Professional wrestling
- For the Nintendo Entertainment System video game by Nintendo, see Pro Wrestling (video game).
Professional wrestling is generally any form of wrestling in which the wrestlers receive payment for participating. Historically, American and Canadian professional wrestling has involved matches where the outcome was predetermined, and the term professional wrestling or pro-wrestling has evolved to refer almost exclusively to predetermined matches, also referred to as "works". Modern professional wrestling usually features striking and other techniques, which are modelled after diverse set of global wrestling and pugilistic styles.
Modern professional wrestling is a performing art, where the participants create an entertainment show simulating a combat sporting match. The level of realism can vary from moderate (the American World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) promotion) to highly realistic (the Japanese strong style as exemplified by Antonio Inoki) to unrealistic (In Mexico the dominant style is the stylized, theatrical Lucha libre).
Rules
The simulated nature of professional wrestling is only one of the many differences it has with traditional wrestling. Other differences can be found by looking at the supposed rules of pro wrestling.
The referee has ultimate control in any match, and has so much authority that a decision reversal can only be made by the referee involved in the match; even the promotion owner has no influence over this decision. Of course, even this "rule" is subject to modification, depending on current storylines within the promotion. A common means 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 getting "accidentally" knocked senseless or thrown outside of the ring. 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, 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 known as a "chop"). This is probably the most ignored rule, 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 the ropes to avoid losing by pinfall.
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. It is illegal to use the ropes to secure oneself or gain leverage while pinning, and is therefore a popular cheating method for heels.
Submission
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, 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. This has been largely ignored since around 1995, although it is still used when an "old-school" wrestler is working a match.
Today, a wrestler can indicate a submission by "tapping out," that is, tapping a free hand against the mat. The tapout is not a traditional part of professional wrestling; it was introduced during the mid-1990s in response to the increased popularity of mixed martial arts competitions (at a time when people like Ken Shamrock were also arriving in the business), where the tap out has always been accepted. Rarely, some promotions have used the option of a verbal submission, in case of the wrestler's arms being inactive due to the submission maneuver.
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 (in some promotions it can be a 20 count). If both wrestlers are outside the ring, the count is broken if either one re-enters and exits the ring. If not, both wresters 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.
Disqualification
Offenses punishable by disqualification (or "DQ") include:
- 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, staying on the top turnbuckle, and repeatedly punching with a closed fist, for more than a referee-administered five count.
- Any outside interference involving a person not involved in the match striking or holding a wrestler. If someone 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 specifically allow this).
- A direct low-blow to the groin.
- Laying hands on the referee.
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. Almost always, 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.
If both participants (or teams) in a match continue to breech 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.
Title matches
Unless specifically noted, a wrestler cannot win a championship title from his opponent by defeating him by countout or disqualification. In the event of a countout or a disqualification, the champion retains his title even if he loses the match. This is known as the championship advantage (i.e.: the champion has the advantage because he/she can lose the match (by countout or disqualification) and hang onto their title, while their opponent must win by pinfall or submission to win the belt).
In most cases, a wrestler must pin his opponent or force him to submit in order to win a championship. These rules are valid in championship matches for WWE, but in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), several Japanese promotions and some National Wrestling Association (NWA) affiliates, a title will change hands via a disqualification, or countout.
Performers
Most professional wrestlers are men, and especially in North America, they are usually large in size, often to extremes. Competitions or divisions are sometimes set up for men of lesser size; the popularity of such divisions varies over time.
Women have long participated in professional wrestling, first in woman-versus-woman matches that were low on the bill compared to mens' matches, and then later as managers or valets accompanying male wrestlers.
Midget wrestling has been a unique aspect of professional wrestling, and can be traced to professional wrestling's carnival and vaudeville origins. In recent years, however, the popularity and prevalence of midgets in wrestling has greatly decreased.
See also
Professional wrestling worldwide
- Wrestling in Australia
- Professional wrestling in Japan
- Professional wrestling in Mexico
- Professional wrestling in United Kingdom
Lists of wrestlers
- List of professional wrestlers
- List of professional wrestling stables
- List of real names of professional wrestlers