Professional wrestling is the performance, management, and marketing of a form of entertainment based on simulated elements of catch wrestling, mock combat and theater. Modern professional wrestling usually features striking and grappling techniques, which are modelled after diverse sets of global wrestling and pugilistic styles.
The 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 can 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.
The question of whether professional wrestling is a sport comparable to its freestyle, Greco-Roman, and collegiate counterparts can seem irrelevant, maybe even impossible, to compare as the key difference between both concepts is that professional wrestling's main focus is entertaining its audience and profiting as a business rather than as a form of athletic competition. The most obvious difference between the two styles of wrestling is that professional wrestlers are paid a set wage[1], and that professional wrestling is staged whereas the purpose of amateur wrestling is competition between the athletes.
As opposed to more mainstream combative sporting events like boxing, a professional wrestler's athletic prowess and skills are utilized more to prevent injury than to inflict it. In many cases, the victim of an attack in a professional wrestling environment is required to do more athletically than the one performing the attack. If the wrestler absorbing the attack is less skilled or less athletic, he may injure his partner or even himself.
Contents
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1 Rules
1.1 Pinfall
1.2 Submission
1.3 Countout
1.4 Disqualification
2 Wrestlers
2.1 Men's wrestling
2.2 Women's wrestling
2.3 Midget wrestling
3 Promotions
4 See also
4.1 Terminology
4.2 Professional wrestling worldwide
4.3 Lists of wrestlers
4.4 Types of professional wrestling
4.5 Fantasy professional wrestling
4.6 Radio programs
5 References
6 External links
[edit]Rules
The simulated nature of professional wrestling is only one of the many differences it has with traditional wrestling. Other differences can vary from company to company.[2]
The assigned referee is often the one who controls the outcome of the match barring certain matches with special rules or for storyline reasons. A common storyline angle of this is a promotion owner or other high official modifying the stipulations of a match to invalidate a referee's decision, such as declaring it a no-disqualification match after a wrestler wins by disqualification. A "motto" in the pro-wrestling world used to describe the interpretation of the rules (actually more like loose guidelines) is: "You can't call what you don't see", implying that anything is justified as long as the referee doesn't see. This is often used as a plot twist to drastically change the momentum in a match. One of the better-known occurrences has a referee being "accidentally" knocked senseless or thrown outside of the ring (often referred to as a "ref bump"). While he's stunned, one wrestler, usually a face, will suddenly have the match won, only to then have it robbed from them via outside interference, the use of a foreign object, or some other unfair means. The referee, unaware of what happened, will recover just in time to notice a pin that reflects the new situation, and make an arduous three-count. A variation on this finish, the "Dusty finish" (after Dusty Rhodes, who frequently used such finishes as a booker), has the substitute referee making the three-count in favor of the face, only to have it overturned by the original referee. In addition to pinfall, a match can be won by submission, count-out, disqualification, or failure to answer a ten count.
Punching is permitted as long as the wrestler's fist is open. This is probably the most ignored rule in WWE, as referees almost never disqualify a wrestler for throwing closed-fist punches. Instead, the referee simply admonishes the wrestler to stop, which is rarely successful. In addition, wrestlers may only kick with the flat part of the 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. Participants may try to abuse these rules, and it will often result in verbal or physical sparring with the ref.
[edit]Pinfall
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 portion of the opponent's person is laying over the fallen man, 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 tights, therefore they are popular cheating methods for heels. Such pins as these are rarely, if ever, 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 3 count. An example of this would be the recent Shawn Michaels vs. Randy Orton match on Raw. This situation will most likely lead to a draw, and in some cases a continuation of the match. With the Michaels/Orton match (which was a number one contender's match), it led to a draw. The eventual outcome of the overall Number 1 contender situation would be a Fatal Four-way between Michaels, Orton, Edge, and John Cena (WWE Champion). This usually is a gateway to adding to a storyline or beginning a new one. In other words, an ending to a match such as this can be considered as a transitional point with respect to storylines.
[edit]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. Often the third time, the WWE wrestler in the hold will fight their way out.
Also, a wrestler can indicate a submission by "tapping out,"[3] that is, tapping a free hand against the mat or against an opponent. The tapout was once common-place in professional wrestling, especially in the days prior to it becoming a predominantly pre-arranged contest. However, following the decline of the submission-oriented catch-as-catch-can style from mainstream professional wrestling, the tap out largely faded, regaining prominence as a means of victory mostly in the face of the popularity of the Ultimate Fighting Championship in the early 90's. 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.
[edit]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 10, or occasionally 20. The count is broken and re-started when a wrestler inside the ring leaves the ring.
If both wrestlers are outside the ring, the count will refer to both. If one of the wrestlers re-enters the ring, while the other remains outside, the count will continue for the one left outside. A common tactic, to buy more time outside the ring, is for a wrestler to re-enter the ring to restart the count, and then continue to fight outside the ring. If both wrestlers remain outside at the count of ten, both will be counted out. This is known as a double countout, or to a lesser extent, an "impossible draw".
If both of the wrestlers are lying on the mat and not moving, the referee may issue a ten count. One wrestler reaching his knees will break the count. If neither wrestler reaches their knees or feet, it is considered a draw, also known as a double knockout, or, incorrectly, an "in ring count-out."
The countout rule 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 grabbing hold of one of the ring ropes, thus forcing the referee to break the hold or stop the count. This is also why the referee will start a count once a wrestler has reached the top rope; he is out of the ring area. Often he will only count every second of third number mf.
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. In reality, it is used to build supense in the audience and to allow the wrestlers to recover somewhat.
Common slang for walking out of the ring and leaving your opponent standing there, only to get purposely counted out yourself, is known as pulling a "Broadway". The acting originated from Hulk Hogan, a champion of 20 different belts.
[edit]Disqualification
Disqualification 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, 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.
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.
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.
Attacking an opponent's eye, such as raking it, poking it, punching it out or other severe attacks to the eye.
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 move is illegal in Mexico)
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 the 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. Indeed, 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 ref-KOs 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 a minute or so; during that interim period, the 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 disqualitfies the wrestler who knocked him down when the ref recovers.
If both participants (or teams) 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 certain storylines, a restart or extended wrestling period is made possible by an authority figure.
A new common trend in wrestling is the development of the no-disqualification (or Hardcore) match. This match has become more and more prominent within the last decade. When the WWE (then the WWF) unveiled its new 'Attitude' era in the late 1990s, the no-disqualifacation match was used as a centerpiece for this new design of wrestling.
The match itself has become so innovative that just the simple title of "no-disqualification" is rarely used anymore. Completely new matches had developed from the Hardcore/no-DQ match, including:
The 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 (All 3 may be used as a weapon against an opponent).
Hardcore Match (Anything goes and the match can end anywhere; not just in the ring)
[edit]Wrestlers
[edit]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 example include André the Giant, The Big Show, Batista, The Undertaker, Yokozuna, Brock Lesnar, Kane, and Hulk Hogan. Usually, competitions or divisions are set up for men of similar wrestling styles, such as technical, brawling, high flying, and lucha. 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.
[edit]Women's wrestling
Further information: WWE Diva
The women’s division has had a recognized world champion since before 1956, 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 not considered main event material in the United States, except in rare cases. 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.
Outside of WWE, there are several 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 federation on par with male wrestling. In Japan, women’s wrestling has a long established history, with an all female federation 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 federations, like Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, where the focus was on "Hardcore" matches, female performers like Shark Tsuchiya, ”Combat” Toyota and Megumi Kudo also participated. The latter two headlined one of FMW’s biggest cards in an "Exploding No Rope Barbed Wire Deathmatch." In the late 90s, the two biggest Japanese female federations closed, but females still compete in various other federations.
[edit]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 major 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 physical 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 "The Little Bastard" or "Hornswoggle," who hides under the ring gives a shillelagh to Finlay to use on his opponent. Finlay also occasionally throws him at his opponent(s). On the February 16, 2007 episode of SmackDown!, Hornswoggle was attacked by The Boogeyman's own midget, Little Boogeyman, leading to a mixed tag match at No Way Out 2007, which Hornswoggle and Finlay won.
[edit]Promotions
See: Professional wrestling promotion
The organizations that schedule and produce professional wrestling performances are known as wrestling promotions. Currently, the only major wrestling organizations left in North America are the United States promotions of WWE and TNA Wrestling (TNA) and the Mexican lucha libre promotions Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) and Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA). Of these, WWE is by far largest and most influential throughout the world. While these organizations are the most prominent and popular, there are many other smaller, regional promotions known as "indies", many of which are official territories of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). Other major independent promotions include Ring of Honor (ROH), Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG), Heartland Wrestling Association (HWA), Full Impact Pro (FIP), Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South (IWA MS), and Maryland Championship Wrestling (MCW).
Canadian promotions include Stampede Wrestling, Border City Wrestling, Pure Wrestling Association, International Wrestling Syndicate, UWA, and Blood, Sweat and Ears.
Outside North America, there are other federations throughout Europe and also in Japan, Australia, Puerto Rico and the rest of the Caribbean.
The traditional Japanese style differs from the American style in that it is portrayed more as a combat sport than as pure entertainment. The term strong style was coined by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) promoter Antonio Inoki. Inoki incorporated more martial arts and real fighting techniques to his arsenal, and performed the moves and strikes with more muscle stiffness than in traditional American style, in an effort to make his pro wrestling look more like a real fight. A style known as King's Road was created by Giant Baba which is similar but slightly different. This style is the dominant style used by All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) descendants.