From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
List of definitions of terms and concepts related to professional wrestling}
Professional wrestling
has accrued a considerable amount of
jargon
throughout its existence.
[1]
[2]
Much of it stems from the industry's origins in the days of
carnivals
and circuses.
[3]
In the past, professional wrestlers used such terms in the presence of fans so as not to reveal the
worked
nature of the business.
[1]
[3]
Into the 21st century, widespread discussion on the Internet has popularized these terms.
[1]
Many of the terms refer to the financial aspects of professional wrestling in addition to in-ring terms.
[3]
- A-show
- A wrestling event where a company's biggest
draws
wrestle.
[1]
Compare
B-show
and
C-show
.
- A-team
- A group of a wrestling promotion's top stars who wrestle at an A-show.
[1]
Compare
B-team
.
- abort
- To suddenly discontinue a
feud
,
angle
, or
gimmick
due to a lack of fan interest or some other caveat (like injury), usually without explanation.
[1]
- ace
- A term typically only used in Japanese
puroresu
for a wrestler designated as the face of the promotion. Not necessarily the same as the top champion. Examples of aces include
Kazuchika Okada
in
New Japan Pro Wrestling
,
Kento Miyahara
in
All Japan Pro Wrestling
,
Hayabusa
in
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
,
Kaito Kiyomiya
in
Pro Wrestling Noah
, and
Mayu Iwatani
in
World Wonder Ring Stardom
.
[4]
[5]
- agent
Also
road agent
,
producer
and
coach
.
A management employee, often a former wrestler (though it can be a current wrestler or even a non-wrestler), who helps wrestlers set up matches, plan storylines, give criticisms on matches, and relay instructions from the
bookers
. Agents often act as a liaison between wrestlers and higher-level management and sometimes may also help in training younger wrestlers. They are referred to by
WWE
as "producers" and by
AEW
as "coaches".
- alliance
- A cooperative relationship developed between two or more wrestlers, whether wrestling as a
tag team
or in individual matches. Differentiates from a
stable
and a
faction
as the wrestlers are not packaged together, but are presented as a group of individuals working together for a common short-term goal. Alliances are often formed for the specific purpose of retaining titles between the members of the alliance, or to counter a specific foe or group of foes. The formation of an alliance can be a storyline of its own.
[6]
- Andre shot
- A camera trick by which a wrestler is made to appear larger by placing the camera below the wrestler and shooting upward. Named for
Andre the Giant
, a frequent subject of such camera shots.
[2]
- angle
- A fictional storyline. An angle usually begins when one wrestler attacks another (physically or verbally), which results in revenge.
[3]
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 fired.
- Apter mag
- An old-style professional wrestling magazine that sticks to
kayfabe
articles.
[1]
The term refers to the magazines at one time connected to journalist
Bill Apter
, such as
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
.
[1]
- audible
- A message delivered from backstage, either to the referee (using their earpiece) or the commentary team (using their headsets) instructing the wrestlers and other on-screen talent on what to do, usually in order to work around a botch by changing the match on the fly.
- B-show
- A wrestling event featuring the middle and lower-level talent of a wrestling promotion. Sometimes includes well-known wrestlers making a return or finishing up their career.
[1]
Compare
A-show
and
C-show
.
- B-team
- The group of wrestlers on a
B-show
.
[1]
Frequently, the B-team will wrestle at a venue the same night wrestlers on the
A-team
are wrestling in a different event, although a promotion will sometimes schedule an event with B-team wrestlers to test a new market.
Compare
A-team
.
- babyface
- See
face
.
- beat down
-
An
angle
in which a wrestler or other performer is the recipient of a one-sided beating (sometimes with brief
false comeback
s), usually by a group of wrestlers or after being lured into a compromising position.
[1]
- bicycling
- A now-obsolete practice used in the territorial era in which television tapes were distributed to stations within a promoter's territory.
[2]
- bidding war
- A "bidding war" refers to a situation where multiple wrestling promotions compete to sign a particular wrestler, often leading to heightened contract negotiations. This typically occurs when a wrestler's contract is nearing expiration, and their market value is perceived to be high, sparking interest from competing organizations. The term gained notable attention during the self-declared "Bidding War of 2024" initiated by
Maxwell Jacob Friedman
(MJF), where it was heavily implied that
AEW
and
WWE
will engage in competitive negotiations for his contract. This scenario often garners significant attention and can be used by wrestlers and promotions to leverage contract terms or enhance storylines.
[7]
[8]
- blading
-
Also
juicing
,
gigging
and
getting color
.
A wrestler intentionally cutting themselves (or, more rarely, allowing themselves to be cut by the opponent or referee) to provoke bleeding to
sell
the opponent's offense.
- blind tag
- 1. A tag made in a
tag team
match where the wrestler on the apron tags their partner unbeknownst to them or without their consent.
- 2. A tag where the tagger's opponent is unaware a tag has occurred, leaving them open to a blindside attack as they attempt to attack the wrestler who has been tagged out. Most often occurs when the partner in the ring is thrown against the ropes or backed into their own corner.
- blowjob
- An attractive male wrestler, used to attract
groupies
to events.
[9]
- blown spot
- See
missed spot
.
- blow off
- The final match in a
feud
.
[1]
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.
[1]
- blow up
- To become exhausted during a match.
[1]
- bonzo gonzo
- An
ending
used in tag team and other multi-party matches in which all wrestlers are in the ring and the referee cannot restore order.
[2]
- book
Also
booker
and
booking
.
To determine and schedule the events of a wrestling
card
. The person in charge of setting up matches and writing
angles
is a "booker".
[1]
It is the wrestling equivalent of a
director
. A booker can also be described as someone who recruits and 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".
[10]
Booking is also the term a wrestler uses to describe a scheduled match or appearance on a wrestling show (i.e., "a booked match").
[1]
- boom boom boom
- A match segment, often near the end of tag team or multi-party matches, when competitors perform their signature moves in quick succession.
[2]
- botch
-
Something (usually a scripted move or spoken line) which does not go as planned due to a mistake.
- Bret's rope
- The second rope of a
wrestling ring
, the middle rope, often considered the most dangerous rope.
[11]
[12]
Named after wrestler
Bret Hart
, who frequently struck from this rope.
[13]
[14]
[15]
The term was coined by
Jay Hunter
.
[16]
- broadway
Also
going broadway
.
A match that ends in a time limit draw.
- bump
- To fall on the mat or ground.
[1]
[17]
A flat back bump is a bump in which a wrestler lands solidly on their back with high impact, spread over as much surface as possible.
[1]
A "phantom bump" occurs when a wrestler or referee takes a bump without a plausible reason (usually due to a
botch
or other mistake).
[1]
- burial
Also
bury
and
buried
.
The
worked
lowering (relegation) of a wrestler's status in the eyes of the fans. The opposite of a
push
, it is the act of a promoter or
booker
causing a wrestler to lose popularity, momentum and/or credibility, or damaging their gimmick through means such as forcing them to lose in
squash
matches, losing continuously, allowing opponents to no-
sell
or
kick out
of said wrestler's
finisher
, or forcing them to participate in unentertaining or degrading storylines, or not using them at all. A burial is often used a form of punishment due to real-life backstage disagreements between the wrestler and the booker, the wrestler falling out of favor with the company, or sometimes to demote an unpopular performer or
gimmick
.
- business
- Professional wrestling; instead of "profession" or "sport".
[3]
- bust open
- To start to bleed, usually from the head after being hit with something like a chair, and typically (but not always) after
blading
.
- C-show
- An event featuring the lowest level of talent in a promotion, most notably rookies and entry-level talent. Often used as a derogatory adjective.
Compare
A-show
and
B-show
.
- call
- To instruct the other wrestler of what is going to happen in the match.
[1]
Also refers to commentators detailing what is happening during a match.
- call it in the ring
- To make up moves and storytelling in a match on the fly, rather than rehearse them in advance. It is essentially the wrestling equivalent of
improvisational theatre
.
- camera kills
- Empty seats that are not sold due to being right behind a permanent camera location which would result in an obstructed view.
- card
- The lineup of the matches that will be staged at a given venue for a given performance.
[1]
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 are said to be "top of the card" or the
main event
and generally go on last, while the preliminary matches between lesser-known opponents are said to be the "undercard".
- carpenter
- A term for a wrestler whose purpose is to use their in-ring abilities to make their opponents look as good and strong as possible. This is different from an
enhancement talent
in that a wrestler is used as a carpenter because they are recognized as having great in-ring abilities and experience. Often (but not always) a carpenter is an older, more experienced wrestler, tasked with making less experienced wrestlers (often in the beginning stages of receiving a
push
) look like a credible threat going into their next
program
. In modern times, a carpenter is also used when a company is preparing to present a recent signee who may not be familiar to the audience, in an effort to help the wrestler best showcase their abilities. Because of their skill and role in building up talent, carpenters are regarded with a great deal of respect.
- carry
- The act of one wrestler guiding a typically less experienced or skilled performer through a match. A "carry job" refers to a match or
angle
in which a particularly skilled performer is able to make an inferior wrestler look good or is perceived to be doing all the work.
- chain wrestling
- A sequence of traditional grappling moves usually employed near the start of a match. More common in Japan, the UK and Mexico than in the US.
[2]
- champion's advantage
Also
championship advantage
.
The rule that a reigning champion, should they lose during a title defense by
countout
or
disqualification
rather than by the traditional means of pinfall or submission, would retain their title despite losing the match; it can sometimes be revoked as part of a storyline.
[18]
[19]
- cheap heat
- The incitement of a negative crowd reaction by insulting the crowd en-masse, typically by bringing up something unrelated to the wrestling business (such as mocking a local town or sports team), usually used in a negative light. Foreign heel wrestlers, like Iron Sheik, often get this by insulting whatever country they're performing in.
[1]
[3]
Compare
cheap pop
.
- cheap pop
- The incitement of a positive crowd reaction by "kissing up" to the crowd. Mick Foley would often do this by saying "It's great to be here in (insert name of city and state)!" While The Rock would begin many promos by saying “Finally, The Rock has come back to (insert name of city or state)!”,
heels
often follow the same principle, but in reverse to get booed.
Compare
cheap heat
.
- clean finish
A match ending without cheating at all, (including low blows and being hit with weapons)
- clean wrestling
- Matches pitting two
faces
with no storyline animosity against each other, both obeying the rules throughout. Such matches are characterized by an emphasis on displaying
technical wrestling
skill instead of
working
the audience and a general air of sportsmanship. Although a staple of British and Japanese wrestling, it is uncommon in North America.
[20]
One notable "clean" match which took place in North America is
Hulk Hogan
vs.
The Ultimate Warrior
at
WrestleMania VI
in 1990.
[
citation needed
]
- closet champion
- A titleholder (usually a
heel
) who ducks top-flight matches, cheats to win (often by managerial interference), and?when forced to wrestle good opponents?deliberately causes themself to be disqualified (since titles often do not change hands by
disqualification
) to retain the title.
[1]
- color
- The amount of bloodshed in a match.
[1]
[21]
[22]
- comeback
- A moment in which a wrestler is being dominated and then manages to turn things around and fight back successfully. Usually done by
faces
to earn sympathy and support from the audience. The expression "feeding a comeback" refers to behavior by
heels
to increase the dramatic impact of a comeback.
See also
Hulking up
.
- crimson mask
- A face covered in blood, comparable to a mask.
- cross-promotion
Also
forbidden door
.
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.
- curtain jerker
- See
jerk the curtain
- cutoff
Also
getting the
heat
.
A point in a match in which the heel stops the face's attack or comeback and goes on the offensive.
[2]
- dark match
- A non-televised match at a televised show (
compare
house show
).
[1]
A dark match before the show is often used to test new talent or warm up the crowd.
[1]
A dark match after the show typically features
main event
level wrestlers, in order to sell more tickets and send the crowd home happy, without affecting TV storylines. Some promotions may tape the dark matches, such as
All Elite Wrestling
, which showed the dark matches on
YouTube
as
AEW Dark
and
AEW Dark: Elevation
. Both programs were cancelled in April 2023 with the introduction of
AEW Collision
.
[23]
- deathmatch wrestling
-
The bloodiest and most violent form of
hardcore wrestling
, popular in Japan, Mexico, and some parts of the United States. In deathmatch wrestling, many of the traditional rules of professional wrestling are not enforced and the usage of objects such as barbed wire, panes of glass, fluorescent light tubes, and weed whackers occurs. Deathmatches are typically much bloodier and more violent than typical wrestling contests.
- dirt sheet
-
An insider newsletter (or website) in the professional wrestling business. Sometimes written in a negative tone or as a means to "get dirt".
[24]
- double down
- A point in the match in which both wrestlers are prone in the ring.
[2]
- double shot
- Where a wrestler competes twice in one day.
[2]
- double team
-
A tactic used in a
tag team
match when both members of a tag team gang up on one of the opponents, or a move that involves two wrestlers working in unison.
- double turn
- The occurrence when both the
face
and the
heel
switch roles during an
angle
or a match. Arguably the most famous example is that of
Stone Cold Steve Austin
versus
Bret Hart
at
WrestleMania 13
, where Austin entered as a heel and Hart entered as a face, but due to Austin fighting on through blood and passing out to a move by Hart, and Hart's post-match
beat down
, the two switched roles to end the match.
- draw
- A wrestler or
program
that attracts the attention of the audience; someone fans are willing to pay to see. Derived from the term "drawing money", meaning the wrestler makes money for the promotion.
[1]
- drop
- To lose a match or championship (the loser agreed to drop the match to the winner).
- Dusty finish
- A
finish
in which the
face
appears to win a big match, but the decision is later reversed due to some sort of technicality, such as
interference
by other
heels
to save the heel champion, as, in most federations, the title could not change hands on such a
disqualification
. It can also refer to an ambiguous finish to a match where neither wrestler can claim to be the winner.
[1]
Named after
Dusty Rhodes
, who
booked
many such finishes in the
National Wrestling Alliance
(NWA) and later in
World Championship Wrestling
(WCW).
[1]
- enforcer
- 1.
Also
lackey
or
heavy
A (typically larger) wrestler who accompanies another wrestler as a
second
to matches and acts as a bodyguard.
[1]
- 2. An individual who acts in a "
special guest referee
" capacity from outside the ring, ostensibly to maintain order.
- enhancement talent
- See
jobber
.
- exotico
-
A wrestler (typically a Mexican luchador) who competes in drag. Examples of exoticos include Mexico's
Pimpinela Escarlata
, America's
Goldust
and
Vito
, Wales'
Adrian Street
, and Japan's
Yosuke Santa Maria
.
- extreme wrestling
-
A style of professional wrestling that makes frequent use of
highspots
and weapons.
Extreme Championship Wrestling
and
Combat Zone Wrestling
are known for using this style.
- face
-
Also
babyface
, or
tecnico
(Mexico).
A wrestler who is heroic, who is
booked
to be cheered by fans.
[1]
Heels
are the opposite of faces and faces commonly perform against heels.
- face-in-peril
Also
playing Ricky Morton
.
In a
tag team
match, the member of a
face
team who is dominated by the
heel
team for an extended period of the match. The tactic can be used to help get the crowd behind the face tag team and is usually followed up with a
hot tag
. During the 1980s,
Ricky Morton
of the
Rock 'n' Roll Express
was typically in this position while teaming with
Robert Gibson
; so much so that "playing Ricky Morton" has become synonymous with the term.
- faction
- A group of several wrestlers who band together and protect each other during matches. Different from a
stable
in that stables have a leader or
spokesperson
. Factions are also generally larger than stables.
[25]
- fall
- The ending of a match. A fall is obtained by gaining a decision in any manner, normally consisting of a
pinfall
,
submission
,
countout
, or
disqualification
. In a
two out of three falls match
, or a Mountevans Rules match, a wrestler must gain two decisions to win instead of only one.
See also
near-fall
.
- fallout show
- The first televised show after a
pay-per-view
. Often new storylines are introduced in these episodes, and the consequences of the pay-per-view are explained.
Contrast with
go-home show
.
- false comeback
Also
hope spot
.
[2]
A brief offensive flurry by a
face
, before losing momentum back to a
heel
after being dominated for several minutes.
[1]
Usually, it occurs before the actual
comeback
.
- false finish
- A
pinfall
attempt which is kicked out of, usually after a
finisher
or series of high-impact moves, and usually kicked out of just before the referee counts to three. This builds crowd anticipation toward the actual finish.
- feud
-
A
staged
rivalry between multiple wrestlers or groups of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised. Feuds may last for months or even years or be resolved with implausible speed, perhaps during the course of a single match.
[1]
- fighting champion
- A champion who defends their title often, and with most or all of the outcomes being victory by pinfall or submission.
- finish
- The planned end of a match.
[1]
See
clean finish
,
Dusty finish
, and
screwjob
.
- finisher
- A wrestler's signature move that usually leads to the
pinfall
or
submission
.
- five moves of doom
- A particular combination of moves that a certain wrestler tends to use in every match, often in the same sequence, usually ending with their
finisher
. This term is usually used pejoratively, though it was not originally intended so by
Dave Meltzer
, who coined the term in the 1990s to describe the finishing sequence of
Bret Hart
, and later used by fans to describe that of
John Cena
.
- forbidden door
Also
cross-promotion
.
The imagined barrier between competing wrestling promotions; wrestlers who are signed to one promotion but make appearances for another as part of a talent exchange agreement are said to have entered or passed through the Forbidden Door. The term was coined in January 2020 by New Japan Pro-Wrestling's
Hiroshi Tanahashi
when speaking of his desire to challenge
Chris Jericho
for the
AEW World Championship
.
[26]
The term was further popularized by
AEW
general manager
Tony Khan
during an appearance on
Impact Wrestling
television during AEW wrestler
Kenny Omega's
concurrent reign as both AEW World Champion and
Impact World Champion
in 2021, and further codified in 2022 with AEW and NJPW announcing a
joint pay-per-view
with that title, which became
the first
of an annual series.
- foreign object
- A weapon that is not allowed to be used in the match. Usually found under the ring or ringside, in a wrestler's tights, or handed to wrestlers by
managers
, interfering wrestlers, or (less commonly) audience members. If a foreign object is used behind the referee's back, it usually leads to a
pinfall
. The same object is typically less effective in a match where it is legal. At one point in
World Championship Wrestling
(WCW)'s history, this was referred to as "international objects" by commentators due to a misunderstanding of WCW owner
Ted Turner
's objections to the use of the word "foreign" applied throughout his media empire, when he intended only to restrict the word's use on his news networks.
[
citation needed
]
- Freebird rule
- A "rule" that allows a three-wrestler stable to challenge for and defend a tag-team championship with any two of its members. Named for
The Fabulous Freebirds
, who popularized this concept.
[2]
- full package
- A wrestler who can perform well in their wrestling technique, promotional/speaking skills on the microphone, and have an appearance that backs their skillset up. Sometimes calls a 'complete package'. Examples of this are Eddie Guerrero and MJF.
[
citation needed
]
- future endeavored
- Fired or leaving a promotion. Inspired by WWE's announcement of a wrestler's release, typically wishing the subject "all the best in their future endeavors."
[2]
- garbage wrestling
- 1. Unscientific, violent wrestling, incorporating props such as explosives, thumbtacks, barbed wire, and fire.
[27]
- gas
- 1. Steroids.
[1]
- 2. Stamina, as in "out of
gas
".
- gassed
- Exhausted or out of breath during a match.
- gig
- The blade a wrestler uses to cut themselves. The act of cutting oneself with a gig is sometimes referred to as gigging.
[1]
See
blading
.
- gimmick
Also
persona
.
- 1. The character portrayed by a wrestler. Can be used to refer specifically to the motif or theme evoked by a character, as indicated by their name, costume or other paraphernalia, or to refer to any aspect of the
work
ed presentation, sometimes negatively (e.g., a
gimmick match
, which can also have an event based on it, such as
WWE Hell in a Cell
, referred to as a
gimmick event/PPV
).
- 2. A wrestler's
finisher
.
- glorified jobber
Also
jobber to the stars
.
A
jobber
who defeats "pure jobbers" as well as mid-card wrestlers in matches, but consistently loses to
main event
level wrestlers.
- go away heat
- When a wrestler,
heel
or
face
, evokes a negative reaction not through their
working
of the audience but because the audience are not entertained by the wrestler and do not want to watch them perform.
Compare
X-Pac heat
.
- go home
- To finish a match. One wrestler would tell the other to "go home" when it is time for them to execute the planned ending for their match. Referees may also tell the wrestlers to go home (usually after receiving word to do so from a producer backstage).
- go-home show
- The final televised show before a
pay-per-view
event. So named because the promotion will often have no
house shows
in the next few days before the pay-per-view, in order to give the wrestlers a chance to literally go home and rest up so they may bring their A-game at the pay-per-view.
Contrast with
fallout show
.
- going into business for him/herself
- When a wrestler starts working for their own benefit rather than the mutual benefit of themselves and their opponents or partners, typically by refusing to
sell
or by saying something not agreed to in a
promo
. A type of
shoot
.
- gold
- A championship belt.
- good hand
- A decent, skilled, dependable performer, that gels with the wrestlers he or she works with and consistently puts on a good show.
- go over
- To win in a wrestling match.
[1]
- Gorilla position
- The staging area just behind the curtain where wrestlers come out to the ring, named after
Gorilla Monsoon
, who could often be seen standing there during WWF/WWE PPVs. The Gorilla Position in
World Championship Wrestling
was named after
Jody Hamilton
and was commonly referred to as the "Jody Position." In
All Elite Wrestling
, the "go position" is named the "Dusty Position" after
Dusty Rhodes
.
[28]
- green
- Refers to a wrestler who is in the early stages of their career and, as a result, may be prone to making mistakes because of their inexperience.
[1]
- gusher
- A deep cut that bleeds a lot,
[22]
usually caused by a mistake while
blading
, but can be intentional. An example happened at the
Judgment Day
PPV in 2004, when
Eddie Guerrero
accidentally hit a blood vessel when blading.
[1]
- hard camera
- The main camera(s) that shoots the ring from the crowd. These are positioned in the first level of permanent seats usually at about the center court/center ice area of a venue.
- hardcore wrestling
-
A style of wrestling that emphasizes brutality and real violence with matches typically involving minimal
technical wrestling
, instead focusing on moderate brawling techniques and the use of weapons.
- hardway
- A wrestler drawing blood by any means other than blading, typically from a legitimate strike or
potato
.
- head drop
- A move which, as a result of a
botch
or otherwise, 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 their 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. Some wrestlers have used moves where the receiver lands on their head as their
finisher
, including
Kenta Kobashi
, who used the highly dangerous
Burning Hammer
as his finisher.
[29]
- heat
-
1. Negative reactions (such as booing) from fans. When the heat is directed at a
heel
, this is seen as a good thing, as it means fans are reacting in the desired way.
- 2. Real-life tension or ill will between two wrestlers, or a wrestler and the promotion.
- heater
- A wrestler; usually a
jobber
who is used against a more valued opponent to "heat them up" perhaps after a recent loss or succession of losses.
- heel
-
Also
rudo
(Mexico).
A wrestler who is villainous, who is
booked
to be booed by fans.
[1]
Faces
are the opposite of heels, and heels commonly perform against faces.
- hide
- To choreograph a match (or series thereof) to cover up a wrestler's injury, inexperience, or lack of ability.
[2]
- highspot
-
A high-stakes move which is perceived to be risky and very dangerous, often legitimately.
[1]
- Hollywood
- A popular
heel
/
face
persona based on the idea of a performer having real-world success and fame which transcends the wrestling business. Used by wrestlers such as
Hulk Hogan
,
The Rock
,
Batista
, and
The Miz
.
- hooker
- 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.
[1]
Primarily a holdover from the days where professional wrestling had to maintain
kayfabe
, a hooker would be used against a local non-wrestler brawler to enhance the belief that professional wrestling was "real". Additionally, the champion would most often be a hooker in order to avoid his opponents trying to
shoot
on him. One of the most famous hookers in wrestling history was world champion
Lou Thesz
.
- hoss
- A wrestler who is physically large, but lacks other skills. A match between two large men who use plenty of
stiff
strikes is sometimes known as a "hossfest".
- hotshot
- A rushed
feud
, climax of a feud, or big match on television instead of at a
pay-per-view
in order to get a short-term boost for business.
[1]
Also applies to
angles
or
turns
that are done for shock value rather than acting as a part of an ongoing storyline.
[1]
- hot tag
- In a
tag team
match, the
face
's tag to a fresh partner after several minutes of being dominated by both
heels
, usually immediately followed by the freshly tagged partner getting in a quick burst of offense.
[1]
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, or a legal tag being made while the referee is distracted, resulting in the referee forcing the fresh partner out of the ring because "he was not tagged in").
- house
- The amount of money drawn at a particular event. Also, a term denoting how many fans are in attendance for an event (e.g., "that looks like a packed house tonight").
[1]
- house show
-
Also
live event
.
An untelevised event.
- Hulking up
- A type of
comeback
spot that involves the face suddenly start to
no-sell
their opponent's offense, recovering more strength with every blow before finally striking back. Named after
Hulk Hogan
, who regularly used this as a part of his matches.
- idol wrestler
- A Japanese term for
joshi
wrestlers who are known for their attractive appearance and may be involved in the
Japanese idol industry
. Idol wrestlers often sing songs and model in
photo-books
and/or on various video releases. Examples include
Takako Inoue
,
Cutie Suzuki
, and
Riho
.
- impromptu match
- A match that takes place, specifically on
pay-per-views
, that was not advertised on the
card
before the event.
- independent promotion
-
Also
indie promotion
.
A smaller wrestling company that operates at a local (rather than national) level and typically employs freelance wrestlers, as opposed to signing wrestlers to exclusive contracts.
- interbrand
- A term used by
WWE
during
their brand extension
to reference a match between talent from the
Raw
,
SmackDown
,
ECW
, or
NXT
brands.
- interpromotional
- Also known as
cross-promotion
. A match or event involving wrestlers from two or more different promotions wrestling, usually against each other, on the same
card
.
- interference
- The act of someone who is not part of the match (including a
second
) getting involved; this may involve distracting or assaulting one or more of the participants in the match.
- invasion storyline
- A storyline in which a group of wrestlers from one promotion 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.
- IWC
- Internet wrestling community; the community of
Internet
users (some of them
smarks
on
social media
) who discuss professional wrestling online.
- jerk the curtain
- To wrestle the first match of the
card
. Refers to the curtain separating the entranceway from backstage. A wrestler commonly booked in this position is a "curtain jerker". In recent years, this term has become much less pejorative, with many main event level wrestlers choosing to have the first match of the show, as a way to "set the tone".
- job
-
To lose in a wrestling match.
- jobber
Also
enhancement talent
.
A wrestler who routinely loses in order to build the credibility of other wrestlers.
[1]
- joshi
- Shorthand for
joshi puroresu
; Japanese women's professional wrestling.
- juice
- 1. Steroids.
[1]
Same as
gas
.
- 2. Blood,
[3]
[21]
usually from the forehead.
[1]
See also
blading
.
- kayfabe
-
The presentation of professional wrestling as being entirely legitimate or unscripted. Prior to the mid-1980s, this was universally maintained across all wrestling territories and promotions.
- kick-out
- To use the legs to kick or power out of a pin by using the force made to lift the shoulders off the mat.
- king's road
- This term describes the style of wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
uses. It is a fusion of the Japanese
strong style
and a more American style of professional wrestling. King's road practitioners incorporated increasingly more
stiff
strikes and
head drops
during the 1990s.
- legit
Short-form of "legitimate".
1. Refers to
real-life
incidents or events that have not been
booked
or scripted and are therefore not part of the fictional and
kayfabe
presentation. It is often used to describe a genuine injury to a wrestler, as opposed to one scripted as part of a storyline.
- 2. Used to describe a wrestler who has a genuine background in another combat sport (typically boxing, other wrestling codes, or mixed martial arts) and so has proven "real" fighting skills.
- lesbian pollen
- When a female wrestler is
lesbian
in kayfabe to play mind games on her opponent. Examples of this are the
Dawn Marie
/
Torrie Wilson
storyline, and the
Trish Stratus
/
Mickie James
storyline. The term originated from OSW Review.
- lights out
- A
spot
in which the house lights are suddenly turned down to allow for a surprise of some kind.
[2]
- local competitor
- An unsigned wrestler that is usually put into
squash
matches with company wrestlers to build the other's momentum. Often used so known wrestlers from the promotion do not have to
job
.
- local medical facility
- WWE's term for 'hospital'. Used in kayfabe scenarios when a wrestler is injured and was coined to prevent fans from calling an actual hospital during the time in which kayfabe was not yet broken.
- lock up
Also
link up
.
A portion of a match, usually the very start of the match, where two wrestlers join together in a collar-and-elbow tie up.
- low-carder
- A wrestler who typically wrestles near the beginning of a show and does not participate in major storylines or matches. Often seen as being at the bottom of a promotion's hierarchy.
- lumberjack (m)
- lumberjill (f)
- A wrestler, typically, 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 wrestler 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) wrestlers.
- lucha libre
-
Mexican professional wrestling. Translates to "free fight" and is sometimes shortened to simply
lucha
, the Mexican style of professional wrestling is characterized by high-flying aerial moves, colored masks, and the rapid series of holds, strikes, and maneuvers.
- lucharesu
- The specific fusion style of professional wrestling that could involve the high-flying acrobatic moves of
lucha libre
and the suplexes, strong martial arts strikes, physicality, and psychology of
puroresu
or strong-style wrestling.
- main event
- The headline or marquee match of a show. Almost always the last match of the show, although some exceptions exist. The penultimate match on a card is sometimes referred to as the
semi main-event
.
- main eventer
- A wrestler who is seen as on the highest level in a promotion and typically headlines shows. Often wrestling for the world title of a promotion.
- manager
-
A performer (usually a non-wrestler) who is paired with one or more wrestlers in order to help them get
over
, often by acting as a
mouthpiece
or interfering in matches on their behalf. Typically, managers are seen accompanying their wrestlers to the ring and are presented as having some sort of influence or sway over their wrestlers.
- mark
- 1. A wrestling fan who enthusiastically believes or behaves as though they believe professional wrestling is not staged, or loses sight of the staged nature of the business while supporting their favorite wrestlers.
[30]
The term is often used pejoratively, for example to refer to people who have little or no knowledge about the business, which to an insider can refer to all wrestling fans.
[31]
- 2. Used by some industry insiders to describe a participant in the wrestling industry whom they think believes that any
worked
aspect of the industry is more important than the money they can earn; for example, being preoccupied with holding a title belt rather than being paid more will often see a wrestler described as a "mark for him/herself."
[1]
- married
- To be paired with another wrestler (or tag team) in a long series of matches.
[2]
- Marty Jannetty
Also simply
Jannetty
.
Derisive term given to a member of a tag team who, upon the breakup of the team, achieves markedly less success than their partner. Coined in reference to
Marty Jannetty
, who teamed with
Shawn Michaels
to form
The Rockers
. While Michaels went to become a four-time world champion and two-time
WWE Hall of Famer
, Jannetty was released from the WWF two months after the team's breakup and would repeatedly be hired and fired from the promotion (and other promotions) over the next twenty years, almost always participating in storylines which related to his status as Michaels's former partner. Other wrestlers often seen as a Jannetty of a team include
Rick Steiner
of
The Steiner Brothers
,
Stevie Ray
of
Harlem Heat
, and
Jim Neidhart
of
The Hart Foundation
.
[32]
- mechanic
- A wrestler whose job it is to
feud
with the future
main event
performers and help get them ready for the position. Other times, mechanics are the in-ring teachers helping younger wrestlers gain experience and ability.
[33]
- mic work
Also
microphone work
.
The ability to generate reaction from the audience using words, and generally by speaking using a microphone.
[34]
- mid-carder
- A wrestler who is seen as higher than a
low-carder
, but below a
main eventer
, typically performing in the middle of a show. Often wrestling for the secondary title of a federation.
[1]
- missed spot
Also
blown spot
and
mis-selling
.
A move or series of moves which are mistimed.
[1]
- money mark
- Someone who founds or invests in a wrestling promotion mainly to associate with wrestlers, often willfully or ignorantly disregarding financial risks a profit-focused investor would avoid.
- money match
- A highly promoted non-title match at or near the end of a
card
, which is a main selling point for an event.
[1]
- monster
-
An extremely powerful, seemingly unbeatable wrestler, either
face
or
heel
, who often wins matches in a quick, one-sided manner.
- mouthpiece
- A
manager
who does the
promos
, or all the talking, for a wrestler possessing poor oration skills.
[1]
- Muta scale
- An informal measure among some fans of the amount of blood lost by a wrestler during a match. The scale begins at 0.0 Muta (no blood), with 1.0 Muta being equivalent to the blood loss of
Great Muta
during an infamous 1992
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
match with
Hiroshi Hase
.
[35]
- near-fall
- An occurrence in which 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
. "Two-and-a-half count" or other fractions used to denote even closer "counts", such as "two-and-three-quarters", are often used many times in matches to build excitement.
- night off
- To be paired for a match with a wrestler who is typically easy to work with.
- no contest
- A match that ends in a draw without any clear resolution. This is often due to unforeseen circumstances such as an injury, a major
spot
or
angle
which overshadows proceedings, or the referee being presented as having lost control of the match.
- no-sell
- To show no reaction to an opponent's offensive moves; a way to demonstrate endurance, appear invulnerable to pain, illustrate masochistic tendencies, or intentionally
bury
an opponent. Generally, no-selling is
worked
as a part of
kayfabe
, but several wrestlers are known to have
shoot
no-sold their opponent's moves for various reasons.
Compare
sell
and
over-sell
.
- no-show
- A wrestler's or performer's unplanned absence from a show in which they were
booked
, often leading to last minute changes on the show's
card
.
- nuclear heat
- A high level of
heat
, when fans are agitated to the point of being legitimately angry or upset.
- over
- Achieving the desired crowd reaction, with the audience buying into a performer or
gimmick
.
[1]
Faces
who are over will be cheered, and
heels
who are over will be booed. Sometimes particular aspects of a performer's presentation may be over (such as a specific chant, a move they perform or their ring entrance) without the performer themselves being considered over. Building a rapport with the audience is described as "getting over".
- over-booking
- A match or angle that is perceived to have been written or choreographed to be more complicated then necessary. Often through the overuse of run-ins, interference, ref bumps and non-wrestling related elements.
- over-sell
- To show too much of a reaction to an opponent's offense. Over-selling may be done accidentally, for example during a
missed spot
, or intentionally for various reasons, as occurred in the match between
Hulk Hogan
and
Shawn Michaels
at
SummerSlam
in 2005, where Michaels frequently over-sold Hogan's moves. Wrestlers such as
Curt Hennig
,
Dolph Ziggler
, and
Evan Golden
are notable for over-selling.
Compare
sell
and
no-sell
.
- paper
- To give out free tickets to an event to make it look better attended than it otherwise would have been.
- Parts unknown
-
A vague, fictional location. Billing a wrestler as being from "parts unknown" (rather than from their 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 similarly abstract places, for example
Stardust
being billed from "the fifth dimension",
Damien Demento
being billed from "the outer reaches of your mind", or
Danhausen
being billed from "some place far away", or may have their location simply omitted from introductions, such as in the cases of
Big Show
and
Braun Strowman
.
[36]
- payoff
- The culmination of an
angle
or storyline with the intention of providing gratification for the fans. Typically involves a
face
finally overcoming a dominant
heel
.
- phantom title change
- An occasion when a wrestler is announced as having won a championship from another wrestler in a match which did not actually occur, often due to the previous champion having left the promotion. In the era of territories, non-existent title matches were often said to have taken place in a different part of the country.
- Philly pop
- The act of a promotion bringing in a former
Extreme Championship Wrestling
wrestler when in
Philadelphia
.
- Pillmanize
- The act of "breaking" an opponent's ankle, arm, or neck by placing it between the seat and headrest of a steel chair and then stepping or jumping on the chair or striking it with a second object. Named for
Brian Pillman
, who suffered a severe ankle injury (in kayfabe) when attacked in this manner by Stone Cold Steve Austin.
[2]
- pinfall
-
Holding a wrestler's shoulders to the mat for a three count, to win a
fall
.
- pipe bomb
- A
worked shoot
promo
where the wrestler giving the promo appears to break
kayfabe
and touches on real-life topics that are considered taboo, such as backstage politics or issues which are not typically addressed in storylines due to bad publicity. This was a term first used by
CM Punk
.
[
citation needed
]
- plant
- A wrestler, stagehand, or paid actor who poses as a fan, usually seated in the front row of an event.
[1]
Plants are often victimized or attacked by
heel
wrestlers in order to gain
heat
, or are used to participate in matches or storylines after being "randomly selected" from the crowd.
[1]
Notable examples of plants were the
WWE
debut of
Santino Marella
, who won the
Intercontinental Championship
after being picked out of the crowd, or at
WrestleMania 34
when
Braun Strowman
picked a 10-year-old boy named Nicholas (the son of referee
John Cone
) out of the crowd to be his tag team partner. (They would defeat
Cesaro and Sheamus
to win the
Raw Tag Team Championship
).
[37]
[38]
- poaching
- The act of luring away key talent from one company to another, usually with offers of higher pay. It is sometimes done deliberately to weaken a company by taking away their top draws. Poaching is typically done by larger companies. A more extreme form of poaching, wherein multiple wrestlers from a company are lured away, is referred to as
raiding
.
- policeman
- police woman
Also
house shooter
.
A wrestler, often a respected or feared shooter or street fighter, responsible for enforcing the promoter's will against recalcitrant wrestlers by performing unscripted or painful moves within a match, punishing or intimidating them for defying the management. In today's industry it is a largely outdated because such tactics are illegal if they can be proved. Typically, it is only still used by
dirt sheets
and outside commentators who believe one wrestler is deliberately placed in matches against more dangerous opponents and injured deliberately after disagreements with management. While allegations of this sort persist, including being made by wrestlers themselves, few have been proven.
[1]
Also describes a wrestler who keeps order in the locker room by threats of physical force.
[2]
- pop
- A cheer or positive reaction from the crowd.
- popcorn match
- Originally described a post-intermission match viewed as not important enough to keep fans from trips to the concession stands. Now describes a more lighthearted match designed to provide relief of dramatic tension.
[2]
- potato
- A strike to the head which makes real contact. A wrestler who endures one or more potatoes is likely to potato the perpetrator back, which is known as a
receipt
.
- potato-sacking
Also
sandbag
.
A wrestler will make themselves dead weight, to prevent their opponent from lifting them up for a move. Though usually planned in a match, it can also be deliberately done by a wrestler who does not want to be lifted for a move, which can make the move harder to be properly executed and can cause a higher risk of injury to either one of the wrestlers.
- powdering
- The act of forcefully exiting the ring.
- pre-show
Also
kickoff show
- A free television program aired prior to a pay-per-view event (usually carried via outlets such as television provider
barker channels
,
live streaming
on a promotion's website or
social media
platforms, or on a promotion's normal television outlet). It functions similarly to
pre-game shows
in televised sports, containing previews and analysis of the pay-per-view's matches, and recaps of the storylines that led up to the event. They may also include one or more preliminary
undercard
matches.
- program
- A series of matches in which the same wrestlers face each other, usually due to the two being scripted in a
feud
.
- promo
-
An in-character interview or monologue.
[1]
Often includes either an in-ring or backstage interview or some other type of skit by wrestlers and other performers to advance a storyline or
feud
.
[1]
The act of performing a promo is referred to as "cutting", as in "cutting a promo". When the promo is aimed at a specific opponent (which can be an individual,
tag team
,
stable
, or
faction
), it is said to be cut "on" the target. A
promo
is an essential part of any wrestling show and is named as such as it is meant to "promote" an upcoming show or a future segment on the current show.
[39]
- protected
- An aspect of the business which is consciously presented in a way that will make it look as strong and credible as possible. Wrestlers can be protected by
booking
them in a way which emphasizes their strengths and hides their weaknesses as a performer, while a move can be protected by having opponents
sell
strongly and rarely
kick out
.
- pull apart
- A brawl so vicious that the combatants need to be pulled apart by others.
- pure wrestling
- See
technical wrestling
.
[40]
- puroresu
-
In the strict sense, a style of Japanese professional wrestling popularized by
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
. Also broadly used to refer to
all Japanese professional wrestling
. The term can be transliterated as "pro-wres".
- push
-
The
worked
rising of a wrestler's status in the eyes of the fans.
Compare
burial
- put over
- The act of one wrestler helping to boost the status of another, most often by losing a match or by
selling
their opponent as a credible threat.
- rasslin'
Also
wrasslin'
,
southern style
or, more specifically,
Memphis style
.
Originally, along with "grunt-and-groan", used by the mainstream media when presenting a derisive story on professional wrestling, which often stereotyped the participants and audience. Now refers to a style of wrestling popular in
the Mid-South region of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas
(primary city is
Memphis, Tennessee
), and as a result, the
southeastern United States
, which emphasizes
kayfabe
and
stiffness
, generally with fewer
squash
matches and longer
feuds
, hence the more recent "southern style" or to be specific compared to the Carolinas (
Jim Crockett
) or Georgia styles, "Memphis style".
- receipt
- A term for returning a particularly
stiff
move back to a wrestler. This is usually done when one wrestler is being legitimately hit by his/her opponent's blows, and the wrestler being hit will send a legitimate move or hit back to the opponent as a wordless reminder to not hit so hard. Can also be used to refer to other aspects of the wrestling presentation, such as
going into business for him/herself
in a
promo
.
- ref bump
- A scenario where the referee of the match takes a
bump
and is removed from the match due to being (in
kayfabe
) knocked out, temporarily or permanently. This usually occurs to allow a storyline to progress (such as a
run-in
by a third party or
turn
by a
second
).
- rematch clause
Also
return clause
.
When a champion loses their title to another, this may be invoked as a storyline plot device to procure a title rematch in the near future (often the next pay-per-view event) in order to continue a
feud
. In recent years, this clause has often been explicitly ignored in storylines.
- repackage
- To give a wrestler a new
gimmick
.
- rest hold
-
A loose hold applied during a match, during which wrestlers catch their breath or plan the next series of
spots
together.
[1]
- rib
- A practical joke played by or on a wrestler.
[1]
- ring general
- An experienced wrestler who knows how to work a match to its full potential.
- ring psychology
- The process of wrestling a match in such a way that the crowd becomes emotionally involved. Performing an engaging match requires acting skills and a good grasp of dramatic timing.
[41]
- ring rat
- Similar to a
groupie
, one who frequents wrestling events to pursue sex with wrestlers.
[1]
[42]
- ring rust
- A detriment to wrestling ability resulting from lack of practice during a hiatus.
- Road Warrior Pop
- A loud roar of approval that a wrestler receives from the fans when making their entrance to the ring, in reference to popular tag team
the Road Warriors
, also known as Legion of Doom.
- rope break
- A break of the pin count or submission when a wrestler has his hands or feet on the rope or under the rope.
- rub
- Helping a less popular wrestler get
over
by associating them with a more prominent or popular wrestler. An example of this being when The Hurricane won against The Rock during a time in which The Rock was one of the highest ranking wrestlers, while The Hurricane was a mid-carder.
[43]
- rulebreaker
- A wrestler whom
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
referred to a heel as in its early years of circulation
- run-in
-
The unexpected entry of a new wrestler(s) or returning wrestler in a match already in progress.
[1]
Run-ins are usually made by
heels
, typically to further a
feud
with a
face
.
[1]
This is usually done with a
beat down
. Sometimes a face will do a run-in to protect another face from a heel who is cheating or overly punishing the weaker opponent, often beginning a feud.
- rushed finish
Also
audible finish
.
A match finish which occurs sooner (and often differently) than planned. It is used when a wrestler is legitimately injured and cannot continue as planned, when the match is approaching its time limit (or a television segment is running long), or after a
botch
significantly changes the plot of the match. The term "audible" is also used, referring to the finish being known to happen upon verbal instruction from outside the ring.
- sandbag
Also
potato-sacking
.
To sabotage a
throw
by letting one's body go limp instead of cooperating, which makes the throw much harder, if not impossible, to execute. This move is typically done deliberately to make the attacker appear weak or unskilled, but can also be the result of a
botch
. Sandbagging can be dangerous, as many moves require specific actions by the target to lower the risk of injury.
[1]
- schmoz/schmozz
- A match that ends in chaos rather than in a decisive finish, usually due to a number of wrestlers not involved in the match running in and preventing a clean finish, often designed to end a match or
angle
.
- scientific wrestler
- A wrestler whom
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
referred to as a babyface as in its early years of circulation.
- screwjob
- An unfair and controversial finish, often involving cheating or outside interference.
[1]
A
worked
screwjob is part of the story and is used to generate heat or sympathy while allowing a popular babyface to lose
without losing credibility
. A
shoot
screwjob occurs when the finish is changed without informing the losing wrestler. One famous instance of this was the
Montreal Screwjob
at the 1997
Survivor Series
, when
Shawn Michaels
won the
WWF Championship
from
Bret Hart
after
Vince McMahon
ordered referee
Earl Hebner
to ring the bell.
- second
- A person accompanying, or "seconding", a wrestler to a match.
[44]
Typically a
manager
,
valet
,
enforcer
, tag team partner or
stable
mate, the second is typically listed on the card alongside the wrestler they are supporting.
- sell
- To react to something in a way which makes it appear believable and legitimate to the audience.
[1]
Typically refers to the physical action by a wrestler of making an opponent's moves look impactful, but it can be used to refer to any aspect of the
worked
presentation, notably including commentator reactions.
[45]
Compare
no-sell
and
over-sell
.
- shitcan
- To forcefully throw a wrestler from inside the ring to the floor outside through the ropes.
- shoot
-
When a wrestler or personality deliberately goes off-script, either by making candid comments or remarks during an interview, breaking
kayfabe
, or
legitimately
attacking an opponent.
- shoot style
-
A style of professional wrestling that originates in Japan. Shoot style wrestling employs
stiff
strikes, realistic
submission holds
, and occasionally a round system or other specific rules and ways to win in an attempt to give professional wrestling a
legitimate
sports-like feel.
Satoru Sayama
and
Akira Maeda
in the
UWF
and
Nobuhiko Takada
in the
UWFi
popularized the style.
- signature move
- A move a wrestler regularly performs, for which the wrestler is well known. Also, a term used for a special move done before their finisher.
[46]
- slow burn
- A storyline that develops over a long period.
- smark
- Short for "smart
mark
". Someone who has inside knowledge of the wrestling business, but is not speaking from their own personal experience with the business and has typically obtained that knowledge through
dirt sheets
. Often used as a term of derision for know-it-all fans.
[30]
- smart
- Having inside knowledge of the wrestling business. Originally used to refer to those who were aware of the existence of
kayfabe
and the scripted nature of professional wrestling. The act of teaching someone inside knowledge of the wrestling business is referred to as "smartening up" someone.
[1]
[2]
- snug
- To apply real pressure to a hold, either to make it appear more realistic to the audience, or to exact supremacy or revenge over an opponent.
[30]
Compare
stiff
.
- sports entertainment
-
The term
WWE
uses to describe both its own product and professional wrestling as a whole. It was first used by the promotion in the 1980s and is intended to acknowledge wrestling's roots in competitive sport and dramatic theater.
- spot
- Any planned action or series of actions in a match.
[1]
Variations include the
highspot
,
comeback spot
,
hope spot
, and take-home spot.
Compare
missed spot
.
- spotfest
- A match which consists mainly or entirely of pre-planned
spots
, normally with little flow and no logical transitions between moves and with little or no storytelling. Often used as a derisory term for matches which are seen to prioritize high-impact stunts over
ring psychology
.
- spotmonkey
- Derogatory term used to denote a wrestler who is believed to rely heavily on
highspots
in order to mask a lack of basic wrestling ability.
- squared circle
- The wrestling ring.
- squash
- An extremely one-sided match.
[1]
Sometimes called
Tomato-can
match. Squashes generally feature star wrestlers or wrestlers receiving a
push
quickly and easily defeating
jobbers
, usually to help get a
gimmick
or moveset
[
definition needed
]
over
.
- stable
-
A team of three or more wrestlers, usually
heels
, who generally share common motives, allies and adversaries within a storyline (or through multiple storylines) and are often presented as having the same or very similar
gimmicks
. Stables sometimes have several members partake in more separate activities, such as
Owen Hart and the British Bulldog
having their own tag team while also being part of the larger
Hart Foundation
. This is also rather common in Japanese promotions, where large stables (such as
Chaos
and
Bullet Club
) will also have various teams and sub-groups within them. A stable differs from a
faction
in that a stable consists of wrestlers who share a common leader, for example as a
manager
or
valet
, who directs the wrestlers and speaks for them.
- stick
- A microphone ("the stick"), used to deliver a
promo
.
[49]
- stiff
- Using excessive force when executing a move, deliberately or accidentally, thus causing the opponent increased legitimate pain.
[1]
[50]
- Sting money
- A term from the 1990s used to refer to a lucrative contract, such as the one held by
Sting
in
World Championship Wrestling
.
[51]
- strap
- A championship belt.
- stretching
- The act of causing physical harm to prospective professional wrestlers, usually by the means of
submission holds
. In the
kayfabe
period, this served to protect the wrestling business from accusations of "being fake", to instill humility in newer members of the locker room, & helped to weed out those who could not take punishment. A professional wrestling trainer notable for "stretching" his recruits was
Stu Hart
, in the infamous
Hart Dungeon
.
[52]
Other wrestlers in various territories who were used to test potential newcomers were
Danny Hodge
,
Bob Roop
, and "Dr. Death"
Steve Williams
.
- strike
- 1. Any contact made by one wrestler to their opponent (e.g., punches, kicks, chops, etc.).
- 2. A violation of
WWE
's wellness policy, with three strikes in an 18-month period resulting in a wrestler being released from the promotion.
- strong style
- A Japanese-inspired professional wrestling style that is
worked
, yet aims to deliver realistic performances, through
stiff
martial arts strikes and
worked shoots
.
[1]
- super finisher
- A move rarely used by a wrestler, but one that almost always ends a match. Some notable examples include
Randy Orton
's Punt Kick and
Kenta Kobashi
's Burning Hammer.
Kenny Omega
's One Winged Angel is also an example of a very protected finisher with his often tag-team partner
Kota Ibushi
being the only person known to have kicked-out of the move.
- Superstar
- WWE
's term for wrestlers on their roster.
- swerve
- 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 a supposed mutual enemy. Swerves frequently start
feuds
between the former allies. This also refers to when a
booker
leads fans to believe that something is going to happen (or someone could appear) at a show, before doing something entirely different.
[1]
- tease
- To indicate a
turn
. A
face
teases a
heel
turn if they start exhibiting heel behaviors and a heel indicates a face turn if they start exhibiting face behaviors or fall victim to the misdeeds of a more nefarious heel.
- technical wrestling
- A style of wrestling focussed more on holds, takedowns, submissions, and grappling.
- technician
- A wrestler who employs or masters so called technical wrestling style.
Bret Hart
is a commonly cited example of a great technical wrestler.
[53]
- Titan Towers
- A nickname for
WWE
's corporate office in
Stamford, Connecticut
.
- TitanTron
-
A video screen above the entrance stage area, used for showing entrance videos, backstage segments, promos, and the match-in-progress for audience members seated too far back from the ring. A play on the name of
Sony
's
JumboTron
and
Titan Sports
, the then-parent company of the
World Wrestling Federation
(WWF), the TitanTron was introduced as part of WWF's
Raw
set in the mid-1990s. The concept has since been adapted by other major promotions, such as
World Championship Wrestling
, which used the TurnerTron (which was sometimes called NitroVision).
- trainer
- An individual who trains someone as a professional wrestler, generally a former or current wrestler themselves.
- transitional champion
- A short-reigning champion who serves to move the title indirectly from one wrestler to a third. They are usually used when the title is to be moved between two faces, to avoid requiring them to wrestle each other (to avoid
burying
one, to save the match up for a bigger show, or, more rarely, when the wrestlers refuse to work with each other).
- turn
- A switch in alignment of a wrestler's character. Turns involve a wrestler going from
face
to
heel
or vice versa.
[1]
There are two types of turns, the hard turn (which occurs quickly and acts as a surprise device) and the soft turn (a gradual shift in character). Transitioning from a face into a heel is called a 'heel turn' and the opposite is called a 'face turn'.
- tweener
- A morally ambiguous wrestler who is neither a
face
nor
heel
(an in-betweener),
[1]
also sometimes describes a heel who is usually cheered or a face who is usually jeered, especially when two faces or two heels face each other. (See also:
antihero
)
- Unified
-
The state of two or more
championships
when merged by one champion.
- vacant
- The state of a
championship
not held by any wrestlers.
- valet
-
A person, usually female, who accompanies a performer to the ring.
[54]
Usually serves to titillate or agitate the crowd, or to
interfere
in the match.
[54]
- vanilla midget
- A derogatory term created by
Kevin Nash
to describe wrestlers who are good ring-workers, but believed to be too small and boring to ever succeed on a large stage.
- vignette
- Any piece of video footage featuring characters or events which is shown to the audience for the purposes of entertainment or edification. Usually meant to introduce a debuting character, to get a wrestler
over
before their TV wrestling debut or to signify an impending return.
- visual fall
- A
pinfall
that the referee does not see, but the crowd does. It is usually followed by a late
kick-out
when the referee eventually sees the pinfall and starts counting. It is used to heighten the drama of a match by showing that the pinning wrestler had done enough to win by pinfall.
- work
- 1. (noun): Anything planned to happen,
[3]
or a "rationalized lie".
[1]
The opposite of
shoot
.
- 2. (verb): To methodically attack a single body part over the course of a match or an entire
angle
, setting up an appropriate
finisher
.
- 3. (verb): To deceive or manipulate an audience in order to elicit a desired response.
- worked shoot
- The phenomenon of a wrestler seemingly going "off script", often revealing elements of out-of-universe reality, but actually doing so as a fully planned part of the show. A notable example of a worked shoot is
CM Punk
's
pipebomb
promo
on the June 27, 2011, episode of
Monday Night Raw
.
[55]
- worker
- Another term for professional wrestler. Often used in the context of describing in-ring skill level (e.g., "He is a good/bad worker").
- workrate
- The in-ring performance level a wrestler puts into their matches, judged by a combination of skill and effort. A wrestler considered talented in the ring has a "high workrate".
- wrestler's court
- A term used often to describe
kangaroo courts
held backstage with a congregation of wrestlers; this is often used to settle backstage disputes and transgressions between performers and (sometimes) staff such as writers. In WWE,
The Undertaker
is known as being the "judge, jury, and executioner" and
JBL
the "prosecuting attorney" of wrestler's court during their full-time tenures in the company. Punishments for those found "guilty" often included the purchase of the night's alcohol or rental cars.
[56]
- write off
Also
write off television
.
To book an angle and/or match so as to explain in kayfabe a wrestler's upcoming (and usually inconvenient) absence, usually in the form of being "injured".
- X division
- A high-flying, high-risk, fast-paced style of professional wrestling which was originated in
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
(TNA). Rather than emphasizing the fact that most wrestlers who perform this style are under 220 lb (100 kg) by calling it a
cruiserweight
division, they decided to emphasize the high-risk nature of the moves that these wrestlers perform, removing all restraints placed on its wrestlers, and allowing them to perform almost stunt-like wrestling moves.
- X signal
- A signal used by referees during a match to indicate that a wrestler is unable to continue and may need medical attention. The referee will cross their arms and, if necessary, point to the injured wrestler. Since many fans are aware of the significance of the signal, and with referees often now having direct communication with producers backstage, it is now sometimes used in
kayfabe
fashion, to
sell
a storyline injury.
- X-Pac heat
- When fans jeer at a wrestler because they dislike the wrestler personally as opposed to the character he or she plays in the ring. Named after
Sean Waltman
, known as X-Pac, who was believed to have "overstayed his welcome" by some fans, and so was jeered regardless of whether he was a
face
or
heel
character.
Compare
go away heat
.
- young boy
Also
young lion
.
A rookie, particularly in Japanese professional wrestling. The term "young lion" is used for the trainees from the
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
dojo; although they usually perform at NJPW shows, typically on the lower card, they are also assigned other tasks such as security around the ring.
References
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edit
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bu
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bx
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Further reading
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]