usually consists of made-up articles and interviews. The term refers to the magazines at one time connected to journalist Bill Apter
Bill Apter
Bill Apter is a journalist specializing in professional wrestling and best known for the kayfabe or so-called "mark" magazines for which he edited and photographed matches from the 1970s to the present. The magazine he became most prominently known for was Pro Wrestling Illustrated...
, such as Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
.
: refers to a time period from King of the Ring 1996 to WrestleMania 17 when the World Wrestling Federation product shifted from being family-oriented entertainment to being "edgier," more crude
Off-color humor
The term off-color humor is an Americanism used to describe jokes, prose, poems, black comedy, blue comedy, insult comedy, cringe comedy and skits that deal with topics that are considered to be in poor taste or overly vulgar by the prevailing morality of a culture...
, and dealing with more "adult" situations (frequently sexual in nature).
B
: a wrestling event featuring the middle and lower-level talent of a wrestling promotion.: group of wrestlers on a B-Show. Frequently, the B-Team will compete at a different venue the same night wrestlers on the A-Team are competing in a different event, although a promotion will sometimes schedule an event with B-Team wrestlers to test a new market.
: a good guy. (Referred to as a Blue-Eye in British Wrestling.) See also heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
and tweener.
: the act of staging pro-style wrestling (not to be confused with sport wrestling or amateur wrestling) as a hobby rather than a job, usually (but not always) by untrained wrestlers, predominantly teenagers.
: when a wrestler or other performer is the recipient of a beating, usually by a group of wrestlers.
: the act of cutting oneself or another person open in order to bleed, usually done on the forehead (also called "juicing"). The blade is usually concealed in tape on the hands or somewhere it can be used without being obvious.
: a tag made in a tag team match where the wrestler on the apron tags his partner unbeknownst to him or without his consent. It can also refer to such a tag where the tagger's opponent is unaware a tag has occurred, leaving him open to a blindside attack. Most often occurs when the partner in the ring is thrown against the ropes or backed into his own corner.
: the final match in a feud. While the involved wrestlers often move onto new feuds, sometimes it is the final match in the promotion for one or more of the wrestlers.
: to become cardiovascularly exhausted during a match.
: see Babyface
: a term that refers to the predetermined nature of wrestling and the logistics of executing same. The person in charge of setting up matches and writing angles is "the booker." It is the wrestling equivalent of a screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
. A booker can also be described as someone who recruits and/or hires talent to work in a particular promotion. The United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa has jurisdiction over forty-seven of Iowa's ninety-nine counties. It is subject to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals The United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa (in case citations, S.D. Iowa) has...
defined a booker in 1956 as "...any person who, for a fee or commission, arranges with a promoter or promoters for the performance of wrestlers in professional wrestling exhibitions." Booking is also the term a wrestler uses to describe a scheduled match or appearance on a wrestling show.
: a scripted move that failed.
: when a wrestler hits the mat or ground. A flat back bump is a bump in which a wrestler lands solidly on his back with high impact, spread over as much surface as possible. A phantom bump occurs when a wrestler or referee takes a bump even though the move they are selling was visibly botched
Botch (professional wrestling)
To botch in professional wrestling means to attempt a scripted move that does not come out as it was originally planned due to a mistake, miscalculation, or a slip-up. Most botches are harmless but embarrassing, such as a wrestler simply flubbing a line or missing a cue, or falling before his...
or otherwise not present. Phantom bumps are most commonly performed when the offensive wrestler is new.
: A time limit draw.
: refers to the worked lowering (relegation) of a popular wrestler's status in the eyes of the fans. It is the act of a promoter or booker causing a wrestler to lose popularity by forcing him to lose in squash matches, continuously
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
, and/or participate in unentertaining or degrading storylines. It can be a form of punishment for real-life backstage disagreements or feuds
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
between the wrestler and the booker, the wrestler falling out of favor with the company, or the wrestler receiving an unpopular gimmick that causes him to lose credibility regardless of win-loss record. It is also a result of a company seeing a wrestler as having no potential or charisma
Charisma
The term charisma has two senses: 1) compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others, 2) a divinely conferred power or talent. For some theological usages the term is rendered charism, with a meaning the same as sense 2...
. The term can also be applied to a wrestling company that jumps the shark
Jumping the shark
Jumping the shark is an idiom used to describe the moment in the evolution of a television show when it begins a decline in quality that is beyond recovery....
, rapidly loses ratings, fans, and finally becomes bankrupt. According to many critics, the most infamous burial of a company was The Fingerpoke of Doom
Fingerpoke of Doom
The Fingerpoke of Doom is a nickname for an infamous incident in American professional wrestling that happened on January 4, 1999 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, during a live broadcast of WCW Monday Nitro, the flagship show of World Championship Wrestling...
, a pivotal incident in the Monday Night Wars
Monday Night Wars
Monday Night Wars is the common term describing the period of mainstream televised American professional wrestling from September 4, 1995, to March 26, 2001. During this time, the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw went head-to-head with World Championship Wrestling's Monday Nitro in a...
that took place on January 4, 1999 on WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro
WCW Monday Nitro was a weekly professional wrestling telecast produced by World Championship Wrestling, created by Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff. The show aired Monday nights on TNT, going head-to-head with the World Wrestling Federation's Monday Night Raw from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001...
at the Georgia Dome
Georgia Dome
The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the...
. (Compare "push")
: the term used to describe professional wrestling instead of referring to it as a profession or sport.
C
: an event featuring the lowest level of talent in a promotion. Often used as a derogatory adjective.: when one wrestler instructs the other of what is going to happen in the match.
: when cheers or boos are pumped into an arena via the sound system or added to a television show in post-production.
: the lineup of the matches that will be staged at a given venue for a given performance. The card is generally performed in a roughly inverse order to the way in which it might be printed for posters or other promotional materials. The major matches between well-known opponents may be for "titles" and are said to be "top of the card" or "headliners" while the preliminary matches between lesser-known opponents are said to be the "undercard." In Lucha libre
Lucha libre
Lucha libre is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries, for a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries...
, cards are generally five matches although big events might have more and smaller promotions might not run the full five match card. The first match is called the Primera Lucha, the second is called the Segunda Lucha, the third is usually the Combate Especial or the Lucha Especial, the fourth or second to last match is called the Lucha Semifinal, and the main event is called the Lucha Estelar or Lucha Estrella.
: A language used by wrestlers to talk to each other around people not associated with the business so they would not understand what they were saying, often used to keep the secrets of the business. (see kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
)
: A phrase or expression recognized by its repeated utterance. Example: "because Im the Miz and im Awesome"
: in kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
, a recognition of a wrestler being the best in his or her promotion or division in the form of a championship belt (also "title" or "strap"). Outside of kayfabe, championships are won/held by a wrestler whom the bookers believe will generate fan interest in terms of event attendance and television viewership.
: when a wrestler (often a heel) incites a negative crowd reaction by insulting the crowd (by insulting the city or a local sports team, like wearing a Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
jersey in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
) or by using a news event as part of his promo. A famous team to use this technique is Edge and Christian
Edge and Christian
Edge and Christian was a tag team made of real life best friends Edge and Christian , who performed in WWE and the Canadian independent circuit. They won the WWF Tag Team Championship on seven occasions...
.
: when a wrestler (often a babyface) incites a positive crowd reaction by "kissing up" to the crowd (for example, mentioning the name of the city or complimenting a local sports team). Heels
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
often follow the same principle but in reverse: insulting the city or bringing up something it is infamous for (such as an under-performing sports team) to get booed.
: when a wrestler uses a low blow or a foreign object to get an advantage over his opponent.
: to draw blood. Especially in UK Professional Wrestling. A promoter might say "I want some claret in this match".
: when a match ends without cheating or outside interference, usually in the center of the ring. (Compare "screwjob")
: originally coined by Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes (wrestler)
Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr. , better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler currently working for WWE...
, it is the act of two or more people beating on another with at least four fists simultaneously.
: a current titleholder (usually a heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
) who ducks top-flight competition, cheats to win (often by managerial interference), and—when forced to wrestle good opponents—deliberately causes himself to be disqualified (since titles often do not change hands by disqualification) to retain his title.
: a term used by wrestlers and promoters to discuss the amount of bloodshed in a match.
: a member of the announcing team who assists the play-by-play
Sports commentator
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
announcer by filling in any time when play is not in progress, providing humor, and explaining storylines.
: where a superstar has been bleeding so that their face is covered in blood, comparable to a mask.
: an event which occurs when two or more rival promotions put together one card or wrestling event. Some promoters have used cross-promotion style angles to further interest. Cross promotion dates back to the early days of wrestling as challenges between rival promoters in the same area often occurred.
: the incident at Madison Square Garden in the spring of 1996, when WWF superstars Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
, Diesel
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
, Razor Ramon
Scott Hall
Scott Hall is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation in the early and mid 1990s under the ring name Razor Ramon, as well as for his period in the mid 1990s and early 2000s with World Championship Wrestling under his real name...
, and Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
broke kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
in front of a live sold out New York crowd, playing it out in a farewell to the crowd and a group hug.
D
: a non-televised match at a televised show used to warm up the crowd (compare "house show"). A dark match before the show is often used to test out new talent or to warm up the crowd. A promised dark match after the show is typically set featuring main-event level wrestlers in order to sell more tickets and send the crowd home happy.: To go limp in the middle of a move. This could be done intentionally, either to make an opponent look weak or just "rib" him, or unintentionally because the "dead weight" wrestler is unfamiliar with the cooperation needed to pull off a particular wrestling hold (or just not paying attention) or as a result of injury. Intentionally deadweighting is considered very unprofessional and can lead to injury to either party involved. See (Sandbag)
: an insider newsletter (or website) in the professional wrestling business.
: aside from the usual colloquial meaning of a hard to work with individual, this term is used, mainly by WWE, to refer to any woman involved in wrestling, either as "eye candy" or as a wrestler (or frequently both).
: the rare occurrence when both the babyface and the heel switch roles during an angle or a match. An example of this is the Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
/Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
match at WrestleMania 13
WrestleMania 13
WrestleMania 13 was the thirteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
and the Powers of Pain
Powers of Pain
The Powers of Pain are an on-and-off professional wrestling tag team. They are best known for their tenure in Jim Crockett Promotions and the World Wrestling Federation.-Jim Crockett Promotions:...
/Demolition
Demolition (professional wrestling)
Demolition is a professional wrestling tag team most prominent during the late 1980s / early 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation made up of Ax , Smash , and later Crush . In WWF, Demolition were three-time Tag Team Champions, and hold the records for both the single longest tag title reign...
at Survivor Series 1988
Survivor Series (1988)
Survivor Series was the second annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...
.
: a wrestler who is able to attract the attention of the audience; someone fans are willing to pay to see.
: when a wrestler is booked to lose to a contender (the loser agreed to drop the match to the winner).
: typically a finish in which the face appears to win a big match, but the decision is later reversed due to interference by other heels to save the heel champion, as, in most federations, the title could not change hands on such a disqualification. Can also refer to an ambiguous finish to a match where neither wrestler can be claimed the winner. The "Dusty" in the term refers to Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes (wrestler)
Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr. , better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler currently working for WWE...
, who booked many such finishes in NWA
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
and later in WCW
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
. The first, and most infamous, case of this was Starrcade (1985)
Starrcade (1985)
Starrcade '85: The Gathering was the third annual Starrcade professional wrestling event produced by Jim Crockett Promotions under the National Wrestling Alliance banner...
when Rhodes faced Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
for the NWA World title after a long layoff by Rhodes due to injury by Flair and his henchmen. Rhodes would win the match, by pinfall, as a second referee came in for the count, but original referee Tommy Young
Tommy Young
Tommy Young is a professional wrestling referee famous for his time in the National Wrestling Alliance and Jim Crockett Promotions.-Career:...
would later reverse the decision (disqualifying Flair for interference by Ole and Arn Anderson while Young was knocked outside the ring), with the fans only finding out on the next week's television programming. The Dusty Finish is often seen as quite deceptive to the fans, and is not usually well-received.
E
: a wrestler who accompanies another to matches, and acts as a bodyguard. This term was coined by Arn AndersonArn Anderson
Martin Anthony Lunde better known by his ring name Arn Anderson, is a former American professional wrestler and author. His career has been highlighted by his alliances with Ric Flair and various members of the wrestling stable, The Four Horsemen, in the NWA/WCW...
, whose nickname was "The Enforcer". Another definition is an individual (usually a celebrity) who acts in a "special guest referee" capacity from outside the ring, usually favoring one wrestler over another (such as Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
at Survivor Series 1994
Survivor Series (1994)
Survivor Series was the eighth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on Thanksgiving Eve, November 23, 1994 at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas...
or Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
at WrestleMania XIV
WrestleMania XIV
WrestleMania XIV was the fourteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , which took place on March 29, 1998 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts....
).
: a style of wrestling based heavily on highspots, no limits, and no boundaries. Matches that are more fast-paced and over the top with high impact style are seen in Japan and Mexico. Sometimes confused with hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...
due to the fact that the rules are more relaxed allowing the use of chairs and tables, but it involves much more wrestling abilities than hardcore wrestling.
F
: the good guy, or the wrestler who the crowds are intended to cheer for.: usually, the ending of the match. A fall is obtained by gaining a decision in any manner, normally consisting of a pinfall, submission, count-out, or disqualification. In a two out of three falls match, a wrestler must gain two decisions to win instead of only one. (See near-fall)
: when a babyface mounts a brief offensive flurry before losing it to a heel wrestler after being dominated for several minutes. Usually, it occurs before the actual comeback. Hulk Hogan tended to use this to "sell" an improbable comeback.
: a match ending pinfall which is kicked out of, usually after a finishing move or series of high impact moves. This builds crowd anticipation towards the actual finish.
: a battle between two or more wrestlers or stables, often involving matches, promos, and angles. A feud usually lasts for several months.
: the planned end of a match. (See "Dusty Finish" and "Clean finish")
: a wrestler's signature move that leads to a finish. Some Finishers Include Randy Orton
Randy Orton
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
's RKO, Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
's Frog Splash, John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
's Attitude Adjustment, or Diamond Dallas Page's "Diamond Cutter" This can be a unique move entirely(like Razor Ramone's Inverted Crucifix) or a known standard move with a new name.
: a particular combination of moves that a wrestler uses in every match, often in the same sequence, and usually leading to the finish. Often associated with Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
(debated) , Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
or, more recently John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
.
: a move, popularized by Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
, where a wrestler is flipped upside down upon hitting the corner turnbuckle and often ends up on the other side of the ropes on his feet on the ring apron.
: also a Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
specialty, it involves falling flat on one's face as a delayed sell of an opponent's offense.
: an object that is illegal to the match, such as a chair, brass knuckles, or garbage can. WCW
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
announcers called these implements "International Objects" for a time in the 1980s when WCW owner Ted Turner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III is an American media mogul and philanthropist. As a businessman, he is known as founder of the cable news network CNN, the first dedicated 24-hour cable news channel. In addition, he founded WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television...
banned use of the word "foreign" throughout his media empire.
: an unofficial rule which allows any two members of a stable with three or more members to defend a tag team championship. Named for The Fabulous Freebirds, who did this in Georgia Championship Wrestling
Georgia Championship Wrestling
Georgia Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion whose self-titled TV program aired in the 1970s and 1980s on Atlanta, U.S., superstation WTBS. Though based in Atlanta, the company also ran live wrestling shows throughout its geographic "territory" of Georgia Georgia...
.
: a term used to a wrestler fired or released from a wrestling promotion. Widely used by WWE in its website using the phrase "We wish
G
: a non-Japanese worker in Japanese promotions. This is not specifically a wrestling term, simply the standard Japanese term for a foreigner (considered derogatory by some foreigners though not implicitly intended to be).: 1. Steroids (see also juice and roids) or 2. Stamina (as in "out of gas", when a wrestler is tired and unable to wrestle properly) Similarly, "tank" can be used to describe one's ability to wrestle for long periods of time (e.g. at the 2005 Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble (2005)
Royal Rumble was the eighteenth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on January 30, 2005 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California and featured talent from both the Raw and SmackDown! brands...
, Jim Ross
Jim Ross
James William "Jim" Ross is a professional wrestling commentator, former professional wrestling referee, restaurateur, occasional wrestler, and former company executive of WWE, where he currently works as a commentator on the WWE Raw brand...
noticed that Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
was still in the ring after the 30th man had entered, despite him being #2, and remarked "Benoit's got an extra tank other guys don't have.")
: the blade a wrestler uses to cut himself.
: a wrestler's personality and/or other distinguishing traits while wrestling. It can also be an implement used to cheat. Some gimmicks, like CM Punk
CM Punk
Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
's being straight edge
Straight edge
Straight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. It was a direct reaction to the sexual revolution, hedonism, and excess associated with punk rock. For some, this extends to not engaging in promiscuous sex, following a...
, are based on real life.
: the championship belt.
: to beat someone.
: refers to a wrestler (often called a green horn) who is in the early stages of their career and, as a result, may be prone to make mistakes because of their inexperience.
: a deep cut that bleeds a lot, usually caused by a mistake while blading but can be intentional.
H
: when a wrestler twists the second rope over the third with his neck caught in-between, which results in the illusion of the wrestler hanging by his neck from the ropes. This could be dangerous if the ropes are not properly tensioned, as back in 1992 Mick Foley ripped off his ear in this move because of overly tight ropes.: blood produced by means other than blading.
: wrestlers use nothing but weaponry or highly planned out spots to attack each other; the term also refers to outrageous gimmick matches that have no obvious elements of traditional in-ring competition.
: see Paying dues.
: a wrestler getting a negative crowd reaction. (See "cheap heat" and "canned heat") Can also refer to a wrestler having negative relations with the other wrestlers or the bookers/administration of a promotion -- as in "He has heat with the locker room for last week's incident."
: a move which, as a result of a botch
Botch (professional wrestling)
To botch in professional wrestling means to attempt a scripted move that does not come out as it was originally planned due to a mistake, miscalculation, or a slip-up. Most botches are harmless but embarrassing, such as a wrestler simply flubbing a line or missing a cue, or falling before his...
, causes the receiver to be dropped on their head, often resulting in a legit concussion or other injury such as a broken neck. Also, especially in puroresu, the term can refer to a bump which is intended to make a move appear as if the receiver landed on his/her head. In reality, the full force of the move is intended to be taken on the upper back and shoulders, though such moves still carry a high degree of legitimate risk with them.
: a bad guy or the wrestler who the crowds are intended to boo. See also babyface
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
and tweener.
: a top-rope move, or a series of maneuvers perceived as dangerous.
: a wrestler with strong legitimate mat-wrestling abilities and an array of match-ending (or in extreme cases, career ending) holds known as "hooks," hence the name. In the early 20th century, one who has worked for carnivals taking on "all comers." Since these types of events are on the decline, this word is falling out of common usage. A hooker is the opposite of a pure wrestler.
: when a promoter or booker rushes to a feud, a climax of a feud, or books a big match on television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
instead of at a pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
in order to get a short-term boost for business. Also applies to angles or turns that are done for shock value rather than acting as a part of an ongoing storyline.
: in a tag team match, when a babyface
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
wrestler tags in a fresh partner after several minutes of being dominated by his opponents, usually immediately followed by the freshly-tagged-in babyface getting in a quick burst of offense. Often the hot tag happens after several teases (where the other face is enticed into the ring, only to be stopped by the referee and the heels getting away with illegal tactics).
: a non-televised show. (Compare "dark match")
I
: refers to a wrestling group that is too small to compete on a national level or is not owned by a big corporation.: Refers to someone who is not part of the match getting involved; this may involve distracting or assaulting one or more of the participants in the match.
: Refers to wrestling storylines in which a group of wrestlers, normally wrestlers who had recently appeared in one promotion, then appear in another promotion. In some cases, this happens suddenly without advance warning or notice, and usually involves the invaders attempting to take the promotion over. The concept originated in Japan, following the demise of the IWE
International Pro Wrestling
International Pro Wrestling , also known as International Wrestling Enterprise, was a professional wrestling promotion in Japan from 1966 to 1981. Founded by Isao Yoshihara, it was affiliated with the American Wrestling Association in the United States and also had tie-ins with promotions in Europe...
in 1981. Due to the lack of competition brought on by the territorial system used in the United States at the time, the idea would remain unknown there through the 1980s. A prototype invasion angle did occur in Memphis in late 1983 involving Randy Savage
Randy Savage
Randall Mario Poffo , better known by his ring name "Macho Man" Randy Savage, was an American professional wrestler, best known for his time with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling .Savage held twenty championships during his professional wrestling career and was a...
and Lanny Poffo
Lanny Poffo
Lanny Mark Poffo , better known by his ring name "Leaping" Lanny is an American professional wrestler. Poffo was born in Calgary, Canada, to Angelo Poffo, an Italian American Catholic, and Judy, a Jewish American. He is also the brother of wrestling legend "Macho Man" Randy Savage...
, late of their father's "outlaw" ICW
International Championship Wrestling
International Championship Wrestling was an independent professional wrestling promotion based in Lexington, Kentucky that operated from 1978 until 1984. It was run by WCW Hall of Famer Angelo Poffo, the father of Randy Savage and "The Genius" Lanny Poffo...
promotion. The best known examples of invasion storylines are The Outsiders, which evolved into the nWo
New World Order (professional wrestling)
The New World Order was a professional wrestling stable that originally wrestled for World Championship Wrestling . The group later appeared in the World Wrestling Federation after the purchase of WCW by the WWF...
, during the 1990s, and The Invasion, which occurred in 2001, when WCW and ECW went out of business.
: Internet wrestling community, the community in webboards or forums that discussing about pro wrestling.
J
: a wrestler who loses in order to make another wrestler look good.The term was brought into popular usage by The Rock.: a scheduled loss.
: a wrestler whose primary function is losing to better-known wrestlers.
: a mid-level wrestler who jobs for top talent but can defeat pure jobbers.
: steroids. (See gas and roids). It can also mean blood, usually from the forehead.
: To switch to a different promotion or to move over to a different brand.
K
: term used to describe the illusion (and up-keep of the illusion) that professional wrestling is not staged (i.e. that the on-screen situations between wrestlers represent reality). Also used by wrestlers as a signal to close ranks and stop discussing business due to an uninformed person arriving in earshot. The term is said to have been loosely derived from the Pig LatinPig Latin
Pig Latin is a language game of alterations played in English. To form the Pig Latin form of an English word the first consonant is moved to the end of the word and an ay is affixed . The object is to conceal the meaning of the words from others not familiar with the rules...
pronunciation of the word "fake" ("akefay").
: when a wrestler rises to their feet in a theatrical way, used commonly by Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
and The Rock, and can lead to a superhuman comeback.
: when a competitor is knocked out by their opponent, usually by a large blow to the head or by exhaustion. This can be by accident or intentionally. This is usually a term used in "Last Man Standing" matches after a 10 count is issued to a downed competitor. In kayfabe, however, a wrestler can be announced as having been "won by knockout". This is rarely utilized in American wrestling. Matches under the round-based system used in the United Kingdom and continental Europe can be won by knockout in addition to fall(s) and/or submission(s). In Japan, Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
won a controversial victory over Antonio Inoki
Antonio Inoki
is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
in 1983 by knockout, long debated as a possible shoot
Shoot (professional wrestling)
A shoot in professional wrestling is a term that refers to any unplanned, unscripted or real-life occurrence within a wrestling event. Contrary to popular belief, the name does not originate from "shooting in" for a takedown, as in amateur wrestling - rather it is a carny term shortened from...
by Hogan. Knockout is also a term used as a brand name for the female wrestlers
TNA Knockout
Knockout is a term used by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling to refer to its female talent. The term is applied universally to wrestlers, backstage interviewers, and managers/valets. They are analogous to the Divas of rival WWE.-History:...
of TNA
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
.
L
: term used to describe a match or event which has not been booked, or a performer who relies on wrestlingWrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
skill and ability, as opposed to his gimmick, to gain notoriety and popularity with fans. The term is also often extended to mean a wrestler with a legitimate background as an actual street fighter or brawler (the individual may be a former professional boxer, a stuntman, martial artist, or have crossed over from some other professional or amateur sport), who brings legitimate fighting skills to the apparent, but often tightly controlled, "chaos" of the pro wrestling arena. The term can also be attributed to an incident where a legitimate injury occurs during a professional wrestling match. Often used as a synonym for shoot
Shoot (professional wrestling)
A shoot in professional wrestling is a term that refers to any unplanned, unscripted or real-life occurrence within a wrestling event. Contrary to popular belief, the name does not originate from "shooting in" for a takedown, as in amateur wrestling - rather it is a carny term shortened from...
.
: a real-life conflict between wrestlers.
: Little kids who watch wrestling. First used in WWE by R-Truth, who compared John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
's fans to the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comic character, Little Jimmy
Little Jimmy
Little Jimmy, originally titled Jimmy, was a newspaper comic strip created by Jimmy Swinnerton. With a publication history from February 14, 1904 to 1958, it was one of the first continuing features and one of the longest running....
.
: a grapple at the beginning of a match.
: A hit to the opponent's groin.
: An unskilled or inexperienced wrestler who typically fights at the beginning of a show.
: translates to "Free Fighting". It is used to describe the Mexican style of wrestling that consists of high-flying acrobatic moves. A Mexican wrestler is a luchador.
: With the importance placed on masks in lucha libre
Lucha libre
Lucha libre is a term used in Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries, for a form of professional wrestling that has developed within those countries...
, losing the mask to an opponent is seen as the ultimate insult, and can at times seriously hurt the career of the unmasking wrestler. Putting one's mask on the line against a hated opponent is a tradition in lucha libre as a means to settle a heated feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
between two or more wrestlers. In these battles, called luchas de apuestas ("matches with wagers"), the wrestlers usually "wager" either their mask or their hair, though there are wagers involving other items as well. While the culture of Luchas de Apuestas is unique to Mexico, matches of this sort do occur elsewhere. A famous example in the United States took place during the 1977 promotional war in Memphis. Bill Dundee
Bill Dundee
William "Bill" Cruickshanks is a Scottish born-Australian professional wrestler better known by his stage name Bill Dundee. Cruickshanks is the father of Jamie Dundee and the father-in-law of wrestler Bobby Eaton....
and Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
engaged in a feud which lasted for several months. The blow off match, a hair versus hair match in which Dundee lost his hair, in fact did not end the feud. The following week, Lawler put up his hair against the hair of Dundee's wife Beverly and was once again victorious.
: A (most often) wrestler who stands close to the ring, usually in a lumberjack match, in which he or she (and others similarly called upon) are to forcibly return to the ring any competitor who attempts to leave or is expelled therefrom. Usually, in the case of a heel, he or she is actually helping one or more (rarely all of them) wrestlers.
M
: a wrestler who is viewed by management to be one of the top draws on the roster and thus is promoted in main events.: a performer assigned to accompany a wrestler to the ring and, usually, put them over in interviews. They are often used to help a heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
cheat and incite the crowd.
: insider term used to describe fans within the professional wrestling business. Any person in the wrestling business who doesn't know how to separate their "gimmick" and "real life" is also a mark.
: the act of reacting to an event in wresting as if it was legit even though the person reacting to it knows it to be staged.
: When many modern tag teams split up, there is usually someone called the "Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
" for being recognized as the star or ending up with a more successsful singles run, while the other half of the team usually falls into obscurity; this is called the "Marty Jannetty
Marty Jannetty
Frederick Marty Jannetty is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation as part of tag team The Rockers with partner Shawn Michaels, and later as a singles competitor. While in the WWF, he became a one time Intercontinental Champion and a one time...
" or simply "the Jannetty" of the tag team, which is usually used as an insult to the latter.
: a wrestler who wrestles in the middle of programs, is seen as being high in seniority but less than a money draw, usually competing for the secondary title of a federation.
: a move in which the timing is off. Sometimes called mis-selling.
: a non-title match which was the most heavily promoted of the card that is placed near or at the end of a live event, which is the main reason fans attended the event or watched the event.
: a villain who is portrayed as unstoppable, usually to set up a feud with a promotion's lead babyface
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
. Particularly applies to heels who are physically monstrous, grotesque, or just plain scary. For example, The Great Khali made his debut in 2006 by easily overcoming The Undertaker.
: an incident at Survivor Series
Survivor Series (1997)
Survivor Series was the eleventh annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation. It took place on November 9, 1997 at the Molson Centre in Montreal, Quebec....
in 1997 where referee Earl Hebner
Earl Hebner
Earl William Hebner is a professional wrestling referee currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, and the twin brother of Dave Hebner...
claimed that Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
submitted to Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
and Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE...
ordered the bell to be rung in order to take the WWF Championship title
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
from Hart who was exiting the World Wrestling Federation for World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
.
: a manager who does the promos, or all the talking, for a wrestler possessing little or no mic skills.
: An informal measure among some fans, mostly smarks, of the amount of blood lost by a wrestler during a match. Ranges begin at 0.0 Muta, with 1.0 Muta being equivalent to the blood loss of The Great Muta
Keiji Mutoh
is a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...
during an infamous 1992 New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
match with Hiroshi Hase.
N
: a match which ends in a draw normally due to a legitimate injury where the wrestler can not continue, the match is declared "out of control" (usually to prolong a feudFeud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
), or because of interference. It may also come about due to an actual emergency, such as a fire where the venue must be evacuated. Derived from boxing terminology.
: occurs when a wrestler's shoulders are pinned to the mat for a count of two, but the wrestler manages to escape before the referee's hand hits the mat a third time, which would signify a pinfall. The term is used more often the "closer" the referee's hand gets to hitting the mat for the third time.
: giving no reaction to another wrestler's offense or moves, as a way to demonstrate a wrestler's unbelievable endurance (like Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
), make the wrestler appear "invulnerable" to pain (like The Undertaker), or to legitimately defy an opponent, such as Road Warrior Hawk
Road Warrior Hawk
Michael James Hegstrand was an American professional wrestler. He is best remembered as Road Warrior Hawk, one half of the tag team known as the Road Warriors or The Legion of Doom , with Road Warrior Animal.-Early life:While living in Chicago, Hegstrand met Joe Lauranaitis, who would be later...
popping up from every piledriver.
: when a wrestler doesn't show up for a match. No-shows are usually staged, often for the purposes of a storyline. Legit no-shows are less frequent, since the wrestler (or other employee) typically faces disciplinary action after such an act.
O
: pinning one wrestler's tag team partner in order to retain their tag team titles unfairly. First used by the New Age OutlawsNew Age Outlaws
The New Age Outlaws, later known as the James Gang and the Voodoo Kin Mafia, were a professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Federation, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , Jersey All Pro Wrestling, and Maryland Championship Wrestling consisting of B.G...
.
: the extent to which a performer has been accepted by fans. A face
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
wrestler is considered over when he is being cheered and supported by fans, whereas a heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
is considered over when he is booed and hated. The term suggests that the fans are buying into what the wrestler is selling, meaning his character and perceived abilities. Since outcomes of matches are predetermined and participants are not actively competing to win a match, winning a match is referred to as "going over" in the wrestling industry. To lose to another wrestler in a match is referred to as "putting him over." Other ways to put over another wrestler is to convincingly sell his offense, or to give an interview that talks up the main qualities and abilities of another wrestler's character.
: showing too much of a reaction to another wrestler's offense. For example, tumbling head over heels all the way across the ring from a simple punch would be an over-sell.
P
: to give away a great number of free (comped) tickets to increase the size of the crowd for publicity. Up-and-coming promotions may do this as a form of advertisement, whereas struggling companies may do this to make their turnouts look better than they really are.: a weak or easily beatable champion.
: Billing a wrestler as being from "Parts Unknown" (rather than from his real hometown or another actual place) is intended to add to a wrestler's mystique. In some territories, the phrase commonly was applied to masked wrestlers. In the post-kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
era, it is used less and less, and usually with a certain air of levity. Sometimes, wrestlers can hail from other, abstract places; for example, the tag team of Deuce 'n Domino
Deuce 'n Domino
Deuce 'n Domino was the name of a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Deuce Shade and Dice Domino, who were managed for the majority of their run by Cherry Pie and briefly by Maryse. The pair teamed together in World Wrestling Entertainment and Ohio Valley Wrestling from 2006 through 2008...
hailed from "the other side of the tracks", the Dudley family
Dudley family
The Dudley Family was a large professional wrestling stable of storyline half-brothers in Extreme Championship Wrestling.-Gimmick:The gimmick of the group was that, despite their obvious differences in physical appearance and race, the members were all said to be the sons of the fictional Willy...
who came from "Dudleyville," The Boogeyman
Marty Wright
Martin "Marty" Wright is an American professional wrestler and actor best known for his time with World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name The Boogeyman.-Tough Enough:...
who came from "the bottomless pit," Shark Boy
Shark Boy
Dean Mathew Roll is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Shark Boy and his experience in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling .-Early career:...
is billed from "the deep blue sea," Eric Young
Eric Young (wrestler)
Jeremy Fritz is a Canadian professional wrestler, best known under his ring name Eric Young. He currently performs for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he has gained popularity using a variety of comic relief gimmicks....
who, for a time, came from "Freedomville, USA," and "Now residing in an undisclosed location," and Judas Mesias, who came from "The Depths of Hell." In an interview, Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
described it as a city in central Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
: the concept that newer or younger wrestlers must be punished in the early parts of their careers, both in and out of the ring. When addressing a specific individual, the speaker may call it "paying your dues." (See "job
Job (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling slang, the term job describes a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect kayfabe. As professional wrestling is scripted, inevitably a wrestler will be required to lose to an opponent.The term...
", "rib" and "stiff")
: is a professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
term for a trained wrestler or actor who poses as a fan, usually seated in the front row of an event. Plants are a good tool for a heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
wrestler to gain heat
Heat (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, heat refers to both crowd reaction and real-life animosity between those involved in the professional wrestling business. In terms of crowd reaction, heat is usually either cheers for a babyface or boos for a heel...
from the crowd. Usually the "plant" is an unknown trained wrestler, often off the independent circuit
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
.
: the reporting of a sporting event with a voice over describing the details of the action of the match in progress. The play-by-play person is assisted by a color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
.
: a sudden crowd reaction, either positive or negative. It is measured by the amount of cheers or derision a wrestler gets during his entrance, interviews, and in-ring performance (especially when a trademark spot is performed by the wrestler).
: striking or hurting another wrestler more than necessary. A wrestler who endures one or more potatoes is likely to potato the perpetrator back, which is known as a 'receipt'.
: The act of getting out of the ring forcefully.
: a series of matches in which the same wrestlers face each other.
: a promotional interview (as in "cutting a promo"). Often includes either an "in-ring interview" or (on television) a skit by wrestlers and other performers to advance a storyline or feud.
: manager of a promotion.
: a group that organizes professional wrestling events.
: Japanese professional wrestling
: when a wrestler gains popularity with wins and positive exposure. A push can be a sudden win over a major superstar, or becoming involved in a high profile angle. (Compare "bury")
: to allow oneself to be pinned or otherwise defeated by someone. The person who the wrestler is putting over is said to be getting over.
R
: refers to a southernSouthern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
style of professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
which emphasizes kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
and stiffness, with fewer squash matches and generally longer feuds. Also a derisive phrase, used mostly by mainstream media in its depiction of professional wrestling itself.
: when a wrestler or personnel is fired or "let go" from their contract.
: if a champion loses his/her title to another, they may invoke this clause to have a rematch in an attempt to regain their lost championship. This can only be used once but the rematch itself can be held on either the day it is invoked or at the next major event. The concept is used for storyline purposes, and is occasionally forgotten altogether.
: a hold applied more lightly at a designated point in a match in order to save energy.
: practical jokes played by or on wrestlers. Wrestlers spend a lot of time together in close quarters and often resort to practical jokes, either to break the monotony or to get revenge for real or imagined wrongs.
: someone involved in the pro wrestling business who is well known for playing practical jokes backstage.
: an experienced veteran who knows how to carry a match to its full potential.
: wrestling a match properly so that the crowd becomes personally involved in the show.
: similar to a rock and roll groupie
Groupie
A groupie is a person who seeks emotional and sexual intimacy with a musician or other celebrity. "Groupie" is derived from group in reference to a musical group, but the word is also used in a more general sense, especially in casual conversation....
, it is someone with amorous feelings for wrestlers and frequents wrestling events to flirt or pursue sexual liaisons with wrestlers. They can also be referred to as arena rats.
: when a wrestler is out-of-practice, and thus more prone to miss spots, as a result of a long period away from wrestling.
: slang phrase for steroids. Roid Rage is the paranoia, depression, and explosive outbursts caused by excessive steroid use.
: occurs when one or more individuals who are not actively participating in a match run into the ring. Run-ins are almost always made by heels
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
, typically to further a feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with a babyface
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
. More often than not, a run-in will result in a "beat down" in which the heel(s) pummel the babyface(s) until the script calls for the beating to stop, either from the heels' satisfaction with their handiwork, a retaliatory run-in by one or more babyfaces, or (less often) the entrance of one or more authority figures (referees, agents, security personnel). Sometimes a run-in results from a babyface wanting to stop a heel from physically punishing a weaker opponent, usually to set up a feud.
: when the end of a match is hurried, usually due to a botch, injury, or time constraints. A match may have a rushed finish for the following reasons: a person in the match is injured
Injury
-By cause:*Traumatic injury, a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident*Other injuries from external physical causes, such as radiation injury, burn injury or frostbite*Injury from infection...
, and needs the match to finish as soon as possible to protect themselves (they often do this by rolling up their opponent for a pin or causing a disqualification); the match is a timed match, where the viewers can see a clock, and the match must end before a certain time on the clock, for storyline purposes; the match is televised, and it had been going on for too long, so its end had to be shortened; or there was a botch
Botch (professional wrestling)
To botch in professional wrestling means to attempt a scripted move that does not come out as it was originally planned due to a mistake, miscalculation, or a slip-up. Most botches are harmless but embarrassing, such as a wrestler simply flubbing a line or missing a cue, or falling before his...
in the match, and the wrestlers have to recover the situation to make it look realistic
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
.
S
: to not cooperate with a throwProfessional wrestling throws
Professional wrestling throws are the application of techniques that involve lifting the opponent up and throwing or slamming him down, which makes up most of the action of professional wrestling. They are sometimes also called "power" maneuvers, as they are meant to emphasize a wrestler's...
and to act as dead weight, which makes the moves the wrestler is attempting much harder, if not impossible to pull off. An alleged sandbagging incident occurred on an episode of SmackDown! in 2002 when Hardcore Holly
Bob Holly
Robert "Bob" Howard better known by his ring name Bob "Hardcore" Holly, is a American professional wrestler. He is best known for his 15-year stint with World Wrestling Entertainment ....
sandbagged Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist, actor and a former professional and amateur wrestler. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is ranked the No.5 Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog...
when attempting a powerbomb, causing Lesnar to drop Holly on his neck - leaving Holly sidelined for over a year.
: a school or gym that teaches students the necessary skills to become professional wrestlers. Students undergo strenuous physical conditioning while learning the basics of the wrestling industry, proper performance techniques, and character development. The courses are taught by qualified professional instructors who have usually worked for several years as professional wrestlers themselves. Some schools are affiliated with a specific promotion company, others are independent.
: a match with a controversial or unsatisfying finish, often involving cheating or outside interference. A worked screwjob, is part of the storyline and the match is intended to end controversially. A shoot
Shoot (professional wrestling)
A shoot in professional wrestling is a term that refers to any unplanned, unscripted or real-life occurrence within a wrestling event. Contrary to popular belief, the name does not originate from "shooting in" for a takedown, as in amateur wrestling - rather it is a carny term shortened from...
screwjob is extremely rare and occurs when a change is made without one of the participants knowing, creating an outcome that is contrary to what was supposedly planned for the storyline by the participants. The most famous example of a screwjob of this type is the Montreal Screwjob
Montreal Screwjob
The Montreal Screwjob was a controversial, purportedly real life professional wrestling event in which the owner of the World Wrestling Federation, Vince McMahon, double-crossed the defending WWF Champion, Bret Hart, during the main event match of the professional wrestling pay-per-view event...
.
: a non-wrestling part of the show, which may include a promo, a backstage scene, an interview segment (for example, Roddy Piper's
Roddy Piper
Roderick George Toombs , better known by his ring name "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, is a Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler and film actor who is currently signed to WWE. In professional wrestling, he is best known for his work with WWE...
Piper's Pit or Chris Jericho's
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
The Highlight Reel or Christian's The Peep Show), or any other period of the show which does not originally contain any form of violence (as segments may break into scripted fights).
: reacting to an opponent's attacks in a manner that suggests that the techniques are being applied at full-force. In general, selling is the act of convincing the audience that what is happening is real; a key aspect of professional wrestling. Certain wrestlers have long-established reputations for "no-selling" (generally refusing to sell), "overselling" (overexaggerating the move's damage), or "mis-selling" (dramatically mistiming the impact to where it looks fake on camera) the opponent's moves.
: any "real" event in the world of wrestling. Many former or retired wrestlers will release information seen as confidential or overly revealing about the business or a particular performer. (Compare "worked shoot") A shooter is a wrestler who has a background in legitimate fighting (originally catch wrestling
Catch wrestling
Catch wrestling is a style of folk wrestling that was developed and popularised in the late 19th century by the wrestlers of traveling carnivals who incorporated submission holds, or "hooks", into their wrestling to increase their effectiveness against their opponents...
, now more often martial arts), for example: CM Punk
CM Punk
Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
and his Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
background; or otherwise has a reputation as a tough guy.
: Any event for a wrestling promotion that a wrestler is scheduled to appear at. A wrestler will often describe keeping his or her schedule of appearances as "making his or her shots". Not making ones "shots" is considered one of the most unprofessional things a wrestler can do and can easily lead to termination by the promotion.
: competitive mixed martial arts competition, used in comparison to the scripted combat of professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
.
: a move performed by a wrestler on a regular basis for which the wrestler is well-known.
: a program or story-line that develops over a long period of time.
: a phrase coined by Internet wrestling fans to describe a fan who enjoys pro wrestling despite or because they know that it is scripted, as well as generally knowing the "ins-and-outs" of the company and knowing many things about the industry or wrestlers collected by sources and are posted online. Smarks may also be criticized for believing they know more than they do in reality about the workings of the wrestling industry. (compare "mark").
: someone who has inside information on the wrestling business.
: a term coined by WWE to differentiate its product from traditional professional wrestling as an attempt to garner interest from a broader audience. It refers to the mix of wrestling, scripted storylines, and concepts that borrow from other forms of pop-culture entertainment.
: a preplanned move, which is designed to get a particular audience reaction or determine the pace of the match. Spots can be anything from an Irish Whip at a certain time, to a series of spots, for example a succession of reversals. Wrestlers who choreograph their matches before the show will usually decide on an opening spot and an ending, as well as several spots to use throughout the match. The remainder of the match will be divided between transition moves and general offensive and defensive moves. A high spot is a move that is particularly exciting. (See "missed spot")
: A wrestler who relies mostly or entirely on high spots to make the fans excite, but rarely has any technical ability. There is a difference between a high flyer and a spot monkey. High fliers generally have technical skills and/or brawling skills to back up their high flying moves, while spot monkeys generally are just acrobats with little to no actual wrestling talent.
: an extremely one-sided match that is usually over quickly. Squash matches usually consist of various wrestlers fighting unknown jobbers, usually to help get a gimmick or moveset over. They are also used to portray a larger wrestler as an unstoppable monster heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
. Babyfaces
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
also win squash matches to show that they are prepared for a bigger challenge.
: is a group of wrestlers within a promotion
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
who have a common element—friendships, either real or storyline
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
, a common manager
Manager (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
, or a common storyline—which puts them together as a unit.
: when a wrestler puts excessive force into his attacks or maneuvers on his opponent, deliberately or accidentally. Vader is an example of someone known for his stiff style of wrestling (he once broke the back of a young wrestler named Joe Thurman, who was paralyzed from the waist down for a couple of hours), as is Jacqueline Moore
Jacqueline Moore
Jacqueline DeLois Moore is an inactive American professional wrestler, who was most recently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
according to former WWE divas who have worked with her. Another wrestler renowned for a very stiff style is New Jack
New Jack
Jerome Young is an American professional wrestler, better known by his stage name New Jack in ECW.He is known for his willingness to take dangerous bumps and his stiff hardcore wrestling style, often taking high risks and "shooting" on opponents, though he is only known to shoot on opponents who...
Stiffness is sometimes considered stylistically appropriate during certain match types, for example hardcore matches. Professional wrestling promotion Ring Of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
is known for having a lot of stiff wrestling matches
: although this sometimes means "to tell on someone," it more often refers to a heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
wrestler booked in the position of underling associate of another heel. The stooge will do his boss' dirty work, such as getting squashed in matches against a babyface
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
(with whom the heel has a feud) to set up a run-in (and subsequent beatdown) and future match.
: word used for championship belt.
: a Japanese-inspired professional wrestling style that is worked, yet aims to deliver realistic performances. The style emphasizes stiff attacks and worked shoots.
: when one wrestler, usually a babyface
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
, no-sells his opponent's offense, usually after several minutes of being dominated. Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
is famous for this kind of comeback, often called 'Hulking up'. John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
has been known to do this as well. After performing his signature sit-up
Kip-up
Kip-up is one of several names for an acrobatic move in which a person transitions from a supine, and less commonly, a prone position, directly to a squatting position by propelling the legs, and consequently the entire body, away from the floor. The move often incorporates the use of the arms and...
, The Undertaker would follow-up with this comeback.
: a term used by the WWE when both the Raw and SmackDown brands perform together on the same night.
: a term that was first used by WWF/WWE in reference to the talent on their roster.
: The move consists of one wrestler picking up his or her opponent off the ground (or mat) and then using a large portion of his or her own body weight to drive the opponent down on the mat.
: a sudden change in the direction of a storyline to surprise the fans. Often, it involves one wrestler turning on an ally in order to join someone who had been a mutual enemy up until that point. Swerves frequently lead to the start of a new feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
between the former friends. Another kind of swerve is when a booker does everything in their power to convince the fans that something specific is going to happen at a show or someone they're expecting is going to debut (or come back), only to then do something completely different. It is sometimes the result of a false report by a wrestler to the press.
T
: a pair of wrestlers working together in a tag team match (a match which pits two or more teams of wrestlers against one another).: When an opponent is taken to the mat from a standing position.
: another name used to describe wrestlers.
: a division of the WWE that deals with the build and introduction of wrestlers. Also given the power to fire wrestlers.
: submitting to a submission maneuver by tapping on the mat (or, on occasion, on the body of the other wrestler at some obviously-seen point), as in mixed martial arts, rather than verbally acknowledging the submission, as was previously common in professional wrestling. In kayfabe
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
, it indicates that a wrestler is giving up because the submission maneuver they are in is too painful. The tap out was introduced to pro wrestling by former ECW wrestler Tazz
Tazz
Peter Senerchia is a retired American professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz...
, who was experienced and well-versed in Judo.
: when the referee slaps the mat with his hand to count a pinfall. In theory, a 3 count lasts for three seconds; however, individual referees have their own cadence. When heel referees are used in storylines, they either frequently use slower or faster counts to favor heel wrestlers, or refuse to count a pin against heel wrestlers.
: a screen which is directly above the stage area of the arena used for showing entrance videos, other segments, and promos. Based on the naming convention of Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
's well-known JumboTron
Jumbotron
A JumboTron is a large-screen television using technology developed by Sony, typically used in sports stadiums and concert venues to show close-up shots of the event. Although JumboTron is a registered trademark owned by the Sony Corporation, the word jumbotron is often used by the public as a...
, a large video screen used primarily in stadiums, arenas, and other public venues, the TitanTron was introduced as part of WWE's Raw set and was named after the then-parent company of the World Wrestling Federation, Titan Sports. The -Tron suffix has since been used to unofficially identify other big screens used in wrestling, such as the "OvalTron" formerly used on SmackDown, or the "PandaTron" used on TNA programming (an allusion to Panda Energy, one of the chief investors of the promotion), or the "JeriTron 5000" used on Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
's in-ring interview segment The Highlight Reel.
: An eye disease caused by a mixture of ring dust and sweat, which caused blindness in several wrestlers including Ed "Strangler" Lewis
Ed Lewis (wrestler)
Robert Herman Julius Friedrich , was a professional wrestler best known by his ring name Ed "Strangler" Lewis, whose career spanned four decades.-Wrestling career:...
.
: a holder of a traditionally-short title reign which bridges two "eras", long-running title reigns by usually-popular champions.
: when a wrestler switches from babyface to heel or vice versa. A hard turn occurs when a wrestler becomes a babyface or heel in a sudden surprise plot twist. In contrast, a soft turn is a gradual switch to babyface or heel over an extended period of time.
: a morally ambiguous wrestler, neither a babyface
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
or heel
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
(an inbetweener). This term is also used to describe wrestlers who use tactics typically associated with heels (e.g., cheating), yet are still cheered by fans in spite of (or because of) these antics. The term is also used to describe wrestlers that remain popular, even though they are actually heels. (In both of the last two cases, a great example is The Road Warriors
Road Warriors
The Road Warriors were a professional wrestling tag team composed of Michael "Hawk" Hegstrand and Joseph "Animal" Laurinaitis. They performed under the name "Road Warriors" in the American Wrestling Association, the National Wrestling Alliance, and World Championship Wrestling, and the name Legion...
.) Recently, CM Punk
CM Punk
Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
is another example of a heel who is highly popular.
: the count at which a wrestler is said to escape from a pinfall when a referee's hand comes very close to hitting the mat for a three-count. These are often used many times in matches to build excitement. Other fractions are used to denote even closer "counts" -- "two-and-three-quarters" is a common one. (see "Near-Fall")
U
: matches prior to the main event. (See also Dark match).: wrestler who gets too little of a push or who are popular with fans but are not involved in main event matchups.
: the act of combining two championships into one; the result of which is either an entirely new title or the consolidation of one title into another. In the past, there were a number of matches booked to unify two major federations' belts, but these matches would often end inconclusively -- the unification angle only used as a drawing point.
: when an underdog
Underdog (competition)
An underdog is a person or group in a competition, frequently in electoral politics, sports and creative works, who is popularly expected to lose. The party, team or individual expected to win is called the favorite or top dog. In the rare case where an underdog wins, the outcome is an upset. These...
defeats someone who they realistically should not be able to, such as a new wrestler defeating a veteran, or a huge, monster-like wrestler being defeated by a smaller wrestler. For instance, Rey Mysterio is known for upset victories due to his small stature.
V
: the state of a championshipChampionship (professional wrestling)
A Championship or "title" in professional wrestling is a recognition promoted by professional wrestling organizations.Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in scripted rivalries...
in which it is not held by any wrestler(s) due to scripted or legitimate circumstances and injuries.
: a typically female accompanying a male performer to the ring. Many times she functions as "eye candy" and plays the role of an agitator or a source of interference.
: any piece of video footage featuring characters or events which is shown to the audience for the purposes of entertainment or edification. Usually, they are meant to either introduce a debuting character or to get a wrestler over before their TV wrestling debut. In WWE, wrestlers rarely acknowledge that they are being filmed, forcing the viewer to "suspend disbelief
Suspension of disbelief
Suspension of disbelief or "willing suspension of disbelief" is a formula for justifying the use of fantastic or non-realistic elements in literary works of fiction...
" as to why a camera operator would be allowed to witness and record an intimate or secretive situation
: A pinfall that the referee doesn't see, but the crowd does. It is usually followed by a late kickout when the referee eventually sees the pinfall and starts counting. It's used to heighten the drama of a match.
W
: first popularized by Steve AustinStone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
during his time in the Alliance, it has become a highly annoying chant from disrespectful fans, during the pauses in a wrestler's promo, to show how far from over the wrestler is, or how slow and uninteresting the promo is being delivered. Rude fans sometimes end up burying performers with this chant or just cause a nuisance, even to other audience members. More experienced speakers such as Vince McMahon can manage to drown out the what by not giving the audience clear cut pauses in his speaking. Often, the chant is used whenever a heel is speaking, with the fans chanting every time the heel pauses. When the heel makes an especially bold, arrogant, or untrue remark, fans will generally respond in unison with a much louder drawn-out chant.
: an event booked to happen, from the carnival tradition of "working the crowd." A work can also refer to the match itself. The opposite of a work is a shoot
Shoot (professional wrestling)
A shoot in professional wrestling is a term that refers to any unplanned, unscripted or real-life occurrence within a wrestling event. Contrary to popular belief, the name does not originate from "shooting in" for a takedown, as in amateur wrestling - rather it is a carny term shortened from...
.
: to specifically and methodically attack, especially a single body part. To "work" on a body part (i.e. an arm) would be to repeatedly use force on that part, until it is damaged enough to be used in the finish of the match. Also, the act of deceiving or manipulating a person or persons, which may or may not be done to preserve kayfabe.
: a wrestler, manager, valet, referee, announcer, or commentator.
: a scripted segment that takes place in a show with elements of reality being exposed, such as an off-screen incident between wrestlers being used as fuel for an on-screen rivalry between them. It can also be a segment that fans are meant to believe is a shoot, but is not, recently used by CM Punk
CM Punk
Phillip Jack "Phil" Brooks , better known by his ring name CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE and working on its Raw brand currently serving his second title reign as WWE Champion....
. Made famous by Vince Russo
Vince Russo
Vincent James "Vince" Russo is an American creative writer and author, well known for his work in the professional wrestling industry. He is notable for his tenure with World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
.
: a wrestler's use of "work" to develop a match. One's workrate is determined by his or her ability to "work" in an intelligent and productive manner. When used by critics, it is an analysis of the action in a match and the skill level exhibited. This word is mostly used by fans and remains unrecognized by most workers.
: the unofficial forum among WWE wrestlers for the policing of wrestlers that violate the rules and traditions laid down by the company. The punishments meted out can range from prank
Practical joke
A practical joke is a mischievous trick played on someone, typically causing the victim to experience embarrassment, indignity, or discomfort. Practical jokes differ from confidence tricks in that the victim finds out, or is let in on the joke, rather than being fooled into handing over money or...
ing to paying for other wrestlers' travel expenses. In Matt and Jeff Hardy
Hardy Boyz
The Hardy Boyz are a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of real-life brothers Matt and Jeff Hardy...
's book Exist 2 Inspire, they mention an incident they had with The Court while it was still headed by The Undertaker:
We got to the next house show and John Bradshaw LayfieldJohn LayfieldJohn Charles Layfield is a former American professional wrestler, a former commentator/host for mixed martial arts promotion Vyper Fight League and financial analyst for Fox News...
told us, 'You guys have been sentenced to Wrestler's Court. Your trial is set for next week at RawWWE RAWWWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
. Wrestler's Court is exactly what it sounds like. All the wrestlers gather in the locker room, and they hold a mock trial. The Undertaker is the judge and John Bradshaw Layfield is the prosecuting attorneyProsecutorThe prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
. It's pretty scary, because once you get up there on the stand, everybody's against you.