Glossary of professional wrestling terms
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Professional wrestling has accrued a considerable nomenclature throughout its existence.[1] Much of it stems from the industry's origins in the days of carnivals and circuses.[2] 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][2] In recent years, 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.[2]
AEdit
A management employee, often a former wrestler (though it can be a current 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".
BEdit
A wrestler intentionally cutting themselves to provoke bleeding to sell the opponent's offense.
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 screenwriter. 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".[6] Booking is also the term a wrestler uses to describe a scheduled match or appearance on a wrestling show.[1]
A match that ends in a time limit draw.
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 and credibility 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. 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.
CEdit
A reigning champion's right to retain a title, should he or she lose a championship match by countout or disqualification.[8][9]
DEdit
EEdit
FEdit
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.
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.
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.
GEdit
The character portrayed by a wrestler. Can also be used to refer specifically to the motif or theme evoked by a character, as indicated by their name, costume or other paraphernalia.
A jobber who defeats "pure jobbers" as well as mid-card wrestlers in matches, but consistently loses to main event level wrestlers.
HEdit
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.
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.
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.
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.
An untelevised event.
IEdit
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.
JEdit
A wrestler who routinely loses in order to build the credibility of other wrestlers.[1]
KEdit
LEdit
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.
A portion of a match, usually the very start of the match, where two wrestler join together in a collar-and-elbow tie up.
MEdit
A move or series of moves which are mistimed.[1]
NEdit
OEdit
PEdit
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]
REdit
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 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 Jim Crockett or Georgia styles, "Memphis style".
When a champion loses his or her title to another, this may be invoked to procure a title rematch in the near future. This fictional clause is often ignored in storylines.
SEdit
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.
Stables can vary in size, from three-man units like The Shield (pictured) to large groups with varying membership such as the nWo or Bullet Club
TEdit
UEdit
VEdit
WEdit
To book an angle and/or match so as to explain in kayfabe a wrestler's upcoming (and usually inconvenient) absence.
XEdit
YEdit
A rookie, particularly in Japanese professional wrestling. Also referred to as young lions for the trainees at the New Japan Pro-Wrestling dojo.
ReferencesEdit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx "Torch Glossary of Insider Terms". PWTorch.com. 2000. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2007.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Kerrick, George E. (Summer 1980). "The Jargon of Professional Wrestling". American Speech. 55 (2): 142–145. doi:10.2307/3050508.
- ^ Caldwell, James (April 1, 2015). "ROH news: New Japan's top star announced for ROH vs. New Japan tour, ROH releases "Field of Honor" details". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
- ^ 全日諏訪魔VS大日関本シングル対決実現. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). December 19, 2011. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
- ^ Nicholas Sammond, Steel Chair to the Head: The Pleasure and Pain of Professional Wrestling (2004).
- ^ Riley, Judge William F. (October 15, 1956). "United States v. National Wrestling Alliance (consent decree)". United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. As hosted at Wrestling Perspective. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
- ^ Foley, Mick. Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks (p.65)
- ^ Ross, Jim (May 5, 2015). "Samoa Joe on Ross Report podcast tonight". JR's BarBQ. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
- ^ Clapp, John (February 17, 2013). "WWE Champion The Rock def. CM Punk". WWE. Archived from the original on February 21, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2016.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
- ^ Whatever Happened to Gorgeous George by Joe Jares, Tempo Books, 1974, p. 85.
- ^ a b Harley Race, Ricky Steamboat, Les Thatcher. The Professional Wrestlers' Workout & Instructional Guide (p.106)
- ^ a b Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Stone Cold Truth (p.90)
- ^ Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Stone Cold Truth (p.83)
- ^ a b c "Grantland Dictionary: Pro Wrestling Edition". grantland.com. August 13, 2014. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
- ^ "Pro Wrestling Primer: Glossary of terms". The Evil Eye Blog. 2009. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
- ^ Mancuso, Ryan (September 11, 2006). "Complete Playbook: The Great Muta Vol. 2 Revenge of Muta Commercial Tape". 411mania.com. Retrieved October 24, 2007.
- ^ Cory Kilgannon (March 15, 2012). "From Inside a Bad-Guy Wrestler, a Brutal Artist Screamed for Release". The New York Times. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- ^ "Young WWE fan Nicholas teams with Braun Strowman against The Bar". YouTube. WWE. April 8, 2018. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
- ^ "WWE WrestleMania 34 results: Braun Strowman picks 10 year old WWE fan 'Nicholas' as mystery partner". Forbes. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ John Powell (June 18, 2000). "Booker T: Wrestling's consummate performer". SLAM! Wrestling. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
- ^ Laurer, Joanie. If They Only Knew. pp. 192–193.
- ^ Ross, Jim; J.R.'s Family Bar-B-Q® (December 24, 2013). "#RAW Christmas Feedback..." J.R.'s Place blog. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
- ^ "AAA Triplemania 2017 today, complete lineup". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
- ^ X-Pac on: Yokozuna. YouTube. 31 December 2014.
- ^ Kaelberer, Angie Peterson (2003). The Hardy Boyz: Pro Wrestlers Matt and Jeff Hardy. Capstone Press. p. 44. ISBN 0-7368-2142-2.
- ^ "The nWo". Legends of Wrestling. Season 1. Episode 28. 1 July 2011. 2 minutes in. Classics on Demand. WWE.
- ^ "Heart to Hart: 90 Minutes on the Phone with Bret 'The Hitman' Hart". offthetracks.co.nz.
- ^ Beaston, Erik (17 April 2016). "10 Greatest Wrestling Technicians In WWE History". WhatCulture.com.
- ^ a b Jeff Clark (September 7, 2007). "The Luchagors Drop a Powerbomb". Stomp and Stammer. Retrieved 2007-10-02.
- ^ The Masked Man (David Shoemaker) (June 28, 2011). "Punk'd". Grantland. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013.
- ^ "What is "X-Pac heat"?". Reference.com.
SourcesEdit
- Beekman, Scott. Ringside: A history of professional wrestling in America (Greenwood, 2006)
- Foley, Mick (2000). Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-103101-1.
- Harley Race; Ricky Steamboat; Les Thatcher (2005). The Professional Wrestlers' Workout & Instructional Guide. Sports Publishing LLC. ISBN 1-58261-947-6.
- Kerrick, George E. "The jargon of professional wrestling". American Speech (1980): 142-145. JSTOR
- Laurer, Joanie (2001). If They Only Knew. ReaganBooks. ISBN 0-06-109895-7.
- Mazer, Sharon. Professional wrestling: sport and spectacle (Univ. Press of Mississippi, 1998)
- Murray, Thomas E. "The language of bodybuilding". American Speech (1984): 195-206. in JSTOR
- Stone Cold Steve Austin; Jim Ross (2003). The Stone Cold Truth. Pocket Books. ISBN 0-7434-7720-0.
External linksEdit
- Total Wrestling Terms
- Wrestling Booker's Glossary of pro wrestling terms at the Wayback Machine (archived June 13, 2008)