Professional wrestling

For the video game, see Pro Wrestling (video game).

Professional wrestling, or pro wrestling, is the performance, management, and marketing of a form of entertainment that is based on simulated elements of catch wrestling, mock combat and theatre. Modern professional wrestling usually features simulated striking and grappling techniques, which are modelled after diverse sets of global wrestling and pugilistic styles.

Modern professional wrestling is commonly associated within a company (often referred to as a fed or promotion), where the participants create an entertaining show simulating a dueling match. The level of realism may vary from sports entertainment (the American World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) promotion) to stiff style (the Japanese strong style as exemplified by Antonio Inoki) to spotfests. In Mexico the dominant style is the stylized, theatrical Lucha libre.

Staged nature of professional wrestling

Main articles: kayfabe and shoot (professional wrestling)

Throughout the history of professional wrestling, the utmost care was taken to ensure that the staged nature of professional wrestling was kept secret to the audience, a concept known as kayfabe or "working the marks". Kayfabe was largely broken down by the steroid trials of the World Wrestling Federation in the 1980s and the advent of the internet in the 1990s. However, this changed little of how wrestling is produced. Like those of film and theatre, the professional wrestling audience overlooks the inner workings of the performance, invoking suspension of disbelief and allowing for dramatic license.

Occasionally a performer will deviate from the intended sequence of events. This is known as a shoot. Sometimes shoot-like elements are included in wrestling stories to blur the line between performance and reality.; these are known as "worked-shoots". However, the vast majority of events in professional wrestling are entirely preplanned.

Rules

The simulated nature of professional wrestling is only one of the many differences it has with traditional wrestling. Other differences may vary from company to company. Some examples of this would be the 6 sided ring in TNA or the stipulation heavy WWE.

The assigned referee is often the one who controls the outcome of the matches, and separates any unnecessarily rough engagement between the two combatants. In multi-man lucha libre matches, two referees are used, one inside the ring and one outside. Many different rules apply in wrestling for being a referee, just as in other sports, such as calling matches fairly for both opponents and not favoring one over the other. It is illegal for a referee to get physically involved in any match. If this is done it could result in being fired. However, these are "rules" of a performance, which can be ignored completely if dramatically justifiable -- see Guest referee.

The standard winning condition in wrestling is the pinning of the opponent's shoulders to the mat for a length of three seconds, which is determined only by the referee. In addition to pinfall, a match can be won by submission, count-out, disqualification, or failure to answer a ten count.

Punching is always permitted and will have no repercussions, although WWE refs will admonish a punching wreslter and demand an open hand slap. In addition, wrestlers may kick with any part of their foot, and "low blow" only refers to actually striking the crotch. If either wrestler is in contact with the ropes or if any part of the wrestler is underneath the ropes, all contact between the wrestlers must be broken before the count of five. This strategy is often used in order to escape from a submission hold, and also, more seldom, a wrestler can place his foot on (or under) the ropes to avoid losing by pinfall. This is often referred to unofficially as a rope break. Participants may try to abuse these rules, and it will often result in verbal or physical sparring with the referee.

Pinfall

Main article: Pin (professional wrestling)

In order to win by pinfall, a wrestler must pin both his opponent's shoulders against the mat while the referee slaps the mat three times. This is the most common form of defeat. If a wrestler's shoulders are down (both shoulders touching the mat) and any part of the opponent's body is lying over the opponent, it is completely legal for the three count to be made. Illegal pinning methods include using the ropes for leverage and hooking the opponent's pants, therefore they are popular cheating methods for heels, unless certain stipulations make such an advantage legal. Such pins as these are rarely seen by the referee and are subsequently often used by heels and on occasion by cheating faces to win matches.

Occasionally, there are instances where a pinfall is made where both wrestler's shoulders were on the mat for the three count. This situation will most likely lead to a draw, and in some cases a continuation of the match or a future match to determine the winner. A winner will possibly be crowned at the following Pay Per View or sometime else in the future.

Submission

John Cena applying his submission maneuver, the STFU, on Batista.

To win by submission, the wrestler must make his opponent give up, usually, but not necessarily, by putting him in a submission hold (i.e., leg-lock, arm-lock, etc.).

Passing out in a submission hold constitutes a loss by knockout. To determine if a wrestler has passed out in WWE, the referee usually picks up and drops his hand. If it drops three consecutive times without the wrestler having the strength to stop it from falling, the wrestler is considered to have passed out. At one point this was largely ignored, however the rule is now much more commonly observed for safety reasons. If the wrestler has considered to have passed out the opponent then wins the match up by submission.

Also, a wrestler can indicate a submission by "tapping out", that is, tapping a free hand against the mat or against an opponent. The tap-out was always a big part of Professional wrestling, however following the decline of the submission-oriented catch-as-catch-can style from mainstream professional wrestling, the tap out largely faded. Despite this, some wrestlers, such as Ric Flair, Chris Benoit and Bret "Hitman" Hart, became famous for winning matches via submission. Much like traditional finisher maneuvers, a wrestler with a finisher submission is shown as better at applying the move, making it more difficult to get out of, despite some obvious similarity.

Countout

A countout (alternatively "count-out" or "count out") happens when a wrestler is out of the ring long enough for the referee to count to ten (occasionally twenty). The count is broken and re-started when a wrestler outside the ring re-enters the ring. If both wrestlers are outside the ring, the count refers to both. A common tactic, to buy more time outside the ring, is for one wrestler to re-enter the ring to restart the count and then immediately re-exit it (referred to as "breaking the count"). If both wrestlers remain outside at the count of ten, both are counted out in what is known as a "double countout" or "impossible draw".

If both wrestlers are lying on the mat and not moving, the referee may issue a ten count for them to get back to their feet. Either wrestler reaching their knees will break the count. If neither wrestler reaches their knees or feet, it is considered a draw, known as a double knockout or, incorrectly, an "in ring count-out."

The countout rule also indicates that a wrestler cannot win a match while any part of his opponent's body is not in the ring. This allows escape from pinfalls and submission holds by putting any part of the body on the ring ropes.

The referee, in certain promotions, does not instigate a count despite wrestler's being out of the ring. This is usually after a large bump, where both wrestlers are taken down. This is, in kayfabe, to allow the contest to continue as neither wrestler would benefit from the count due to both wrestlers being incapacitated temporarily.

Disqualification

Disqualification from a match is called for a number of reasons:

• Performing any illegal holds or maneuvers, such as refusing to break a hold when an opponent is in the ropes, hair-pulling, choking or biting an opponent, or repeatedly punching with a closed fist. These violations are usually subject to a referee-administered five count and will result in disqualification if not released before.
• Attacking an opponent's eye, such as raking it, poking it, gouging it, punching it out or other severe attacks to the eye.
• Any outside interference involving a person not involved in the match striking or holding a wrestler. If a heel attempts to interfere but is ejected from the ring by a wrestler or referee before this occurs, there is usually no disqualification. In this disqualification method, the wrestler being attacked by the foreign member is awarded the win.
• Striking an opponent with a foreign object (unless the rules of the match/company specifically allow this).
• A direct low blow to the groin. (unless the rules of the match/company specifically allow this)
• Intentionally laying hands on the referee or to an extreme case, often in special referee matches, laying any body parts on the referee.
• Pulling an opponent's wrestling trunks for a pinfall during a match (although this usually just results in nullification of the pinfall).
• Pulling an opponent's mask off during a match. (This is illegal in Mexico)
• Throwing your opponent over the top rope. (This was illegal in Jim Crockett Promotions when it was around)

In practice, the rules of the fight are often violated without disqualification due to the referee being distracted and not seeing the offense, or the referee seeing the offense but allowing the match to continue. In WWE, a referee must see the violation with his own eyes to rule that the match end in a disqualification and the referee's ruling is almost always final. It is not uncommon for the referees themselves to get knocked out during a match. While the referee remains "unconscious", rules are often violated at will. In some cases, a referee might disqualify a person under the presumption that it was that wrestler who knocked him out; most referee knockouts are arranged to allow a wrestler, usually a heel, to gain an advantage. For example, a wrestler may get whipped into a referee at a slower speed, knocking the ref down for short amount of time; during that interim period, one wrestler may pin his opponent for a three-count and would have won the match but for the referee being down. Also, the referee rarely disqualifies the wrestler who knocked him down when the referee recovers.

If all participants in a match continue to breach the referee's instructions, the match may end in a double disqualification, where both wrestlers or teams (in a tag team match) have been disqualified. The match is essentially nullified, and called a draw or in some cases a restart or the same match being held at a Pay Per View or next nights show.

A common trend in wrestling is the development of the no-disqualification (or Hardcore) match. This match has become more and more prominent during the 1990s. When WWE (then WWF) unveiled its new 'Attitude' era in 1997, the no-disqualification match was used as a centerpiece for this new design of wrestling. Completely new matches had developed from the Hardcore/no-DQ match, including:

• Ladder match (participants must post a ladder in the middle of the ring and climb it to grasp a hanging object - usually a title belt).
• Tables, Ladders, and Chairs (a ladder match where all three items may be used as a weapon against an opponent).
• Hardcore match (a no-disqualification match where falls count anywhere, even out of the venue)
• Bra And Panties match (the only way to win is to strip your diva opponent down to her bra and panties)

Dramatic elements

While each wrestling match is ostensibly a competition of athletics and strategy, the goal of each match from a business standpoint is to excite and entertain the audience. Because the competition is staged, dramatic emphasis can be utilized to draw out the most intense reaction from the audience. Heightened interest results in higher attendance rates, increased ticket sales, higher ratings on television broadcasts (which result in greater ad revenue), higher pay-per-view buyrates, and sales of branded merchandise and recorded video footage. All of these contribute to the profit of the promotion company.

Character

In Japan, most matches are treated as pure sport with seriousness of purpose.

In Latin America and English-speaking countries, most wrestlers (and other on-stage performers) portray character roles, sometimes with personalities wildly different from their own. These personalities are a gimmick intended to heighten interest in a wrestler without regard to athletic ability. Some can be unrealistic and cartoon-like, while others carry more verisimilitude. In lucha libre, many characters wear masks, adopting a secret identity akin to a super hero, a near-sacred tradition, sometimes going beyond kayfabe.

An individual wrestler may keep one persona for his entire career, or may change from time to time to better suit the demands of the audience or company. Sometimes a character is owned and trademarked by the company, forcing the wrestler to find a new one when he leaves, and sometimes a character is owned by the wrestler. Many wrestlers are strongly identified with their character, even responding to the name in public or between friends. A professional wrestling character's popularity can grow to the point that it makes appearances in other media (see Hulk Hogan, El Santo) or even give the performer enough visibility to enter politics (Antonio Inoki and Jesse Ventura, among others).

Typically, matches are staged between a protagonist (historically an audience favorite, known as a face, or "the good guy") and an antagonist (historically a villain with arrogance, a tendency to break rules, or other unlikable qualities, called a heel). In recent years, however, anti-heroes have also become prominent in professional wrestling. There are also a rarely seen position in which a character would fall in between the two spectrums, carrying the traits of both face and heel and being able to have fans that like him and those that hate him. This is, in most circles, referred to as a "tweener". It is not uncommon to see two faces in a match against each other, or two heels against each other. In these cases, fans usually will cheer for the one that they believe is the "lesser of the two evils".

Finally, there are times in which a face or a heel will make a "face/heel turn", in which a wrestler will do something that will make the fans begin to root for them or to give them heat. A heel turn would include anything that the fans would dislike and not expect their "hero" to do, such as turning their backs on the fans or a likeable friend of the wrestler. One of the most famous heel turns is the Hulk Hogan heel turn at WCW Bash At The Beach 1996 by joining the "New World Order", shocking a huge fan base because of his long run as being a face (about ten consecutive years) and how much of a following he had gained during that time. In contrast, a face turn would occur by a heel accomplishing something that gains the fans respect, either by helping out a likeable face, facing a heel in which the fans dislike more, giving respect to a face after losing a tough fought match (sometimes this reason may also start a "friendship" between the two participants), dissenting himself with a manager or partner that was also heel for any reason (usually for causing a loss via error), or by gaining respect by the crowd for any other reason. In both a face/heel turn, the turn could happen as sudden as one show, or streched out as a gradual increase or decrease of support over several shows, with the climax being the changeover becoming complete.

Story

While true exhibition matches are not uncommon, most matches tell a story analogous to a scene in a play or film, or an episode of a serial drama: The face will win (triumph) or lose (tragedy). Longer story arcs can result from multiple matches over the course of time. Since most promotions have a championship title, competition for the championship is a common impetus for stories. Also, anything from a character's own hair to his job with the promotion can be wagered in a match.

Some matches are designed to further a story of only one participant. It could be intended to portray him or her as a strong unstoppable force, a lucky underdog, a sore loser, or any other characterization. Sometimes non-wrestling vignettes are shown in order to enhance a character's image without the need for matches.

Other stories result from a natural rivalry between two or more characters. Outside of performance, these are referred to as feuds. A feud can exist between any number of participants and can last for a few days up to multiple decades. The career-spanning history between characters Mike Awesome and Masato Tanaka is an example of a long-running feud.

In theory, the longer a feud is built up, the more audience interest (aka heat) will exist. The main event of a wrestling show is generally the one with the most heat behind it. Commonly, a heel will hold the upper hand over a face until a final showdown, heightening dramatic tension as the face's fans desire to see him win.

Since the advent of television, many other elements have been utilized to tell story within a professional wrestling setting: pre- and post-match interviews, "backstage" skits, positions of authority, division rankings (typically the #1-contendership spot), contracts, lotteries, and even news stories on promotion websites.

Also, anything that can be used as an element of drama can exist in professional wrestling stories: romantic relationships (including love triangles and marriage), racism, classism, nepotism, favoritism, family bonds, personal histories, grudges, theft, cheating, assault, betrayal, bribery, seduction, confidence tricks, extortion, blackmail, substance abuse; even kidnapping, misogyny, rape and death have been portrayed in wrestling. Some promotions have included supernatural elements such as magic, curses, the undead and satanic imagery.

Commentators have become important in communicating the relevance of the characters' actions to the story at hand, filling in past details and pointing out subtle actions that may otherwise go unnoticed.

Non-standard matches

Often a match will take place under additional rules, usually serving as a special attraction or a climactic point in a feud or storyline. Sometimes this will be the culmination of an entire feud, ending it for the immediate future (known as a blowoff match).

Perhaps the most well-known non-standard match is the cage match, in which the ring is surrounded by a fence or similar metal structure, with the express intention of preventing escape or outside interference -- and with the added bonus of the cage being a potentially brutal weapon or platform for launching attacks.

Another example is the Royal Rumble match, which involves thirty participants in a random and unknown order. The Rumble match is itself a spectacle in that it is a once-yearly event with multiple participants, including individuals who might not interact otherwise. But it also serves as a catalyst for the company's ongoing feuds, as well as a springboard for new storylines -- most importantly determining the main event at the following WrestleMania.

Wrestlers

Men's wrestling

The vast majority of professional wrestlers are men, especially in the North American WWE, where they are usually large in size, often to extremes. Notable examples include André the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Paul "The Giant/Big Show" Wight, Batista, The Undertaker, Yokozuna, The Great Khali, and Kane. Usually, competitions or divisions are set up for men of similar wrestling styles, such as technical, brawling, high flying, lucha and hardcore. However, matches involving different weight divisions are often created and are never referred to as unusual or against any rules, despite large differences in height or strength. Rarely, men and women will sometimes wrestle each other.

Women's wrestling

See also: WWE Diva and TNA Knockout

The women’s division of professional wrestling has maintained a recognized world champion since the mid-1950s, when the first NWA World Women's Championship was crowned (later the WWE Women's Championship). Traditionally, women’s matches were lower on the card and rarely considered main event material in the United States. Through the 1980s, women’s wrestling in the US was presented as a serious sport on the same level as men’s wrestling. It was not until the late 1990s that World Wrestling Entertainment began to present their women’s division with a focus on the women as "Divas" and eye-candy rather than athletes. Most of the women acted as managers and valets and had little training in wrestling."

There are several other promotions where women’s wrestling is still presented and promoted as a serious sport. In the US, SHIMMER Women Athletes is an all-female pro-wrestling promotion on par with male wrestling. In Japan, women’s wrestling has a long established history, with an all female promotion founded as early as 1955 (the predecessor to All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling), and has always been presented as a serious, highly athletic sport on the same level as their male counterparts. In some promotions, like Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, where the focus was on "Hardcore" matches, female performers like Ashley Courtnage, Shark Tsuchiya, ”Combat” Toyota and Megumi Kudo also participated. The latter two headlined one of FMW’s largest cards in an "Exploding No Rope Barbed Wire Deathmatch." In the late 1990s, the two largest Japanese female federations closed, but females still compete in various other federations.

Midget wrestling

Further information: Midget wrestling

Midget wrestling can be traced to professional wrestling's carnival and vaudeville origins. In recent years, the popularity and prevalence of midgets in wrestling has greatly decreased due to wrestling companies depriving midget divisions of storyline and/or feud. However, WWE's SmackDown did feature a "Junior's division", for little people from 2005 to 2006. It is still a popular form of entertainment in Mexican wrestling, mostly as a "sideshow."

Some wrestlers may have their own specific "mini me", like Mascarada Sagrada and his midget counterpart Mascarita Sagrada, Alebrije has Quije, etc. There are also cases in which midgets can become valets for a wrestler, and even get physically involved in matches, like Alushe, who often accompanies Tinieblas, or Kemonito, who is portrayed as Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre's mascot and is also a valet for Mistico. World Wrestling Entertainment's Dave Finlay is often aided in his matches by a midget known mainly as "Hornswoggle", who hides under the ring and gives a shillelagh to Finlay to use on his opponent. Finlay also occasionally throws him at his opponent(s). Hornswoggle has also been given a run with the Cruiserweight Championship and has also become the illegitimate son of Vince McMahon.

Intergender wrestling

For most of its history, women and men would never compete against each other in professional wrestling, as it was deemed to be unfair and unchivalrous. Andy Kaufman used this to gain notoriety when he created an Intergender Championship and declared it open to any female challenger. This led to a long feud with Jerry Lawler.

In the 1980s, intergender tag team matches began to take place, with a male and female on each team and a rule that stated only the males and females could attack each other. If a tag was made, the other team had to automatically switch their legal wrestler too.

Intergender singles bouts were first fought on a national level in the 1990s. This began with Luna Vachon, who faced men (and usually defeated them) in both ECW and WWF. Later, Joanie Laurer (Chyna) became the first female to hold a heavyweight belt that was not exclusive to women when she won the WWF Intercontinental Championship. Other women who also frequently faced men include Terri Runnels, Gail Kim, Lita, Trish Stratus, Torrie Wilson and Molly Holly.

See also

• History of professional wrestling

Terminology

• Foreign objects (e.g. folding chair)
• Professional wrestling aerial techniques (e.g. Shooting star press, Moonsault)
• Professional wrestling attacks (e.g. Leg drop, Superkick)
• Professional wrestling double-team maneuvers (e.g. Doomsday Device)
• Professional wrestling holds (e.g. Boston crab, Mandible claw, Pinfall, Sharpshooter)
• List of professional wrestling match types
• Professional wrestling tag team match types
• Professional wrestling tournament
• List of professional wrestling slang
• Professional wrestling throws (e.g. Backbreaker, Brainbuster, Chokeslam, Cutter, DDT, Facebuster, Neckbreaker, Piledriver, Powerbomb, Powerslam, Stunner, Suplex)

Professional wrestling worldwide

• Professional wrestling in Australia
• Professional wrestling in Japan
• Professional wrestling in Mexico
• Professional wrestling in United Kingdom
• Professional wrestling in the United States

Lists of wrestlers

• List of professional wrestlers
• List of professional wrestling stables

Types of professional wrestling

• American
• Puroresu
• Lucha libre

Fantasy professional wrestling

• E-wrestling

Radio programs

• Wrestling Observer Live
• talkSPORT
• Smart Wrestling Fan Wrestling Review Show Podcast
• Wrestling-Radio
• Live Audio Wrestling

PRO WRESTLING'S SHOOT RADIO (Hosted by Brandon Bishop & Mike Shumaker)

• http://www.asylumwrestling.com/SHOOT%20RADIO%20INDEX.htm

In fiction

• Marvel Comics' Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation

External links

• House of Deception Golden Age 1911-1979: bibliography, photos, etc.
• website of documentary Catch - the hold not taken on the history of pro wrestling
• Pro Wrestling Scoop blog - Pro Wrestling News and Commentary
• OnlineWorldofWrestling.com - The Online World of Wrestling
• ProWrestlingHistory.com
• CBC Digital Archives - Cross-Country Smackdown: Pro Wrestling in Canada