Professional wrestling (often shortened to
pro wrestling or simply wrestling) is a form
of entertainment which combines athletics
with theatrical performance.
It takes the form of events, held by touring
companies, which mimic a title-match combat
sport.
The unique form of sport portrayed is fundamentally
based on classical and "catch" wrestling,
with modern additions of striking attacks,
strength-based holds and throws and acrobatic
maneuvers.
Much of these derive from the influence of
various international martial arts.
An additional aspect of combat with improvised
weaponry is sometimes included to varying
degrees.The matches have predetermined outcomes
to heighten entertainment value
and all combative maneuvers are executed with
the full cooperation of those involved and
carefully performed in specific manners intended
to lessen the chance of actual injury.
These facts were once kept highly secret,
but are now a widely accepted open secret.
By and large, the true nature of the performance
is not discussed by the performing company
in official media - in order to sustain and
promote the willing suspension of disbelief
for the audience by maintaining an aura of
verisimilitude.
Fan communications by individual wrestlers
and promotions through outside media (i.e.
interviews) will often directly acknowledge
the dramatic and "fixed" nature of the spectacle.
== History ==
Originating as a popular form of entertainment
in 19th-century Europe and later as a sideshow
exhibition in North American traveling carnivals
and vaudeville halls, professional wrestling
grew into a standalone genre of entertainment
with many diverse variations in cultures around
the globe, and is now a billion dollar entertainment
industry.
Since the 1980s, local forms have greatly
declined in Europe, wrestling from North America
has experienced several different periods
of prominent cultural popularity during its
century and a half of existence and has been
exported back to Europe to fill the cultural
gap left by the aforementioned decline of
local versions.
The advent of television gave professional
wrestling a new outlet, and wrestling (along
with boxing) was instrumental in making pay-per-view
a viable method of content delivery.
== Scope and influence ==
Show wrestling has become especially prominent
in Central/North America, Japan and Europe
(especially the United Kingdom).
In Brazil, there was a very popular wrestling
television program from the 1960s to the early
1980s called Telecatch.
High-profile figures in the sport have become
celebrities or cultural icons in their native
or adopted home countries.
Although professional wrestling started out
as small acts in sideshows, traveling circuses
and carnivals, today it is a billion-dollar
industry.
Revenue is drawn from ticket sales, network
television broadcasts, pay-per-view broadcasts,
branded merchandise and home video.
Pro wrestling was instrumental in making pay-per-view
a viable method of content delivery.
Annual shows such as WrestleMania, Bound for
Glory and formerly Starrcade are among the
highest-selling pay-per-view programming each
year.
In modern day, internet programming has been
utilized by a number of companies to air web
shows, internet pay per views (IPPVs) or on-demand
content, helping to generate internet-related
revenue earnings from the evolving World Wide
Web.
Home video sales dominate the Billboard charts
Recreational Sports DVD sales, with wrestling
holding anywhere from 3 to 9 of the top 10
spots every week.Due to its persistent cultural
presence and to its novelty within the performing
arts, wrestling constitutes a recurring topic
in both academia and the media.
Several documentaries have been produced looking
at professional wrestling, most notably, Beyond
the Mat directed by Barry W. Blaustein, and
Wrestling with Shadows featuring wrestler
Bret Hart and directed by Paul Jay.
There have also been many fictional depictions
of wrestling; the 2008 film The Wrestler received
several Oscar nominations and began a career
revival for star Mickey Rourke.
Currently, the largest professional wrestling
company worldwide is the United States-based
WWE, which bought out many smaller regional
companies in the late 20th century, as well
as its primary US competitors World Championship
Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling
(ECW) in early 2001.
Other prominent professional wrestling companies
worldwide include the US-based Impact Wrestling,
formerly known as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
(TNA), and Ring of Honor (ROH); Consejo Mundial
de Lucha Libre and Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide
in Mexico; and the Japanese New Japan Pro-Wrestling,
All Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling
Noah leagues.
== Genre conventions ==
When talking about professional wrestling,
there are two levels: the "in-show" happenings
that are presented through the shows, and
happenings which are outside the scope of
performance (in other words, are real life)
but have implications on the performance,
such as performer contracts, legitimate injuries,
etc.
Because actual events are often co-opted by
writers for incorporation into storylines
for the performers, the lines are often blurred
and become confused.
Special care must be taken when talking about
people who perform under their own name.
The actions of the character should be considered
fictional events, wholly separate from the
life of the performer.
This is similar to other entertainers who
perform with a persona that shares their own
name (such as Kurt Angle and his fictional
persona).
Some wrestlers would incorporate elements
of their real-life personalities into their
characters, even if they and their in-ring
persona have different names.
=== Kayfabe ===
Historians are unsure at what point wrestling
changed from competitive catch wrestling into
worked entertainment.
Those who participated felt that maintenance
of a constant and complete illusion for all
who were not involved was necessary to keep
audience interest.
For decades, wrestlers lived their public
lives as though they were their characters.
The practice of keeping the illusion, and
the various methods used to do so, came to
be known as "kayfabe" within wrestling circles,
or "working the marks".
An entire lexicon of slang jargon and euphemism
developed to allow performers to communicate
without outsiders' knowledge of what was being
said.
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 preplanned and improvised within
accepted boundaries.
Gradually, the predetermined nature of professional
wrestling became an open secret, as prominent
figures in the wrestling business (including
World Wrestling Entertainment owner Vince
McMahon) began to publicly admit that wrestling
was entertainment, not competition.
This public reveal has garnered mixed reactions
from the wrestling community, as some feel
that exposure ruins the experience to the
spectators as does exposure in illusionism.
Despite the public admission of the theatrical
nature of professional wrestling, many U.S.
states still regulate professional wrestling
as they do other professional competitive
sports.
For example, New York State still regulates
"professional wrestling" through the New York
State Athletic Commission (SAC).
=== Aspects of performing art ===
Professional wrestling shows can be considered
a form of theater in the round, with the ring,
ringside area, and entryway comprising a stage.
However, there is a much more limited concept
of a fourth wall than in most theatric performances.
The audience is recognized and acknowledged
by the performers as spectators to the sporting
event being portrayed, and are encouraged
to interact as such.
This leads to a high level of audience participation;
in fact, their reactions can dictate how the
performance unfolds.
Often, individual matches will be part of
a longer story line conflict between "babyfaces"
(often shortened to just "faces") and "heels".
"Faces" (the "good guys") are those whose
actions are intended to encourage the audience
to cheer, while "heels" (the "bad guys") act
to draw the spectators' ire.
== Rules ==
There is no governing authority for professional
wrestling rules, although there is a general
standard which has developed.
Each promotion has its own variation, but
all are similar enough to avoid confusion
most of the time.
Any rule described here is simply a standard,
and may or may not correspond exactly with
any given promotion's ruleset.
Due to the staged nature of wrestling, these
are not actual "rules" in the sense that they
would be considered in similar articles about
actual sports like freestyle wrestling.
Instead, the "rules" in this article are implemented
and supposedly enforced for the sake of suspension
of disbelief (known as kayfabe in the jargon
of the business).
=== General structure ===
Matches are held between two or more sides
("corners").
Each corner may consist of one wrestler, or
a team of two or more.
Most team matches are governed by tag team
rules (see below).
Other matches are free-for-alls, with multiple
combatants but no teams.
In all variants, there can be only one winning
team or wrestler.
The standard method of scoring is the "fall",
which is accomplished by:
Pinning the opponent's shoulders to the mat,
typically for three seconds (though other
times have been used)
Forcing the opponent to submit
Disqualification of the opponent
The opponent remaining outside the ring for
too long (countout)
Knocking out or otherwise incapacitating the
opponentThese are each explained in greater
detail below.
Typically, pinfalls and submissions must occur
within the ring area, however there are times
where it may be stipulated otherwise.
Most wrestling matches last for a set number
of falls, with the first side to achieve the
majority number of pinfalls, submissions,
or countouts being the winner.
Historically, matches were wrestled to 3 falls
("best 2 out of 3") or 5 falls ("best 3 out
of 5").
The standard for modern matches is one fall.
However, even though it is now standard, many
announcers will explicitly state this (e.g.
"The following contest is set for one fall
with a 20-minute time limit.")
These matches are given a time limit; if not
enough falls are scored by the end of the
time limit, the match is declared a draw.
Modern matches are generally given a 10- to
30-minute time limit for standard matches;
title matches can go for up to one hour.
British wrestling matches held under Admiral-Lord
Mountevans rules are 2 out of 3 falls.
An alternative is a match set for a prescribed
length of time, with a running tally of falls.
The entrant with the most falls at the end
of the time limit is declared the winner.
This is usually for 20, 30 or 60 minutes,
and is commonly called an Iron Man match.
This type of match can be modified so that
fewer types of falls are allowed.
In matches with multiple competitors, an elimination
system may be used.
Any wrestler who has a fall scored against
them is forced out of the match, and the match
continues until only one remains.
However, it is much more common when more
than two wrestlers are involved to simply
go one fall, with the one scoring the fall,
regardless of who they scored it against,
being the winner.
In championship matches, this means that,
unlike one-on-one matches (where the champion
can simply disqualify himself or get himself
counted out to retain the title via the Champion's
Advantage), the champion does not have to
be pinned or involved in the decision to lose
the championship.
However, heel champions often find advantages,
not in Champion's Advantage, but in the use
of weapons and outside interference, as these
poly-sided matches tend to involve no holds
barred rules.
Many modern specialty matches have been devised,
with unique winning conditions.
The most common of these is the ladder match.
In the basic ladder match, the wrestlers or
teams of wrestlers must climb a ladder to
obtain a prize that is hoisted above the ring.
The key to winning this match is that the
wrestler or team of wrestlers must try to
incapacitate each other long enough for one
wrestler to climb the ladder and secure that
prize for their team.
As a result, the ladder can be used as a weapon.
The prizes include but are not limited to
any given championship belt (the traditional
prize), a document granting the winner the
right to a future title shot, or any document
that matters to the wrestlers involved in
the match (such as one granting the winner
a cash prize).
Another common specialty match is known as
the battle royal.
In a battle royal, all the wrestlers enter
the ring to the point that there are 20-30
wrestlers in the ring at one time.
When the match begins, the simple objective
is to throw the opponent over the top rope
and out of the ring with both feet on the
floor to eliminate that opponent.
The last wrestler standing is declared the
winner.
A variant on this type of match is the WWE's
Royal Rumble where two wrestlers enter the
ring to start the match and other wrestlers
follow in 90 second intervals (previously
2 minutes) until 30-40 wrestlers have entered
the ring.
All other rules stay the same.
For more match types, see Professional wrestling
match types.
Every match must be assigned a rule keeper
known as a referee, who is the final arbitrator.
In multi-man lucha libre matches, two referees
are used, one inside the ring and one outside.
Due to the legitimate role that referees play
in wrestling of serving as liaison between
the bookers backstage and the wrestlers in
the ring (the role of being a final arbitrator
is merely kayfabe), the referee is present,
even in matches that do not at first glance
appear to require a referee (such as a ladder
match, as it is no holds barred, and the criteria
for victory could theoretically be assessed
from afar).
Although their actions are also frequently
scripted for dramatic effect, referees are
subject to certain general rules and requirements
to maintain the theatrical appearance of unbiased
authority.
The most basic rule is that an action must
be seen by a referee to be declared for a
fall or disqualification.
This allows for heel characters to gain a
scripted advantage by distracting or disabling
the referee to perform some ostensibly illegal
maneuver on their opponent.
Most referees are unnamed and essentially
anonymous, though some wrestling promotions
have let their officials reveal their names.
Special guest referees may be used from time
to time; by virtue of their celebrity status,
they are often scripted to dispense with the
appearance of neutrality and use their influence
to unfairly influence the outcome of the match
for added dramatic impact.
Face special referees will often fight back
against hostile heel wrestlers, particularly
if the special referee is either a wrestler
himself or a famous martial artist (such as
Tito Ortiz at the main event at TNA Hard Justice
2005).
For heel special referees, common ways of
assisting the heel wrestler to obtain victory
include, but are not limited to, the following:
Counting fast whenever the face wrestler is
being pinned, while counting slow, faking
a wrist or eye injury, or even refusing to
count at all, when the heel wrestler is being
pinned.
Allowing heel wrestlers to use blatantly illegal
tactics that most normal referees would instantly
disqualify for, while not extending these
relaxed rules to face wrestlers.
Disqualifying the face wrestler for unfair
reasons, such as an accidental attack on the
referee or a maneuver that appears to be an
illegal attack.
Feigning unconsciousness far longer than they
would normally otherwise be out, or using
convenient distractions to look away from
the wrestlers for a prolonged period of time.
This allows for greater opportunities for
run-ins or use of illegal weapons and tactics,
or can be used as an excuse to avoid counting
a pinfall or calling a submission in the face's
favor.
The referee often instantly up the moment
the heel wrestler seems to have an advantage,
usually the moment the heel goes for the pinfall
or applies a submission finisher.
Actually assisting in attacking the face wrestler.Matches
are held within a wrestling ring, an elevated
square canvas mat with posts on each corner.
A cloth apron hangs over the edges of the
ring.
Three horizontal ropes or cables surround
the ring, suspended with turnbuckles which
are connected to the posts.
For safety, the ropes are padded at the turnbuckles
and cushioned mats surround the floor outside
the ring.
Guardrails or a similar barrier enclose this
area from the audience.
Wrestlers are generally expected to stay within
the confines of the ring, though matches sometimes
end up outside the ring, and even in the audience,
to add excitement.
=== Tag rules ===
In some team matches, only one entrant from
each team may be designated as the "legal"
or "active" wrestler at any given moment.
Two wrestlers must make physical contact (typically
palm-to-palm) to transfer this legal status.
This is known as a "tag", with the participants
"tagging out" and "tagging in".
Typically the wrestler who is tagging out
has a 5-second count to leave the ring, whereas
the one tagging in can enter the ring at any
time, resulting in heels legally double-teaming
a face.
The non-legal wrestlers must remain outside
the ring or other legal area at all times
(and avoid purposeful contact with the opposing
wrestlers) or face reprimand from the referee.
In most promotions, the wrestler to be tagged
in must be touching the turnbuckle on his
corner, or a cloth strap attached to the turnbuckle.
Some multi-wrestler matches allow for a set
number of legal wrestlers, and a legal wrestler
may tag out to any other wrestler, regardless
of team.
In these matches, the tag need not be a mutual
effort, and this results in active wrestlers
being tagged out against their will, or non-legal
wrestlers forced to enter the battle.
Sometimes, poly-sided matches that pit every
man for himself will incorporate tagging rules.
Outside of kayfabe, this is done to give wrestlers
a break from the action (as these matches
tend to go on for long periods of time), and
to make the action in the ring easier to choreograph.
One of the most mainstream examples of this
is the Four-Corner match, the most common
type of match in the WWE before it was replaced
with its equivalent Fatal Four-Way; four wrestlers,
each for himself, fight in a match, but only
two wrestlers can be in the match at any given
time.
The other two are positioned in the corner,
and tags can be made between any two wrestlers.
In a Texas Tornado Tag Team match, all the
competitors are legal in the match, and tagging
in and out is not necessary.
All matches fought under hardcore rules (such
as no disqualification, no holds barred, ladder
match, etc.) are all contested under de facto
Texas Tornado rules, since the lack of ability
of a referee to issue a disqualification renders
any tagging requirements moot.
Regardless of rules of tagging, a wrestler
cannot pin his or her own tag team partner,
even if it is technically possible from the
rules of the match (e.g. Texas Tornado rules,
or a three-way tag team match).
This is called the "Outlaw Rule" because the
first team to attempt to use that (in an attempt
to unfairly retain their tag team titles)
was the New Age Outlaws.
=== Decisions ===
==== Pinfall ====
To score by pinfall, a wrestler must pin both
his opponent's shoulders against the mat while
the referee slaps the mat three times (referred
to as a "three count").
This is the most common form of defeat.
The pinned wrestler must also be on his back
and, if s/he is lying on his stomach, it usually
does not count.
A count may be started at any time that a
wrestler's shoulders are down (both shoulders
touching the mat), back-first and any part
of the opponent's body is lying over the wrestler.
This often results in pins that can easily
be kicked out of, if the defensive wrestler
is even slightly conscious.
For example, an attacking wrestler who is
half-conscious may simply drape an arm over
an opponent, or a cocky wrestler may place
his foot gently on the opponent's body, prompting
a three-count from the referee.
Illegal pinning methods include using the
ropes for leverage and hooking the opponent's
clothing, which are therefore 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.
Even if it is noticed, it is rare for such
an attempt to result in a disqualification
(see below) and instead it simply results
in nullification of the pin attempt, so the
heel wrestler rarely has anything to lose
for trying it anyway.
Occasionally, there are instances where a
pinfall is made where both wrestlers' 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.
==== Submission ====
To score by submission, the wrestler must
make his opponent give up, usually, but not
necessarily, by putting him in a submission
hold (e.g. figure four leg-lock, arm-lock,
sleeper-hold).
A wrestler may voluntarily submit by verbally
informing the referee (usually used in moves
such as the Mexican Surfboard, where all four
limbs are incapacitated, making tapping impossible).
Also, since Ken Shamrock popularized it in
1997, a wrestler can indicate a voluntary
submission by "tapping out", that is, tapping
a free hand against the mat or against an
opponent.
Occasionally, a wrestler will reach for a
rope (see rope breaks below), only to put
his hand back on the mat so he can crawl towards
the rope some more; this is NOT a submission,
and the referee decides what his intent is.
Submission was initially a large factor in
professional wrestling, but following the
decline of the submission-oriented catch-as-catch-can
style from mainstream professional wrestling,
the submission largely faded.
Despite this, some wrestlers, such as Chris
Jericho, Ric Flair, Bret Hart, Kurt Angle,
Ken Shamrock, Dean Malenko, Chris Benoit,
and Tazz, became famous for winning matches
via submission.
A wrestler with a signature submission technique
is portrayed as better at applying the hold,
making it more painful or more difficult to
get out of than others who use it, or can
be falsely credited as inventing the hold
(such as when Tazz popularized the kata ha
jime judo choke in pro wrestling as the "Tazzmission").
Since all contact between the wrestlers must
cease if any part of the body is touching,
or underneath, the ropes, many wrestlers will
attempt to break submission holds by deliberately
grabbing the bottom ropes.
This is called a "rope break", and it is one
of the most common ways to break a submission
hold.
Most holds leave an arm or leg free, so that
the person can tap out if he wants.
Instead, he uses these free limbs to either
grab one of the ring ropes (the bottom one
is the most common, as it is nearest the wrestlers,
though other ropes sometimes are used for
standing holds such as Chris Masters' Master
Lock) or drape his foot across, or underneath
one.
Once this has been accomplished, and the accomplishment
is witnessed by the referee, the referee will
demand that the offending wrestler break the
hold, and start counting to five if the wrestler
does not.
If the referee reaches the count of five,
and the wrestler still does not break the
hold, he is disqualified.
If a manager decides that his client wrestler
should tap out, but cannot convince the wrestler
himself to do so, he may "throw in the towel"
(by literally taking a gym towel and hurling
it into the ring where the referee can see
it).
This is the same as a submission, as in kayfabe
the manager is considered the wrestlers agent
and therefore authorized to make formal decisions
(such as forfeiting a match) on the client's
behalf.
==== Knockout ====
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 to the mat or floor three consecutive
times without the wrestler having the strength
to hold it up, 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 passed out, the opponent
then scores by submission.
A wrestler can also win by knockout if he
does not resort to submission holds, but stills
pummels his opponent to the point that he
is completely out cold.
To check for a knockout in this manner a referee
would wave his hand in front of the wrestlers'
face and, if the wrestler does not react in
any way, the referee would award the victory
to the other wrestler.
==== 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 (twenty in some promotions) and thus
disqualified.
The count is broken and restarted when a wrestler
in the ring exits the ring.
Playing into this, some wrestlers would "milk"
the count by sliding in the ring and immediately
sliding back out.
As he was technically inside the ring for
a split second before exiting again, it is
sufficient to restart the count.
This is often referred to by commentators
as "breaking the count".
Heels often use this tactic in order to buy
themselves more time to catch their breath,
or to attempt to frustrate their babyface
opponents.
If all the active wrestlers in a match are
down inside the ring at the same time, the
referee would begin a count (usually ten seconds,
twenty in Japan).
If nobody rises to their feet by the end of
the count, the match is ruled a draw.
Any participant who stands up in time would
end the count for everyone else, while in
a Last Man Standing match this form of a countout
is the only way that the match can end, so
the referee would count when one or more wrestlers
are down and one wrestler standing up before
the 10-count does not stop the count for another
wrestler who is still down.
In some promotions (and most major modern
ones), Championships cannot change hands via
a countout, unless the on-screen authority
declares it for at least one match, although
in others, championships may change hands
via countout.
Heels are known to take advantage of this
and will intentionally get counted out when
facing difficult opponents, especially when
defending championships.
==== Disqualification ====
Disqualification (sometimes abbreviated as
"DQ") occurs when a wrestler violates the
match's rules, thus losing automatically.
Although a countout can technically be considered
a disqualification (as it is, for all intents
and purposes, an automatic loss suffered as
a result of violating a match rule), the two
concepts are often distinct in wrestling.
A no disqualification match can still end
by countout (although this is rare).
Typically, a match must be declared a "no
holds barred" match, a "street fight" or some
other term, in order for both disqualifications
and countouts to be waived.
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 the wrestler does not
cease the offending behavior in time.
Note that the ban on closed fists does not
apply if the attacker is in middair when the
punch connects, like with Jerry Lawler's diving
fist drop or Roman Reigns' Superman Punch.
Attacking an opponent's eye, such as raking
it, poking it, gouging it, punching it or
other severe attacks to the eye.
Any outside interference involving a person
not involved in the match striking or holding
a wrestler.
Sometimes (depending on the promotion and
uniqueness of the situation), if a heel attempts
to interfere but is ejected from the ring
by a wrestler or referee before this occurs,
there may not be a disqualification.
In this disqualification method, the wrestler
being attacked by the foreign member is awarded
the win.
Sometimes, however, this can work in heels'
favor.
In February 2009, Shawn Michaels, who was
under the kayfabe employment of John "Bradshaw"
Layfield, interfered in a match and super
kicked JBL in front of the referee to get
his employer the win via "outside interference".
Striking an opponent with a foreign object
(an object not permitted by the rules of the
match; see hardcore wrestling) (sometimes
the win decision can be reversed if the referee
spots the weapon before pin attempt or after
the match because they tried to strike when
referee is either distracted or knocked out).
Using any kind of "banned" move (see below
for details).
A direct low blow to the groin (unless the
rules of the match specifically allow this).
Intentionally laying hands on the referee.
Pulling an opponent's mask off during a match
(this is illegal in Mexico, and sometimes
in Japan).
Throwing an opponent over the top rope during
a match (this move is still illegal in the
National Wrestling Alliance, however, in cases
like the Royal Rumble match, this will be
allowed in order to eliminate a wrestler from
the match.)
In a mixed tag team match, a man hitting a
woman(intergender), or a normal sized wrestler
attacking an opposing midget wrestler(tag
team matches involving teams with one normal-sized
and one midget wrestler).In practice, not
all rule violations will result in a disqualification
as the referee may use his own judgement and
is not obligated to stop the match.
Usually, the only offenses that the referee
will see and immediately disqualify the match
on (as opposed to having multiple offenses)
are low blows, weapon usage, interference,
or assaulting the referee.
In WWE, a referee must see the violation with
his own eyes to rule that the match end in
a disqualification (simply watching the video
tape is not usually enough) and the referee's
ruling is almost always final, although dusty
finishes (named after, and made famous by,
Dusty Rhodes) will often result in the referee's
decision being overturned.
It is not uncommon for the referees themselves
to get knocked out during a match, which is
commonly referred to by the term "ref bump".
While the referee remains "unconscious", wrestlers
are free to violate rules until he is revived
or replaced.
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
(sometimes, another referee will sprint to
the ring from backstage to attempt to make
the count, but by then, the other wrestler
has had enough time to kick out on his own
accord).
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
night's show.
Sometimes, however, if this happens in a match
to determine the challenger for a heel champion's
title, the champion is forced to face both
opponents simultaneously for the title.
Usually, the double disqualification is caused
by the heel wrestler's associates in a match
between two face wrestlers to determine his
opponent.
==== Forfeit ====
Although extremely rare, a match can end in
a forfeit if the opponent either does not
show up for the match, or shows up but refuses
to compete.
Although a championship usually cannot change
hands except by pinfall or submission, a forfeit
victory is enough to crown a new champion.
The most famous example of this happened on
the December 8, 1997 episode of Raw is War,
when Stone Cold Steve Austin handed the WWE
Intercontinental Championship to The Rock
after refusing to defend the title.
Forfeit victories are extremely rare in wrestling.
When a pay-per-view match is booked and one
wrestler is unable to make it for one reason
or another, it is usually customary to insert
a last minute replacement rather than award
a wrestler a victory by forfeit.
Forfeit victories are almost always reserved
for when the story the promotion is telling
specifically requires such an ending.
In addition to the aforementioned moment between
Steve Austin and The Rock, other instance
of this happening was in March 2009, when
Triple H decided not to show up for a handicap
match against Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase
Jr., instead opting to attack Randy Orton
in his own home.
Despite being, statistically, an extremely
rare occurrence, Charles Wright is one wrestler
who is famous for turning forfeit victories
into his own gimmick.
During the late 1990s, Wright called himself
"The Godfather" and portrayed the gimmick
of a pimp.
He would often bring multiple women, who he
referred to as "hoes," to the ring with him,
and would offer the sexual services of these
women to his opponents in exchange for them
forfeiting their matches against him.
==== Draw ====
A professional wrestling match can end in
a draw.
A draw occurs if both opponents are simultaneously
disqualified (as via countout or if the referee
loses complete control of the match and both
opponents attack each other with no regard
to being in a match, like Brock Lesnar vs.
Undertaker at 2002 Unforgiven), neither opponent
is able to answer a ten-count, or both opponents
simultaneously win the match.
The latter can occur if, for example, one
opponent's shoulders touch the mat while maintaining
a submission hold against another opponent.
If the opponent in the hold begins to tap
out at the same time a referee counts to three
for pinning the opponent delivering the hold,
both opponents have legally achieved scoring
conditions simultaneously.
Traditionally, a championship may not change
hands in the event of a draw (though it may
become vacant), though some promotions such
as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling have endorsed
rules where the champion may lose a title
by disqualification.
A variant of the draw is the time-limit draw,
where the match does not have a winner by
a specified time period (a one-hour draw,
which was once common, is known in wrestling
circles as a "Broadway").
Also if two wrestlers have been given a disqualification
by either the referee or the chairman, this
is a no contest and if there is a title on
the line the champion keeps the championship.
==== No contest ====
A wrestling match may be declared a no contest
if the winning conditions are unable to occur.
This can be due to excessive interference,
loss of referee's control over the match,
one or more participants sustaining debilitating
injury not caused by the opponent, or the
inability of a scheduled match to even begin.
A no contest is a state separate and distinct
from a draw — a draw indicates winning conditions
were met.
Although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably
in practice, this usage is technically incorrect.
== 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.
Although 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/gimmick ===
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 (such
as Doink the Clown), while others carry more
verisimilitude (such as Chris Jericho, The
Rock, John Cena, Steve Austin, and CM Punk).
In lucha libre, many characters wear masks,
adopting a secret identity akin to a superhero,
a near-sacred tradition.An individual wrestler
may sometimes use his real name, or a minor
variation of it, for much of his career, such
as Bret Hart, John Cena and Randy Orton.
Others can keep one ring name for their entire
career (cases in point include Shawn Michaels,
CM Punk and Ricky Steamboat), 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 (although a simple
typeset change, such as changing Rhyno to
Rhino, can usually get around this), and sometimes
a character is owned by the wrestler.
Sometimes, a wrestler may change his legal
name to obtain ownership of his ring name
(examples include Andrew Martin and Warrior).
Many wrestlers (such as The Rock and The Undertaker)
are strongly identified with their character,
even responding to the name in public or between
friends.
It's actually considered proper decorum for
fellow wrestlers to refer to each other by
their stage names/characters rather than their
birth/legal names, unless otherwise introduced.
A professional wrestling character's popularity
can grow to the point that it makes appearances
in other media (see Hulk Hogan and 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 babyface, 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, antiheroes have
also become prominent in professional wrestling.
There is also a less common role of a "tweener",
who is neither fully face nor fully heel yet
able to play either role effectively (case
in point, Samoa Joe during his first run in
TNA Wrestling from June 2005 to November 2006).
At times a character may "turn", altering
their face/heel alignment.
This may be an abrupt, surprising event, or
it may slowly build up over time.
It almost always is accomplished with a markable
change in behavior on the part of the character.
Some turns become defining points in a wrestler's
career, as was the case when Hulk Hogan turned
heel after being a top face for over a decade.
Others may have no noticeable effect on the
character's status.
If a character repeatedly switches between
being a face and heel, this lessens the effect
of such turns, and may result in apathy from
the audience.
Vince McMahon is a good example of having
more heel and face turns than anyone in WWE
history.
As with personae in general, a character's
face or heel alignment may change with time,
or remain constant over its lifetime (the
most famous example of the latter is Ricky
Steamboat, a WWE Hall of Famer who remained
a babyface throughout his entire career).
Sometimes a character's heel turn will become
so popular that eventually the audience response
will alter the character's heel-face cycle
to the point where the heel persona will,
in practice, become a face persona, and what
was previously the face persona, will turn
into the heel persona, such as when Dwayne
Johnson first began using "The Rock" persona
as a heel character, as opposed to his original
"Rocky Maivia" babyface persona.
Another legendary example is Stone Cold Steve
Austin, who was originally booked as a heel,
with such mannerisms as drinking on the job,
using profanity, breaking company property,
and even breaking into people's private homes.
However, much to WWF's surprise, the fans
got such a charge out of Austin's antics that
he effectively became one of the greatest
antiheroes in the history of the business.
He, along with the stable of D-Generation
X, is generally credited with ushering in
the Attitude Era of WWF programming.
=== 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 sometimes win (triumph)
or sometimes 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
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 feud between Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat
lasted from the late 1970s into the early
1990s and allegedly spanned over two thousand
matches (although most of those matches were
mere dark matches).
The career-spanning history between characters
Mike Awesome and Masato Tanaka is another
example of a long-running feud, as is the
case of Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon, one
of the most lucrative feuds in the World Wrestling
Federation during 1998 and 1999.
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.
Throughout the history of professional wrestling,
many other elements and forms of media have
been utilized in professional wrestling storytelling:
pre- and post-match interviews, "backstage"
skits, positions of authority and worked behind-the-scenes
feuds, division rankings (typically the #1-contendership
spot), contracts, lotteries, news stories
on websites, and in recent years social media.
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, corporate corruption,
family bonds, personal histories, grudges,
theft, cheating, assault, betrayal, bribery,
seduction, stalking, confidence tricks, extortion,
blackmail, substance abuse, self-doubt, self-sacrifice;
even kidnapping, sexual fetishism, necrophilia,
misogyny, rape and death have been portrayed
in wrestling.
Some promotions have included supernatural
elements such as magic, curses, the undead
and Satanic imagery (most notably the Undertaker
and his Ministry of Darkness, a stable that
regularly performed evil rituals and human
sacrifice in Satanic-like worship of a hidden
power figure).
Celebrities would also be involved in storylines.
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.
==== Promos ====
A main part of the story-telling part of wrestling
is a promo, short for promotional interview.
Promos are performed, or "cut", in wrestling
jargon, for a variety of reasons, including
to heighten interest in a wrestler, or to
hype an upcoming match.
Since the crowd is often too loud or the venue
too large for promos to be heard naturally,
wrestlers will use amplification when speaking
in the ring.
Unlike most Hollywood acting, large and highly
visible handheld microphones are typically
used and wrestlers often speak directly to
the audience.
=== Championships ===
Professional wrestling mimics the structure
of title match combat sports.
Participants compete for a championship and
must defend it after winning it.
These titles are represented physically by
a title belt that can be worn by the champion.
In the case of team wrestling, there is a
title belt for each member of the team.
Almost all professional wrestling promotions
have one major title, and some have more.
Championships are designated by divisions
of weight, height, gender, wrestling style
and other qualifications.
Typically, each promotion only recognizes
the "legitimacy" of their own titles, although
cross-promotion does happen.
When one promotion absorbs or purchases another,
the titles from the defunct promotion may
continue to be defended in the new promotion
or be decommissioned.
Behind the scenes, the bookers in a company
will place the title on the most accomplished
performer, or those the bookers believe will
generate fan interest in terms of event attendance
and television viewership.
Lower ranked titles may also be used on the
performers who show potential, thus allowing
them greater exposure to the audience.
However other circumstances may also determine
the use of a championship.
A combination of a championship's lineage,
the caliber of performers as champion, and
the frequency and manner of title changes,
dictates the audience's perception of the
title's quality, significance and reputation.
A wrestler's championship accomplishments
can be central to their career, becoming a
measure of their performance ability and drawing
power.
In general, a wrestler with multiple title
reigns or an extended title reign is indicative
of a wrestler's ability to maintain audience
interest or a wrestler's ability to perform
in the ring.
As such, the most accomplished or decorated
wrestlers tend to be revered as legends despite
the predetermined nature of title reigns.
American wrestler Ric Flair has had multiple
world heavyweight championship reigns spanning
over three decades.
Japanese wrestler Último Dragón once held
and defended a record 10 titles simultaneously.
=== 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.
The WWE has another provision where a standard
cage match can end with one wrestler or wrestling
team escaping the cage through the door or
over the top.
Another example is the WWE's 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.
It also serves as a catalyst for the company's
ongoing feuds, as well as a springboard for
new storylines.
=== Ring entrance ===
While the wrestling matches themselves are
the primary focus of professional wrestling,
a key dramatic element of the business can
be entrances of the wrestlers to the arena
and ring.
It is typical for a wrestler to get their
biggest crowd reaction (or "pop") for their
ring entrance, rather than for anything they
do in the wrestling match itself, especially
if former main event stars are returning to
a promotion after a long absence.
All notable wrestlers now enter the ring accompanied
by music, and regularly add other elements
to their entrance.
The music played during the ring entrance
will usually mirror the wrestler's personality.
Many wrestlers, particularly in America, have
music and lyrics specially written for their
ring entrance.
While invented long before, the practice of
including music with the entrance gained rapid
popularity during the 1980s, largely as a
result of the huge success of Hulk Hogan and
the WWF, and their Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection.
When a match is won, the victor's theme music
is usually also played in celebration.
Because wrestling is predetermined, a wrestler's
entrance music will play as they enter the
arena, even if they are, in kayfabe, not supposed
to be there.
For example, in 2012 through 2014, The Shield
was a trio of wrestlers who were (in kayfabe)
not at the time under contract with WWE (hence
their gimmick of entering the ring through
the crowd), but they still had entrance music
which was played whenever they entered the
arena, despite the fact that they were kayfabe
invaders.
With the introduction of the Titantron entrance
screen in 1997, WWF/WWE wrestlers also had
entrance videos made that would play along
with their entrance music.
Other dramatic elements of a ring entrance
can include:
Pyrotechnics
Additional visual graphics or staging props
to complement the entrance video/routine or
further emphasize the character.
For instance, Kane's entrance graphics employ
heavy use of fire-themed visuals, The Undertaker's
entrance features dark lighting, fire, fog
and dry ice, and lightning-themed effects,
John Morrison's entrance would feature use
of multicolored psychedelic style patterns,
The Miz has in the past incorporated inflatable
lettering spelling out the word "AWESOME"
into his entrance, and Montel Vontavious Porter
frequently used an inflatable entrance tunnel
during his WWE tenure.
Goldust has been known to use on-screen visual
effects in his entrance to simulate the presentation
of a feature film (i.e. widescreen, production
company credits), as to emphasize his Hollywood-themed
film aficionado character.
Brodus Clay entered with disco ball lighting
effects to emphasize his "Funkasaurus" character.
A distinct sound or opening note in the music
(used to elicit a Pavlovian response from
the crowd).
For example, the glass shattering in Steve
Austin's entrance theme, The Undertaker's
signature bell toll, or the sound of bells
and a cow's moo in JBL's theme.
Darkening of the arena, often accompanied
by mood lighting or strobe lighting, such
as in The Undertaker's, Triple H's, or Sting's
entrances.
Certain colors of lighting have been associated
with specific wrestlers; for instance, blue
lighting for The Undertaker, green lighting
for Triple H, D-Generation X, and Shane McMahon,
red and orange lighting for Kane, multicolored
lighting for John Morrison, gold lighting
for Goldust, pink lighting for Val Venis,
and so forth.
Costumes that evoke "otherworldly" or "fictional"
themes.
With examples such as Big Van Vader's bio-mechanical
themed headdress which spewed steam, Pyro's
fire shooting outfit, Shockmaster's bejeweled
space helmet, and Ricky Steamboat's dragon
costume, to name a few.
Entering in a manner in keeping with their
character traits, such as a fast, highly energetic
entrance, or a slow, stoic entrance.
For example, The Ultimate Warrior would run
at high speed down the entrance ramp and into
the ring while Randy Orton would slowly and
darkly walk to the ring.
The Undertaker has adopted one of the most
notable entrances, taking around 4 to 5 minutes,
darkening the whole arena, and performing
a slow, intimidating walk.
Like sound effects, some entrance mannerisms
often become signature to individual wrestlers.
For example, Steve Austin's entrance often
involves him standing on the second turnbuckle,
raising his hands in the air for few seconds,
and then doing the same thing for the other
three turnbuckles, a mannerism which has become
just as much a signature part of Austin's
entrance as the glass-shattering sound effect.
Driving a vehicle into the arena.
For example, Eddie Guerrero would arrive into
the arena in a lowrider, The Undertaker (in
his "American Bad Ass" biker gimmick), Chuck
Palumbo, Tara, and the Disciples of Apocalypse
on motorcycles, The Mexicools on riding lawn
mowers, JBL in his limousine, Alberto Del
Rio arriving into the arena in various luxury
cars, Steve Austin driving an all-terrain
vehicle, and perhaps most recently Camacho
and Hunico entering on a lowrider bicycle.
Acting out a trademark behavior, such as posing
to display their muscularity, mounting the
ring ropes, or sitting in the corner.
Talking to the crowd using a distinctive patter.
For instance, chanting or rapping along with
the music (i.e.
Road Dogg, R-Truth).
Another example is Vickie Guerrero entering
to no music, but announcing her arrival with
the words "Excuse me!"
Many heels with narcissistic gimmicks (Lex
Luger, Shawn Michaels, Cody Rhodes, Paul Orndorff,
etc.) would admire themselves with a mirror
on their way to the ring.
Coming through the audience, such as The Sandman's
beer drinking and can smashing entrance, or
Diamond Dallas Page's exit through the crowd,
or most recently, The Shield walking through
the arena.
Accompaniment by a ringside crew or personal
security, an example of which would be Goldberg
Entering the arena by a lift in the stage,
such as Kurt Angle, Gangrel and Rey Mysterio
If a wrestler is a current champion, he will
attempt to visually draw attention to his
championship belt by either holding it high
over his head or (if the belt is worn around
the waist) moving his hands across it or pointing
to it.Another method of entry involves descending
from the ceiling with a Zip-line or rappel
line and stunt harness.
This has been done by Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania
XII, by Sting many times in WCW and TNA, and
has gained major controversy over its role
in the death of wrestler Owen Hart at Over
the Edge.
Special ring entrances are also developed
for big occasions, most notably the WrestleMania
event.
For example, WrestleMania III and VI both
saw all wrestlers enter the arena on motorized
miniature wrestling rings.
Live bands are sometimes hired to perform
live entrance music at special events.
John Cena and Triple H are particularly notable
in recent years for their highly theatrical
entrances at WrestleMania.
== Wrestlers ==
=== 
Women's wrestling ===
The women's division of professional wrestling
has maintained a recognized world champion
since 1937, when Mildred Burke won the original
World Women's title.
She then formed the World Women's Wrestling
Association in the early 1950s and recognized
herself as the first champion, although the
championship would be vacated upon her retirement
in 1956.
The NWA however, ceased to acknowledge Burke
as their Women's World champion in 1954, and
instead acknowledged June Byers as champion
after a controversial finish to a high-profile
match between Burke and Byers that year.
Upon Byers' retirement in 1964, The Fabulous
Moolah, who won a junior heavyweight version
of the NWA World Women's Championship (the
predecessor to the WWE Women's Championship)
in a tournament back in 1958, was recognized
by most NWA promoters as champion by default.
=== Intergender wrestling ===
For most of its history, men and women would
rarely 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 (worked) feud with Jerry
Lawler.
In the 1980s, mixed tag team matches began
to take place, with a male and female on each
team and a rule stating that each wrestler
could only attack the opponent of the same
gender.
If a tag was made, the other team had to automatically
switch their legal wrestler as well.
Despite these restrictions, many mixed tag
matches do feature some physical interaction
between participants of different genders.
For example, a heel may take a cheap shot
at the female wrestler of the opposing team
to draw a negative crowd reaction.
In lucha libre, cheap-shots and male-female
attacks are not uncommon.Intergender singles
bouts were first fought on a national level
in the 1990s.
This began with Luna Vachon, who faced men
in ECW and WWF.
Later, Chyna became the first female to hold
a belt that was not exclusive to women when
she won the WWF Intercontinental Championship.
While it is a rare feat in WWE, in TNA, ODB
participates in singles intergender matches.
Also, ODB's kayfabe husband and tag team partner
Eric Young held the Knockouts tag team titles
for a record 478 days before it was stripped
by Brooke Hogan because Young was a male.
=== 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 or feud.
However, WWE has made a few attempts to enter
this market with their "minis" in the 1990s
and the "junior's league" as recent as 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 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.
Dave Finlay was often aided in his matches
by a midget known mainly as Hornswoggle while
in WWE, who hid under the ring and gave a
shillelagh to Finlay to use on his opponent.
Finlay also occasionally threw him at his
opponent(s).
Hornswoggle has also been given a run with
the WWE Cruiserweight Championship and feuded
with D-X in 2009.
== Styles and characteristics in different
countries ==
The U.S., Japan and Mexico are three countries
where there is a huge market and high popularity
for professional wrestling.
But the styles of professional wrestling are
different, given their independent development
for a long period.
Professional wrestling in the U.S. tends to
have a heavy focus on story building and the
establishment of characters (and their personalities).
There is a story for each match, and even
a longer story for successive matches.
The stories usually contain characters like
faces and heels, and less often antiheroes
and tweeners.
It is a "triumph" if the face wins, while
it is a "tragedy" if the heel wins.
The characters usually have strong and sharp
personalities, with examples like Doink the
Clown, whose personality is melodramatic,
slapstick and fantastical.
The opposition between faces and heels is
very intense in the story, and the heels may
even attack the faces during TV interviews.
The relationship between different characters
can also be very complex.
Although professional wrestling in Mexico
(Lucha libre) also has stories and characters,
they are less emphasized.
Wrestlers in Mexico are traditionally more
agile and perform more aerial maneuvers than
professional wrestlers in the U.S. who, more
often, rely on power moves and strikes to
subdue their opponents.
The difference in styles is due to the independent
evolution of the sport in Mexico beginning
in the 1930s and the fact that wrestlers in
the cruiserweight division (Spanish: peso
semicompleto) are often the most popular wrestlers
in Mexican lucha libre.
Wrestlers often execute high flying moves
characteristic of lucha libre by utilizing
the wrestling ring's ropes to catapult themselves
towards their opponents, using intricate combinations
in rapid-fire succession, and applying complex
submission holds.
Lucha libre is also known for its tag team
wrestling matches, in which the teams are
often made up of three members, instead of
two as is common in the U.S.The style of Japanese
professional wrestling (puroresu) is again
different.
With its origins in traditional American style
of wrestling and still being under the same
genre, it has become an entity in itself.
Despite the similarity to its American counterpart
in that the outcome of the matches remains
predetermined, the phenomena are different
in the form of the psychology and presentation
of the sport.
In most of the largest promotions, such as
New Japan Pro-Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling
and Pro Wrestling Noah, it is treated as a
full contact combat sport as it mixes hard
hitting martial arts strikes with shoot style
submission holds, while in the U.S. it is
rather more regarded as an entertainment show.
Wrestlers incorporate kicks and strikes from
martial arts disciplines, and a strong emphasis
is placed on submission wrestling, and unlike
the use of involved storylines in the U.S.,
they are not as intricate in Japan, more emphasis
is placed on the concept of "fighting spirit",
meaning the wrestlers display of physical
and mental stamina are valued a lot more than
theatrics.
Many of Japan's wrestlers including top stars
such as Shinya Hashimoto, Riki Chōshū and
Keiji Mutoh came from a legitimate martial
arts background and many Japanese wrestlers
in the 1990s began to pursue careers in mixed
martial arts organizations such as Pancrase
and Shooto which at the time retained the
original look of puroresu but were actual
competitions.
Other companies, such as Michinoku Pro Wrestling
and Dragon Gate, wrestle in a style similar
to Mexican companies like AAA and CMLL.
This is known as "Lucharesu".
== Culture ==
Professional wrestling has developed its own
cultures, both internal and external.Those
involved in producing professional wrestling
have developed a kind of global fraternity,
with familial bonds, shared language and passed-down
traditions.
New performers are expected to "pay their
dues" for a few years by working in lower-profile
promotions and working as ring crew before
working their way upward.
The permanent rosters of most promotions develop
a backstage pecking order, with veterans mediating
conflicts and mentoring younger wrestlers.
For many decades (and still to a lesser extent
today) performers were expected to keep the
illusions of wrestling's legitimacy alive
even while not performing, essentially acting
in character any time they were in public.
Some veterans speak of a "sickness" among
wrestling performers, an inexplicable pull
to remain active in the wrestling world despite
the devastating effects the job can have on
one's life and health.Fans of professional
wrestling have their own subculture, comparable
to those of science fiction, video games,
or comic books.
Those who are interested in the backstage
occurrences, future storylines and reasonings
behind company decisions read newsletters
written by journalists with inside ties to
the wrestling industry.
These "rags" or "dirt sheets" have expanded
into the Internet, where their information
can be dispensed on an up-to-the-minute basis.
Some have expanded into radio shows.Some fans
enjoy a pastime of collecting tapes of wrestling
shows from specific companies, of certain
wrestlers, or of specific genres.
The internet has given fans exposure to worldwide
variations of wrestling they would be unable
to see otherwise.
Since the 1990s, many companies have been
founded which deal primarily in wrestling
footage.
When the WWE purchased both WCW and ECW in
2001, they also obtained the entire past video
libraries of both productions and have released
many past matches online and on home video.Like
some other sports, fantasy leagues have developed
around professional wrestling.
Some take this concept further by creating
E-feds (electronic federations), where a user
can create their own fictional wrestling character,
and role-playing storylines with other users,
leading to scheduled "shows" where match results
are determined by the organizers, usually
based on a combination of the characters'
statistics and the players' roleplaying aptitude,
sometimes with audience voting.
=== Professional wrestling in mainstream culture
===
From the first established world championship,
the top professional wrestlers have garnered
fame within mainstream society.
Each successive generation has produced a
number of wrestlers who extend their careers
into the realms of music, acting, writing,
business, politics or public speaking, and
are known to those who are unfamiliar with
wrestling in general.
Conversely, celebrities from other sports
or general pop culture also become involved
with wrestling for brief periods of time.
A prime example of this is The Rock 'n' Wrestling
Connection of the 1980s, which combined wrestling
with MTV.
Professional wrestling is often portrayed
within other works using parody, and its general
elements have become familiar tropes and memes
in American culture.
Some terminology originating in professional
wrestling has found its way into the common
vernacular.
Phrases such as "body slam", "sleeper hold"
and "tag team" are used by those who do not
follow professional wrestling.
The term "smackdown", popularized by The Rock
and SmackDown! in the 1990s, has been included
in Merriam-Webster dictionaries since 2007.
Many television shows and films have been
produced which portray in-character professional
wrestlers as protagonists, such as Ready to
Rumble, ¡Mucha Lucha!, Nacho Libre, and the
Santo film series.
At least two stage plays set in the world
of pro wrestling have been produced: The Baron
is a comedy that retells the life of an actual
performer known as Baron von Raschke.
From Parts Unknown... is an award-nominated
Canadian drama about the rise and fall of
a fictional wrestler.
The 2009 South Park episode "W.T.F." played
on the soap operatic elements of professional
wrestling.
One of the lead characters on the Disney Channel
series Kim Possible was a huge fan of pro
wrestling and actually featured it on an episode
(with two former WWE wrestlers voicing the
two fictitious wrestlers featured in the episode).
The 2008 film The Wrestler, about a washed-up
professional wrestler, garnered several Oscar
nominations.
The 1950 film noir Night and the City, directed
by Jules Dassin and starring Richard Widmark
and Gene Tierney, told the story of a promoter
in London trying to make it big, and featured
a match involving real professional wrestler
Stanislaus Zbyszko.
=== Study and analysis of professional wrestling
===
With its growing popularity, professional
wrestling has attracted attention as a subject
of serious academic study and journalistic
criticism.
Many courses, theses, essays and dissertations
have analyzed wrestling's conventions, content,
and its role in modern society.
It is often included as part of studies on
theatre, sociology, performance, and media.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology
developed a course of study on the cultural
significance of professional wrestling, and
anthropologist Heather Levi has written an
ethnography about the culture of lucha libre
in MexicoBut this was not always the case;
in the early 20th century, once it became
apparent that the "sport" was worked, pro
wrestling was looked down on as a cheap entertainment
for the uneducated working class—an attitude
that still exists to varying degrees today.
The French theorist Roland Barthes was among
the first to propose that wrestling was worthy
of deeper analysis, in his essay "The World
of Wrestling" from his book Mythologies, first
published in 1957.
Barthes argued that it should be looked at
not as a scamming of the ignorant, but as
spectacle; a mode of theatric performance
for a willing, if bloodthirsty, audience.
Wrestling is described as performed art which
demands an immediate reading of the juxtaposed
meanings.
The logical conclusion is given least importance
over the theatrical performers of the wrestlers
and the referee.
According to Barthes the function of a wrestler
is not to win: it is to go exactly through
the motions which are expected of him and
to give the audience a theatrical spectacle.
This work is considered a foundation of all
later study.While pro wrestling is often described
simplistically as a "soap opera for males",
it has also been cited as filling the role
of past forms of literature and theatre; a
synthesis of classical heroics, commedia dell'arte,
revenge tragedies, morality plays, and burlesque.
The characters and storylines portrayed by
a successful promotion are seen to reflect
the current mood, attitudes, and concerns
of that promotion's society (and can, in turn,
influence those same things).
Wrestling's high levels of violence and masculinity
make it a vicarious outlet for aggression
during peacetime.Documentary filmmakers have
studied the lives of wrestlers and the effects
the profession has on them and their families.
The 1999 theatrical documentary Beyond the
Mat focused on Terry Funk, a wrestler nearing
retirement; Mick Foley, a wrestler within
his prime; Jake Roberts, a former star fallen
from grace; and a school of wrestling student
trying to break into the business.
The 2005 release Lipstick and Dynamite, Piss
and Vinegar: The First Ladies of Wrestling
chronicled the development of women's wrestling
throughout the 20th century.
Pro wrestling has been featured several times
on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.
MTV's documentary series True Life featured
two episodes titled "I'm a Professional Wrestler"
and "I Want to Be a Professional Wrestler".
Other documentaries have been produced by
The Learning Channel (The Secret World of
Professional Wrestling) and A&E (Hitman Hart:
Wrestling with Shadows).
Bloodstained Memoirs explored the careers
of several pro wrestlers, including Chris
Jericho, Rob Van Dam and Roddy Piper.
=== Injury and fatality ===
Although professional wrestling is choreographed,
there is a high chance of injury, and even
death.
Strikes are often stiff especially in Japan
and in independent wrestling promotions such
as Combat Zone Wrestling and Ring of Honor.
The ring is often made out of 2 by 8 timber
planks.
There have been many brutal accidents, hits
and injuries.
Many of the injuries that occur in pro wrestling
are shoulders, knee, back, neck, and rib injuries.
Professional wrestler Davey Richards said
in 2015 "We train to take damage, we know
we are going to take damage and we accept
that."In April 2014, less than 25 years after
the 1990 WrestleMania VI, one-third of its
36 competitors had died including André the
Giant and main event winner The Ultimate Warrior,
with none of the deceased having reached the
age of 64.
== See also ==
History of professional wrestling
Independent circuit
=== 
Terminology ===
Foreign objects (e.g. folding chair)
Professional wrestling match types
Professional wrestling tag team match types
Professional wrestling tournament
Glossary of professional wrestling terms
=== 
Lists of wrestlers ===
List of professional wrestling rosters
List of family relations in professional wrestling
=== 
Types of professional wrestling ===
All-in professional wrestling
Fantasy wrestling
Hardcore wrestling
Lucha libre
Puroresu
Sports entertainment
=== 
Radio programs ===
Live Audio Wrestling
Talksport
Wrestling Observer Live
=== 
In fiction ===
List of wrestling-based comic books
The Wrestler (2008 film)
== Footnotes
