Difference between revisions of "Professional wrestling"

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'''Professional wrestling''', or '''pro wrestling''', is the performance, management, and [[marketing]] of an athletic [[performing art]] which contains elements of [[catch wrestling]], [[mock combat]] and [[theatre]]. It has origins in carnival [[sideshows]] in the late 19th century as part of displays of athletics and strength, and its staged aspects grew out of a need to heighten excitement and lessen the strain on performers. Modern professional wrestling usually features simulated [[strike (attack)|striking]] and [[grappling]] techniques, which are modeled after diverse sets of global wrestling and [[martial arts|pugilistic]] styles. Realistic performance is very physical and requires intense specialized training.
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'''Professional wrestling''' is a violent form of [[entertainment]], in which [[actor]]s pretend to be having an athletic contest. In actuality, they are performing a script, and the bout nearly always reaches an agreed-upon outcome. It is not real and is inconsistent with Christian [[values]].
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Professional wrestling has gradually become a pervasive form of entertainment globally, especially in [[Japan]] and [[North America]]n countries. High-profile figures in the sport often become [[pop culture]] icons, such as [[Hulk Hogan]], [[El Santo]], and [[Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson]]. Leading universities have developed courses of study on the cultural significance of professional wrestling.<ref>http://mitcmsprowrestling.blogspot.com/2006/12/this-class-will-explore-cultural.html Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Comparative Media Studies course on Professional Wrestling -- Official Course weblog</ref>
 
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It is a billion-dollar industry, drawing revenue from ticket sales, television 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]] are among the highest-selling pay-per-view programming.
 
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Currently, the dominant professional wrestling company worldwide is the [[United States]]-based [[World Wrestling Entertainment]], which absorbed many smaller regional companies in the late twentieth century, as well as its primary competitor, [[World Championship Wrestling]].
 
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==Types==
 
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There are many different types of professional wrestling.
 
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'''[[Sports entertainment]] style''' combines colorful characters and dramatic storylines with a lesser focus on the sporting aspects. This is the style of product produced by [[World Wrestling Entertainment]] and [[Total Nonstop Action Wrestling]], and is arguably the most popular form of professional wrestling. Despite its popularity, it is decried by some critics as [[over the top]] and [[circus]]-like, due to frequent usage of [[melodrama]], [[comedy]], and intentional [[camp (style)|camp]].
 
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'''Southern style''' -- colloquially (sometimes mockingly) known as "wrasslin'" -- puts equal emphasis on theatrics and athleticism, and tends to favor traditional roles of hero and villain. It was wildly popular in the [[American South]] throughout the twentieth century, where it was produced by the [[National Wrestling Alliance]], [[Jim Crockett Promotions]], and early [[World Championship Wrestling]].
 
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Another type, rarely found in [[North America]], is '''strong style''' wrestling (also see ''[[Puroresu]]''), which forgoes elaborate characterizations in favor of athletic prowess. This is very popular in [[Japan]] as the fighters use [[martial arts]] strikes and complex [[Submission (combat sport)|submission]] moves.  Promotions using this include [[Pro Wrestling NOAH]] and [[New Japan Pro Wrestling]]. An extension of this, with legitimate maneuvers actually applied, is known as '''[[shoot style]]''', and was pioneered by [[Universal Wrestling Federation (Japan)|Universal Wrestling Federation]].
 
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Another style which emphasizes high levels of brutality, focusing on use of weapons and unusual environment elements for heightened violence, is called '''extreme''', '''hardcore''', '''combat''', ''''garbage'''' or '''ultra-violent wrestling'''. It also incorporates legitimately dangerous stunts, such as falls from high places onto [[folding tables]].
 
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'''King's Road''' is a variant of Japanese ''proresu'' which builds up long matches filled with dramatic tension from the physical struggles. This style was pioneered by [[All Japan Pro Wrestling]].
 
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While some promotions specialize in one specific style, others produce events with a more diverse array that appeals to varied tastes. [[Extreme Championship Wrestling]], for instance, is commonly known as a pioneer of the hardcore style, but its product is best described as Southern style with less emphasis on the hero/villain dichotomy. [[Lucha libre]] has elements of sports entertainment (masks and midget wrestlers) but also puts focus on a wrestler's athletic prowess and matches can often have dire results, including loss of hair.
 
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==Staged nature of professional wrestling==
 
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{{Main article|kayfabe|shoot (professional wrestling)}}
 
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Throughout the history of professional wrestling, the utmost care was taken to ensure that the staged nature of professional wrestling was kept secret to the audience, a concept known as [[kayfabe]] or "[[work (professional wrestling)|working]] the [[mark (victim)|marks]]". Kayfabe was largely broken down by the steroid trials of the World Wrestling Federation (now referred to as [[World Wrestling Entertainment]]) and the advent of the Internet in the 1990s. However, this changed little of how wrestling is produced. Like those of film and theatre, the professional wrestling audience overlooks the inner workings of the performance, invoking [[suspension of disbelief]] and allowing for [[dramatic license]].
 
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Occasionally a performer will deviate from the intended sequence of events. This is known as a [[shoot (professional wrestling)|shoot]]. Sometimes shoot-like elements are included in wrestling stories to blur the line between performance and reality. These are known as "worked-shoots". However, the vast majority of events in professional wrestling are entirely preplanned.
 
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== Rules ==
 
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The simulated nature of professional wrestling is only one of the many differences it has with traditional wrestling. Other differences may vary from company to company. Some examples of this would be the 6 sided ring in TNA or the stipulation heavy WWE.
 
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Matches are held between two or more sides. Each side may consist of one wrestler, or a team of two or more. Most team matches are held 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.
 
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The assigned [[Referee (professional wrestling)|referee]] is often the one who controls the outcome of the matches, and separates any unnecessarily rough engagement between the two combatants. In multi-man lucha libre matches, two referees are used, one inside the ring and one outside. Many different rules apply in wrestling for being a referee, just as in other sports, such as calling matches fairly for both opponents and not favoring one over the other. It is illegal for a referee to get physically involved in any match. If this is done it could result in being fired. However, these are "rules" of a performance, which can be ignored completely if dramatically justifiable -- see [[Referee (professional wrestling)#Special Referee|Special Guest Referee]].
 
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The standard winning condition in wrestling is the pinning of the opponent's shoulders to the mat for a length of three seconds, which is determined only by the referee. In addition to pinfall, a match can be won by [[Professional wrestling#Submission|submission]], [[Professional wrestling#Countout|count-out]], [[Professional wrestling#Disqualification|disqualification]], or failure to answer a ten count.
 
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Punching is always permitted and will have no repercussions, although WWE refs will admonish a punching wrestler and demand an open hand slap.  In addition, wrestlers may kick with any part of their foot, and "low blow" only refers to actually [[groin attack|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 [[Grappling hold|submission hold]], and also, more seldom, a wrestler can place his foot on (or under) the ropes to avoid losing by pinfall. This is often referred to unofficially as a '''rope break'''. Participants may try to abuse these rules, and it will often result in verbal or physical sparring with the referee.
 
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===Draw===
 
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A professional wrestling match can end in a draw. A draw occurs if both opponents are simultaneously disqualified (as via [[Professional wrestling#Countout|count-out]]), 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 [[Submission (combat sport term)|tap out]] at the same time a referee counts to three for pinning the opponent delivering the hold, both opponents have legally achieved victory conditions simultaneously. A title or belt may not change hands in the event of a draw in most cases. Though some promotions, such as [[TNA Wrestling]] have endorsed rules where the champion may lose a title by disqualification.
 
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===Pinfall===
 
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{{Main|Pin (professional wrestling)}}
 
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In order to win by pinfall, a wrestler must pin both his opponent's shoulders against the mat while the referee slaps the mat three times. This is the most common form of defeat. If a wrestler's shoulders are down (both shoulders touching the mat) and any part of the opponent's body is lying over the opponent, it is completely legal for the three count to be made. Illegal pinning methods include using the ropes for leverage and hooking the opponent's pants, therefore they are popular cheating methods for [[Heel (professional wrestling)|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.
 
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Occasionally, there are instances where a pinfall is made where both wrestler's shoulders were on the mat for the three count. This situation will most likely lead to a draw, and in some cases a continuation of the match or a future match to determine the winner.  A winner will possibly be crowned at the following Pay Per View or sometime else in the future.
 
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===Submission===
 
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[[Image:Cenastfu.jpg|thumb|300px|[[John Cena]] applying his submission maneuver, the [[Professional wrestling holds#STS|STFU]], on [[Dave Bautista|Batista]].]]
 
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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.).
 
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Passing out in a submission hold constitutes a loss by [[knockout]]. To determine if a wrestler has passed out in WWE, the referee usually picks up and drops his hand. If it drops three consecutive times without the wrestler having the strength to stop it from falling, the wrestler is considered to have passed out. At one point this was largely ignored, however the rule is now much more commonly observed for safety reasons.  If the wrestler has considered to have passed out the opponent then wins the match up by submission.
 
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Also, a wrestler can indicate a submission by "[[Submission (combat sport term)|tapping out]]"<ref>[http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/pro-wrestling2.htm Rules of professional wrestling]</ref>, that is, tapping a free hand against the mat or against an opponent. The tap-out was always a big part of Professional wrestling, however following the decline of the submission-oriented catch-as-catch-can style from mainstream professional wrestling, the tap out largely faded. Despite this, some wrestlers, such as [[Ric Flair]], [[Kurt Angle]], [[Chris Benoit]], [[Ken Shamrock]], and [[Bret Hart]], became famous for winning matches via submission.  Much like traditional finisher maneuvers, a wrestler with a finisher submission is shown as better at applying the move, making it more difficult to get out of, despite some obvious similarity.
 
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===Countout===
 
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A countout (alternatively "count-out" or "count out") happens when a wrestler is out of the ring long enough for the referee to count to ten (occasionally twenty). The count is broken and re-started when a wrestler in the ring exits the ring. A wrestler entering the ring does not break the count for a wrestler outside the ring. If both wrestlers are outside the ring, the count refers to both. A common tactic, to buy more time outside the ring, is for one wrestler to re-enter the ring to restart the count and then immediately re-exit it (referred to as "breaking the count"). If both wrestlers remain outside at the count of ten, both are counted out in what is known as a "double countout" or "impossible draw".
 
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If both wrestlers are lying on the mat and not moving, the referee may issue a ten count for them to get back to their feet. Either wrestler reaching their knees will break the count. If neither wrestler reaches their knees or feet, it is considered a draw, known as a double knockout or, incorrectly, an "in ring count-out."
 
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The countout rule also indicates that a wrestler cannot win a match while any part of his opponent's body is not in the ring. This allows escape from [[Pin (wrestling)|pinfalls]] and submission holds by putting any part of the body on the ring ropes.
 
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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.
 
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===Disqualification===
 
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Disqualification from a match is called for a number of reasons:
 
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*Performing any illegal holds or maneuvers, such as refusing to break a hold when an opponent is in the ropes, hair-pulling, choking or biting an opponent, or repeatedly punching with a closed fist. These violations are usually subject to a referee-administered five count and will result in disqualification if not released before.
 
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*Attacking an opponent's eye, such as raking it, poking it, [[eye-gouging|gouging it]], punching it out or other severe attacks to the eye.
 
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*Any outside interference involving a person not involved in the match striking or holding a wrestler. If a heel attempts to interfere but is ejected from the ring by a wrestler or referee before this occurs, there is usually no disqualification. In this disqualification method, the wrestler being attacked by the foreign member is awarded the win.
 
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*Striking an opponent with a [[Foreign object (professional wrestling)|foreign object]] (unless the rules of the match specifically allow this).
 
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*A direct [[groin attack|low blow to the groin]] (unless the rules of the match specifically allow this).
 
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*Intentionally laying hands on the referee or to an extreme case, often in special referee matches, laying any body parts on the referee.
 
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*Pulling an opponent's wrestling trunks for a pinfall during a match (although this usually just results in nullification of the pinfall).
 
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*Pulling an opponent's mask off during a match (this is illegal in Mexico).
 
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*Throwing your opponent over the top rope (this was illegal in [[NWA]], but is rarely used now).
 
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*In a [[Royal rumble]],it is illegal to enter the ring before your due entrance. This rule was announced at the [[2008 Royal Rumble]] when [[Finlay]] entered to save his ([[kayfabe]]) son [[Hornswoggle]].
 
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In practice, the rules of the fight are often violated without disqualification due to the referee being distracted and not seeing the offense, or the referee seeing the offense but allowing the match to continue. In WWE, a referee must see the violation with his own eyes to rule that the match end in a disqualification and the referee's ruling is almost always final. It is not uncommon for the referees themselves to get knocked out during a match. While the referee remains "unconscious", rules are often violated at will. In some cases, a referee might disqualify a person under the presumption that it was that wrestler who knocked him out; most referee knockouts are arranged to allow a wrestler, usually a heel, to gain an advantage. For example, a wrestler may get whipped into a referee at a slower speed, knocking the ref down for short amount of time; during that interim period, one wrestler may pin his opponent for a three-count and would have won the match but for the referee being down. Also, the referee rarely disqualifies the wrestler who knocked him down when the referee recovers.
 
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If all participants in a match continue to breach the referee's instructions, the match may end in a double disqualification, where both wrestlers or teams (in a [[tag team]] match) have been disqualified. The match is essentially nullified, and called a draw or in some cases a restart  or the same match being held at a Pay Per View or next nights show.
 
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In most wrestling promotions, a [[championship (professional wrestling)|championship]] cannot change hands as a result of a disqualifications, often referred to as the "champions advantage."  Playing into this, some heel wrestlers will attempt to "get themselves disqualified" to "protect" their championships.
 
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A relatively recent trend in wrestling has been the development of the no-disqualification (or [[Hardcore wrestling|Hardcore]]) match. This type of match became increasingly prominent during the 1990s, and was a particular feature of the [[Extreme Championship Wrestling|Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW)]] promotion.  When WWE (then WWF) unveiled its new [[Wwe#Attitude Era|'Attitude' era]] in 1997, the no-disqualification match was used as a centerpiece for this new design of wrestling, and a [[WWE Hardcore Championship|Hardcore Title]] was offered between 1998 and 2002. Completely new matches developed from the Hardcore/no-DQ match, including:
 
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*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).
 
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*Tables, Ladders, and Chairs (a ladder match where all three items may be used as a weapon against an opponent).
 
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*Hardcore match (a no-disqualification match where falls count anywhere, even out of the venue).
 
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===Tag rules===
 
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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) in order to transfer this legal status. This is known as a '''tag''', with the participants ''tagging out'' and ''tagging in''.
 
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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.
 
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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.
 
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==Dramatic elements==
 
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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, [[drama]]tic 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 broadcast]]s (which result in greater [[Television advertising|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.
 
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===Character===
 
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In Japan, most matches are treated as pure sport with seriousness of purpose (See [[Puroresu]]).
 
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In Latin America and English-speaking countries, most wrestlers (and other on-stage performers) portray [[Persona|character]] roles, sometimes with personalities wildly different from their own. These personalities are a [[gimmick]] intended to heighten interest in a wrestler without regard to athletic ability. Some can be unrealistic and [[cartoon]]-like, while others carry more verisimilitude. In [[lucha libre]], many characters wear masks, adopting a [[secret identity]] akin to a [[super hero]], a near-sacred tradition, sometimes going beyond kayfabe.
 
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An individual wrestler may keep one persona for his entire career, or may change from time to time to better suit the demands of the audience or company. Sometimes a character is owned and trademarked by the company, forcing the wrestler to find a new one when he leaves, and sometimes a character is owned by the wrestler. Many wrestlers are strongly identified with their character, even responding to the name in public or between friends. A professional wrestling character's popularity can grow to the point that it makes appearances in other media (see [[Hulk Hogan]], [[El Santo]]) or even give the performer enough visibility to enter [[politics]] ([[Antonio Inoki]] and [[Jesse Ventura]], among others).
 
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Typically, matches are staged between a [[protagonist]] (historically an audience favorite, known as a [[face (professional wrestling)|face]], or "the good guy") and an [[antagonist]] (historically a villain with arrogance, a tendency to break rules, or other unlikable qualities, called a [[heel (professional wrestling)|heel]]). In recent years, however, [[anti-heroes]] have also become prominent in professional wrestling. There are also a rarely seen position in which a character would fall in between the two spectrums, carrying the traits of both face and heel and being able to have fans that like him and those that hate him. This is, in most circles, referred to as a "tweener". It is not uncommon to see two faces in a match against each other, or two heels against each other. In these cases, fans usually will cheer for the one that they believe is the "lesser of the two evils".
 
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Finally, there are times in which a face or a heel will make a "face/heel [[List of professional wrestling slang#t|turn]]", in which a wrestler will do something that will make the fans begin to root for them or to give them heat. A heel turn would include anything that the fans would dislike and not expect their "hero" to do, such as turning their backs on the fans or a likeable friend of the wrestler. One of the most famous heel turns is the Hulk Hogan heel turn at WCW Bash At The Beach 1996 by joining the "[[New World Order (professional wrestling)|New World Order]]", shocking a huge fan base because of his long run as being a face (about ten consecutive years) and how much of a following he had gained during that time. In contrast, a face turn would occur by a heel accomplishing something that gains the fans respect, either by helping out a likeable face, facing a heel in which the fans dislike more, giving respect to a face after losing a tough fought match (sometimes this reason may also start a "friendship" between the two participants), dissenting himself with a manager or partner that was also heel for any reason (usually for causing a loss via error), or by gaining respect by the crowd for any other reason. In both a face/heel turn, the turn could happen as sudden as one show (a [[List of professional wrestling slang#t|hard turn]] or a [[List of professional wrestling slang#s|swerve]]), or stretched out as a gradual increase or decrease of support over several shows (a [[List of professional wrestling slang#t|soft turn]]), with the climax being the changeover becoming complete.
 
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===Story===
 
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While true [[exhibition match]]es are not uncommon, most matches tell a story analogous to a [[scene (fiction)|scene]] in a [[play]] or [[film]], or an [[episode]] of a [[serial drama]]: The face will win ([[hero|triumph]]) or lose ([[tragedy]]). Longer [[story arcs]] can result from multiple matches over the course of time. Since most promotions have a championship title, competition for the championship is a common impetus for stories. Also, anything from a character's own hair to his job with the promotion can be [[wager]]ed in a match.
 
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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 [[vignette]]s are shown in order to enhance a character's image without the need for matches.
 
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Other stories result from a natural rivalry between two or more characters. Outside of performance, these are referred to as [[feud (professional wrestling)|feuds]]. A feud can exist between any number of participants and can last for a few days up to multiple decades. The career-spanning history between characters [[Mike Awesome]] and [[Masato Tanaka]] is an example of a long-running feud.
 
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In theory, the longer a feud is built up, the more audience interest (aka [[heat (professional wrestling)|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.
 
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Since the advent of television, many other elements have been utilized to tell story within a professional wrestling setting: pre- and post-match [[interview]]s, "backstage" [[skit]]s, positions of authority, division rankings (typically the #1-contendership spot), contracts, lotteries, and even news stories on promotion websites.
 
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Also, anything that can be used as an element of drama can exist in professional wrestling stories: [[romantic relationship]]s (including [[love triangle]]s and [[marriage]]), [[racism]], [[classism]], [[nepotism]], [[favoritism]], family bonds, personal histories, [[grudge]]s, [[theft]], [[cheating]], [[assault]], [[betrayal]], [[bribery]], [[seduction]], [[confidence tricks]], [[extortion]], [[blackmail]], [[substance abuse]]; even [[paedophilia]], [[kidnapping]], [[misogyny]], [[rape]] and [[death]] have been portrayed in wrestling. Some promotions have included [[supernatural]] elements such as [[Magic (paranormal)|magic]], [[curse]]s, the [[undead]] and [[satanic]] imagery.
 
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[[Sports commentator|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.
 
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===Non-standard matches===
 
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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).
 
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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.
 
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Another example is the [[Royal Rumble]] match, which involves thirty participants in a random and unknown order. The Rumble match is itself a spectacle in that it is a once-yearly event with multiple participants, including individuals who might not interact otherwise. But it also serves as a catalyst for the company's ongoing feuds, as well as a springboard for new storylines -- most importantly determining the main event at the following WrestleMania.
 
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===Ring entrance===
 
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[[Image:Triple H Entrance Sequence Melbourne 10.11.2007.jpg|thumb|450px|right|[[Triple H]] performing his iconic ring entrance pose, mounting the second rope and displaying his muscularity with the arena darkened and strobing colored lights]]
 
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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.
 
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All notable wrestlers now enter the ring accompanied by music, and regularly add other elements to their entrance too. The music played on the ring entrance will usually be something that tries to develop the wrestler's character. Many wrestlers, particularly in the WWE, have music and lyrics especially written for their ring entrance. While not invented at this time, 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 [[1980s wrestling boom#The Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection|Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection]].
 
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Other dramatic elements of a ring entrance can include:
 
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*a distinct sound or opening note in the music used to elicit a [[Classical conditioning|Pavlovian]] response from the crowd (examples include the shattering glass of [[Stone Cold Steve Austin]], the tolling bell of [[The Undertaker]], the giggle of [[Trish Stratus]], and the heartbeat shortening into a [[flatline]] from [[Tazz]]);
 
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*[[pyrotechnics]] or smoke;
 
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*complete darkening of the arena, often accompanied by [[Stage lighting|mood lighting]] or [[strobe light]]ing (examples include the entrances of [[Triple H]], The Undertaker, and [[Glen Jacobs|Kane]]);
 
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*entering the arena or ring in a manner in keeping with their character and its traits, such as a highly energetic entrance, or a slow paced, controlled entrance;
 
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*driving some sort of motor vehicle into the arena (examples include [[Eddie Guerrero]] entering in a [[lowrider]], [[John "Bradshaw" Layfield]] entering in a limo, [[Deuce & Domino]] entering in a [[1950s]] [[Cadillac]], [[The Mexicools]] entering on lawn mowers, and a number of wrestlers riding motorcycles to the ring);
 
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*wrestlers including some type of trademark behaviour or signal to the crowd, such as posing to display their [[Bodybuilding|muscularity]], or mounting the ring ropes;
 
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*talking to the crowd on the microphone following their entrance to further their character in some way, and as a way of eliciting [[Heat (professional wrestling)|heat]].
 
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*A wrestler coming through the crowd of fans in the stands, such [[Jim Fullington|The Sandman's]] beer drinking and can smashing entrance, or [[Diamond Dallas Page|DDP's]] exit through the crowd.
 
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Some of the bigger stars in the industry, such as Triple H and The Undertaker, can perform ring entrances lasting up to three minutes or more. It is not uncommon for ring entrances to sometimes last longer than the match itself, especially in matches involving a mismatch.
 
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Special ring entrances are also sometimes developed for big occasions, most notably the [[WrestleMania]] event. [[WrestleMania III]] for example saw all wrestlers enter the arena on motorized miniature wrestling rings, Kane entered [[WrestleMania XX]] with a burning [[New York City]] behind him while The Undertaker walked through a [[druid]] 'guard of honor', and [[John Cena]] entered [[WrestleMania 23]] in a [[Shelby Mustang#2006 Shelby GT-H|Mustang]] that was driven at high speed through the streets of [[Detroit, Michigan|Detroit]] as part of the entrance, purportedly by Cena himself. [[Shawn Michaels]] rode a zip line down to the ring before his hour long match with [[Bret Hart]] at [[WrestleMania 12]].
 
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==Wrestlers==
 
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===Men's wrestling===
 
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The vast majority of professional wrestlers are men, especially in the North American [[World Wrestling Entertainment|WWE]], where they are usually large in size, often to extremes. Notable examples include [[André the Giant]], [[Hulk Hogan]], [[Paul Wight|Paul "Big Show" Wight]], [[Dave Bautista|Batista]], [[The Undertaker]], [[Rodney Anoa'i|Yokozuna]], [[Giant Gonzales]], [[The Great Khali]], [[Umaga]], and [[Glen Jacobs|Kane]]. Usually, competitions or divisions are set up for men of similar wrestling styles, such as technical, brawling, high flying, lucha and hardcore. However, matches involving different weight divisions are often created and are never referred to as unusual or against any rules, despite large differences in height or strength. Rarely, men and women will sometimes wrestle each other.
 
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===Women's wrestling===
 
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{{see also|WWE Diva|TNA Knockout}}
 
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The women’s division of professional wrestling has maintained a recognized world champion since the mid-1950s, when the first [[NWA World Women's Championship]] was crowned (later the [[WWE Women's Championship]]). Traditionally, women’s matches were lower on the card and rarely considered main event material in the United States. Through the 1980s, women’s wrestling in the US was presented as a serious sport on the same level as men’s wrestling. It was not until the late 1990s that [[World Wrestling Entertainment]] began to present their women’s division with a focus on the women as "Divas" and eye-candy rather than athletes. Many of the women acted as [[managers]] and [[valet (professional wrestling)|valets]] and had little training in wrestling{{Fact|date=June 2007}}, although there was a brief period in the early-2000's where the women's championship division on WWE's flagship show [[WWE Raw|RAW]] was once again promoted as a serious sport.
 
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There are several other promotions where women’s wrestling is still presented and promoted as a serious sport. In the US, [[Shimmer Women Athletes|SHIMMER Women Athletes]] is an all-female pro-wrestling promotion considered on par with male wrestling. In the UK ChickFight are the leading company in women's professional wrestling again considered on par if not superior to male wrestling. In Japan, women’s wrestling has a long established history, with an all female promotion founded as early as 1955 (the predecessor to [[All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling]]), and has always been presented as a serious, highly athletic sport on the same level as their male counterparts. In some promotions, like [[Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling]], where the focus was on "Hardcore" matches, female performers like Ashley Courtnage, Shark Tsuchiya, ”Combat” Toyota and [[Megumi Kudo]] also participated. The latter two headlined one of FMW’s largest cards in an "Exploding No Rope Barbed Wire Deathmatch." In the late 1990s, the two largest Japanese female federations closed, but females still compete in various other federations.
 
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===Midget wrestling===
 
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{{see|Midget wrestling}}
 
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Midget wrestling can be traced to professional wrestling's carnival and vaudeville origins. In recent years, the popularity and prevalence of midgets in wrestling has greatly decreased due to  wrestling companies depriving midget divisions of storyline and/or feud. However, WWE's ''[[WWE Friday Night SmackDown!|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."
 
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Some wrestlers may have their own specific "mini me", like Mascarada Sagrada and his midget counterpart Mascarita Sagrada, Alebrije has Quije, etc. There are also cases in which midgets can become valets for a wrestler, and even get physically involved in matches, like Alushe, who often accompanies [[Tinieblas]], or Kemonito, who is portrayed as Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre's mascot and is also a valet for Mistico. World Wrestling Entertainment's [[Dave Finlay]] is often aided in his matches by a midget known mainly as [[Dylan Postl|Hornswoggle]], who hides under the ring and gives a [[Shillelagh (club)|shillelagh]] to Finlay to use on his opponent. Finlay also occasionally throws him at his opponent(s). Hornswoggle has also been given a run with the [[WWE Cruiserweight Championship|Cruiserweight Championship]], and it has since been revealed that he is the ([[kayfabe]]) son of Finlay.
 
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===Intergender wrestling===
 
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For most of its history, women and men would never compete against each other in professional wrestling, as it was deemed to be unfair and unchivalrous. [[Andy Kaufman]] used this to gain notoriety when he created an Intergender Championship and declared it open to any female challenger. This led to a long feud with [[Jerry Lawler]].
 
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In the 1980s, intergender tag team matches began to take place, with a male and female on each team and a rule that stated only the males and females could attack each other. If a tag was made, the other team had to automatically switch their legal wrestler too.
 
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Intergender singles bouts were first fought on a national level in the 1990s. This began with [[Luna Vachon]], who faced men (and usually defeated them) in both ECW and WWF. Later, [[Chyna]] became the first female to hold a heavyweight belt that was not exclusive to women when she won the [[WWE Intercontinental Championship|WWF Intercontinental Championship]] .
 
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===Independent Wrestlers===
 
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Unlike most other sports, the essence of Pro Wrestling's roots can still be seen all over the country. Independent Wrestling Circuits (or Leagues, Federations, or Promotions) can be found in almost any community in the United States, with some cities having numerous leagues using many of the same wrestlers as other nearby leagues. Many promotions have events at National Guard Armories, Recreation Centers, secondary schools, flea markets, churches, bars, and shopping center parking lots. Production values are almost always low, promotion is done by word of mouth, flyers, cable access television, and the internet, and many of the "workers" aren't as chiseled as the ones on television broadcasts. Still, many local wrestlers are extremely talented, with some grapplers' techniques and charisma surpassing some of those on broadcasts of the WWE or TNA. Independent wrestlers normally have "shoot jobs" and usually wrestle for the love of the business only, since most paydays are pretty low ($10-$20 for most wrestlers... and up to $100 or so for bigger draws). Sometimes workers from television broadcasts work Independent shows, generally resulting in a good payday for the league.
 
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===Select active wrestling federations and promotions===
 
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'''Major American Organizations'''
 
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*[[Total Nonstop Action Wrestling]] (TNA)
 
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*[[World Wrestling Entertainment]] (WWE)
 
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'''Independent Promotions'''
 
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*[[Chikara (professional wrestling)|CHIKARA]]
 
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*[[Combat Zone Wrestling]] (CZW)
 
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*[[Juggalo Championship Wrestling]] (JCW)
 
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*[[National Wrestling Alliance]] (NWA)
 
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*[[Pro Wrestling Guerrilla]] (PWG)
 
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*[[Ring of Honor]] (ROH)
 
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* Mainstream Wrestling (MSW)
 
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* Rocky Top Wrestling (RTW)
 
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'''Puroresu'''
 
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*[[All Japan Pro Wrestling]] (AJPW)
 
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*[[Big Japan Pro Wrestling]] (BJW)
 
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*[[New Japan Pro Wrestling]] (NJPW)
 
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*[[Pro Wrestling NOAH]]
 
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*[[Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX]]
 
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'''Lucha Libre'''
 
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*[[Asistencia Asesoría y Administración]] (AAA)
 
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*[[Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre]] (CMLL)
 
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== See also ==
 
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*[[History of professional wrestling]]
 
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===Terminology===
 
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*[[Foreign object (professional wrestling)|Foreign object]]s (e.g. [[folding chair]])
 
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*[[Professional wrestling aerial techniques]] (e.g. [[Shooting star press]], [[Moonsault]])
 
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*[[Professional wrestling attacks]] (e.g. [[Leg drop]], [[Superkick]])
 
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*[[Professional wrestling double-team maneuvers]] (e.g. [[Doomsday Device]])
 
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*[[Professional wrestling holds]] (e.g. [[Boston crab]], [[Mandible claw]], [[Pinfall (professional wrestling)|Pinfall]], [[Sharpshooter (professional wrestling)|Sharpshooter]])
 
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*[[List of professional wrestling match types]]
 
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*[[Professional wrestling tag team match types]]
 
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*[[Professional wrestling tournament]]
 
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*[[List of professional wrestling slang]]
 
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*[[Professional wrestling throws]] (e.g. [[Backbreaker]], [[Brainbuster]], [[Chokeslam]], [[Cutter (professional wrestling)|Cutter]], [[DDT (professional wrestling)|DDT]], [[Facebuster]], [[Neckbreaker]], [[Piledriver (professional wrestling)|Piledriver]], [[Powerbomb]], [[Powerslam]], [[Stunner (professional wrestling)|Stunner]], [[Suplex]])
 
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===Professional wrestling worldwide===
 
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*[[Professional wrestling in Australia]]
 
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*[[Professional wrestling in Japan]]
 
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*[[Lucha libre|Professional wrestling in Mexico]]
 
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*[[Professional wrestling in United Kingdom]]
 
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*[[Professional wrestling in the United States]]
 
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*[[Professional Wrestling in South Africa]]
 
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===Lists of wrestlers===
 
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*[[List of professional wrestlers]]
 
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*[[List of professional wrestling stables]]
 
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===Types of professional wrestling===
 
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*[[Professional wrestling in the United States|American]]
 
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*[[Puroresu]]
 
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*[[Lucha libre]]
 
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===Fantasy professional wrestling===
 
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*[[Fantasy wrestling|E-wrestling]]
 
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===Radio programs===
 
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*[[Dave Meltzer#Wrestling Observer Live|Wrestling Observer Live]]
 
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*[[talkSPORT]]
 
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*[http://www.4swf.com Smart Wrestling Fan Wrestling Review Show Podcast]
 
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*[http://www.wrestling-radio.com Wrestling-Radio]
 
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*[http://www.liveaudiowrestling.com/ Live Audio Wrestling]
 
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*[http://www.feelthepain.net/ The Pain Clinic]
 
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*[http://www.hardcoresportsradio.com/ Fight Network Radio]
 
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*[http://www.wrestling-news.com/ The Minoriity Report]
 
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*[http://www.ctiradio.com/ The Minority Roundtable]
 
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===In fiction===
 
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*[[Marvel Comics]]' [[Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation]]
 
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==References==
 
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{{Reflist}}
 
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==External links==
 
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{{Portal|Professional wrestling|break=yes}}
 
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*[http://www.houseofdeception.com/Pro_Wrestling_History.html House of Deception] Golden Age 1911-1979: bibliography, photos, etc.
 
−
*[http://www.riverhorse.tv/CATCH/ website of documentary Catch - the hold not taken on the history of pro wrestling]
 
−
*[http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com OnlineWorldofWrestling.com - The Online World of Wrestling]
 
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*[http://www.prowrestlinghistory.com ProWrestlingHistory.com]
 
−
*[http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-41-1237/sports/prowrestling/ CBC Digital Archives - Cross-Country Smackdown: Pro Wrestling in Canada]
 
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*[http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~ikalmar/illustex/Barthes-wrestling.htm The World of Wrestling] by [[Roland Barthes]] (1984)
 
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<!-- {{Professional wrestling in Australia}} -->
 
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{{Professional wrestling in Canada}}
 
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{{Professional wrestling in Japan}}
 
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{{Professional wrestling in Mexico}}
 
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{{Professional wrestling in South Africa}}
 
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<!-- {{Professional wrestling in the United Kingdom}} -->
 
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{{Professional wrestling in the United States}}
 
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[[Category:Wrestling]]
 

Revision as of 14:48, September 9, 2008

Professional wrestling is a violent form of entertainment, in which actors pretend to be having an athletic contest. In actuality, they are performing a script, and the bout nearly always reaches an agreed-upon outcome. It is not real and is inconsistent with Christian values.

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