List of Professional Wrestling Slang

List of professional wrestling slang - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Page 1 of 21
List of professional wrestling slang

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Professional wrestling has accrued a considerable number of slang, in-references and jargon.[1] Much of
it stems from the industry's origins in the days of carnivals, and the slang itself is often referred to as
"carny talk". Often wrestlers would use this lingo in the presence of fans so as not to reveal the worked
nature of the business.[1] In recent years, widespread wrestling discussion on the Internet popularized
the terms.[1]
Contents Top 09 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
A
A-Show, a wrestling event where generally a company's biggest "draws" perform.[1]
A-Team, a group of a wrestling promotion's top stars who compete at a given event.[1] (Compare
"B-Team")
Abortion, to discontinue a feud, angle or "gimmick" suddenly, usually without explanation or due
to a lack of fan interest.[1] This is an older term, not generally used today because of its
objectionable basis.[1] The modernized version of this term is "scrapped." (Example: The "Vince
McMahon is Dead" angle was scrapped.)
Andr shot, a filming technique used to emphasize or exaggerate the height of wrestlers, either by
shooting them with an upward perspective, filming them interacting with someone of average or
below-average height, or having one of the participants stand somewhere elevated. This principle
is also utilized by using referees who are shorter than the average adult male to enhance the
heights of the wrestlers involved in the match. It is named after Andr the Giant, who often stood
on objects during studio interviews to exaggerate his already above-average height.
Agent or Road agent, management employee, often a former veteran wrestler, who helps
wrestlers set up matches and relays instructions from the bookers. Often acts as a liaison between
wrestlers and higher-level management. Referred to as "producers" by WWE.
Alignment, the personality type used by wrestlers. For example, if they are a face, they are said to
be "face aligned."
Angle, a fictional storyline. An angle may be as small as a single match or a vendetta that lasts for
years. It is not uncommon to see an angle become retconned due to it not getting "over" with the
fans, or if one of the wrestlers currently involved in the angle is released from his contract.
Apter mag, an old-style professional wrestling magazine that sticks to kayfabe and usually
consists of made-up articles and interviews.[1] The term refers to the magazines at one time
connected to journalist Bill Apter, such as Pro Wrestling Illustrated.[1]
Arm Color, a wrestler with a bloody arm, which is usually the result of blading.[1]
Around the Horn or Around the Loop, a tour where a wrestler puts on matches in most of the
major cities a particular promotion covers.[1]
Attitude Era, refers to a time period from 1997 to 2001 when the World Wrestling Federation
product shifted from being "family-oriented" entertainment to being "edgier," more crude, and
dealing with more adult situations (frequently sexual in nature).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_professional_wrestling_slang 8/7/2007
B
B-Show, a wrestling event featuring the middle and lower-level talent of a wrestling promotion.[1]
(WWE Velocity and Heat, TNA Xplosion, WCW Saturday Night)
B-Team, group of wrestlers on a B-Show.[1] Frequently, the B-Team will compete at a different
venue the same night wrestlers on the A-Team are competing in a different event, although a
promotion will sometimes schedule an event with B-Team wrestlers to test a new market.
Babyface (or face or baby), a good guy.[1] (Compare "tweener" and "heel")
Backyard wrestling, the act of staging pro-style wrestling (not to be confused with sport
wrestling or amateur wrestling) as a hobby rather than a job, usually (but not always) by untrained
performers, predominantly teenagers. The term can also be used for an independent promotion
that has very little, if any, notability.
Bait and Switch, when a promoter teases the fans into believing one thing is going to happen and
switches to something else resulting in shock and surprise (best-case scenario) or confusion and
disappointment (worst-case scenario). (Example, Jerry Lawler was originally supposed to wrestle
Bret Hart at SummerSlam 1993, but Lawler faked an injury and enlisted Doink the Clown to
replace him.)
Batman match, alternate term for a poorly executed match, with blown spots and showing light.
This term takes its name from the 1966-1968 ABC-TV series, which featured bizarre and
deliberately silly fight scenes with comical choreography.
Beat down, when a wrestler or other performer is the recipient of a beating, usually by a group of
wrestlers.[1]
Blade, a sharpened object used for "blading". The blade is usually concealed in tape on the hands
or somewhere it can be utilized without being obvious.[2]
Blading, the act of cutting ones self or another person open in order to bleed, usually done on the
forehead.[2] (Compare "juicing")
Blind, when a referee has his back turned while the other side is cheating. Usually done by heels
in order to gain the advantage in a match.
Blind Tag, a tag made in a tag team match where the wrestler on the apron, tags his partner
unbeknownst to him or without his consent. Most often occurs when the partner in the ring is
thrown against the ropes or backed into their own corner.
Blow off, the final match in a feud.[1] While the involved wrestlers often move onto new feuds,
sometimes it is the final match in the promotion for one or more of the wrestlers.[1]
Blow Up, when a wrestler completely exhausts all of his energy, either because he has low
stamina, or by performing too many exhilarating moves early in the match making him extremely
fatigued.[1]
Blown spot or botched spot, a spot that does not go as planned.
Bomb scare, poorly attended match.[3]
Bonzo gonzo, a point in a tag team match when everyone is in the ring at once and the referee has
lost control.
Booked, a term that refers to the predetermined nature of wrestling. For example, a booker will
book a wrestler to win or lose a match, or a booker will book a wrestler to engage in a particular
storyline.
Booker, the person in charge of setting up matches and writing angles;[1] referred to as the
"Creative Team" by WWE.
Booking, what a "booker" does. Booking is also the term a wrestler uses to describe a scheduled
match or appearance on a wrestling show.[1]
Botch, a scripted move that failed.

Bowling shoe ugly, a match that is generally sloppy, is filled with blown spots and botches, and
features very little scientific wrestling. Coined by Jim Ross.
Boys, what wrestlers call themselves (as in "the boys in the back").[1]
Bozark, old term for a female professional wrestler.[1]
Broadway, when two wrestlers wrestle to a draw in a 20 to 60 minute time limit match.
Bull, an older, more "carny" term for a wrestling promoter.[1]
Bum, an unknown performer, usually new, whose job is losing to more experienced wrestlers.
Bump, when a sports entertainer hits the mat or ground.[4][1]
Bump Card, the theory that a wrestler only has so many bumps in his body before he can no
longer perform in the ring. A wrestler may not want to use any highspots once signed by the big
leagues (or at least save them for PPVs) as it'll shorten his career.
Bump Ring, a wrestling ring designed with extra padding to be more comfortable for taking
bumps.[1]
Bury, refers to the worked lowering (relegation) of a popular wrestler's status in the eyes of the
fans.[1] It is also the act of a promoter or booker causing a wrestler to lose popularity by forcing
him to lose matches badly (squash) and/or making him participate in unentertaining or degrading
storylines. It can be a result of real-life backstage disagreements or feuds between the wrestler and
the booker, the wrestler falling out of favor with the company, or the wrestler receiving an
unpopular gimmick that causes him to lose credibility regardless of win-loss record. (Compare
"push")
Busted Open, term used to describe a wrestler that is bleeding. (Compare "juicing")
C
Call, when one wrestler instructs the other of what is going to happen in the match.[1]
Canned Heat, when cheers or boos are pumped into an arena via the sound system or added to a
television show in post-production.[1]
Card, the lineup of the matches that will be staged at a given venue for a given performance.[1]
The card is generally performed in a roughly inverse order to the way in which it might be printed
for posters or other promotional materials. The major matches between well-known opponents
may be for "titles" and are said to be "top of the card" or "headliners" while the preliminary
matches between lesser-known opponents are said to be the "undercard." In Lucha libre, cards are
generally five matches although big events might have more and smaller promotions might not
run the full five match card. The first match is called the Primera Lucha, the second is called the
Segunda Lucha, the third is usually the Combate Especial or the Lucha Especial, the fourth or
second to last match is called the Lucha Semifinal and the main event is called the Lucha Estelar
or Lucha Estrella.
Carny, A language used by wrestlers to talk to each other around people not associated with the
business so they wouldn't understand what they were saying, often used to keep the secrets of the
business.[1]
Carry, the act of one wrestler doing most of the work (selling moves, calling spots) to make a
match watchable.[1]
Catchphrase, a phrase or expression that is repeated in promos and interviews to encourage
crowd interaction.
Ceiling, lose matches.[5]
Champion's advantage, a term that explains a champion's rights and/or advantages. A
champion's inability to lose the title and the challenger's inability to win the title due to
disqualification and count out are examples of this. It is interesting to note that the wrestling
promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling does not adhere to this traditional rule and often uses
this as a way to further a wrestler's career and/or storylines.
Championship, in kayfabe, a recognition of a wrestler being the best in his or her promotion or
division in the form of a championship belt (also "title" or "strap"). Outside of kayfabe,
championships are won/held by a wrestler whom the bookers believe will generate fan interest in
terms of event attendance and television viewership.
Cheap heat, when a wrestler (often a heel) incites a negative crowd reaction by insulting the
crowd (by insulting the city or a local sports team) or by using a news event as part of his promo.
[1]
Cheap pop, when a wrestler (often a face) incites a positive crowd reaction by "kissing up" to the
crowd (for example, mentioning the name of the city or complimenting a local sports team). Mick
Foley notoriously uses cheap pops by using the city's name and giving a foolhardy "thumbs-up" to
the camera.
Cheap shot, when a wrestler uses a low blow or a foreign object to get an advantage over his
opponent.
Chemistry, when two wrestlers work well together by pulling off each others moves well and
telling the story well to the audience.
Circus, derogatory reference to a promotion's extensive use of cartoon-type gimmicks. Often used
in reference to the World Wrestling Federation during the 1980s and early 1990s, due to
gimmicks such as clowns, animal mascots and wrestlers adopting animal-like characteristics.
Claret, British slang for blood in a match. As in a promoter asking a wrestler to "Give us some
claret."
Clean finish, when a match ends without cheating or outside interference, usually in the center of
the ring. (Compare "screwjob")
Clean house, when a wrestler eliminates everyone in the ring, either in a battle royal or during a
save.
Closet champion, a current titleholder (usually a heel) who ducks top-flight competition, cheats
to win (often by managerial interference), and when forced to wrestle good opponents
deliberately causes himself to be disqualified (since titles often do not change hands by
disqualification) to retain his title.[1]
Clubberin', an exchange of heavy blows between two wrestlers. Coined by "The American
Dream" Dusty Rhodes.
Cluster or Clusterfuck, a large fight in the middle of the ring with a large number of wrestlers
which is used to end a match or show. (See schmozz)
Color, a term used by wrestlers and promoters to discuss the amount of bloodshed in a match.[2]
[1]
Color commentator, a member of the announcing team who assists the play-by-play announcer
by filling in any time when play is not in progress, providing humor, and explaining storylines.
Color commentators are often retired professional wrestlers, such as JBL, Tazz, and Jerry Lawler.
Crash TV, a style of booking characterized by short matches and promos. So named because of
the sheer amount of TV slammed into a show. Popularized by Vince Russo.
Crimson mask, a face covered in blood. (See "Muta scale")
Cue, a term that lets other wrestlers know when something should happen, usually after a move.
Curtain Call or the MSG Incident, the incident at Madison Square Garden in the Spring of 1996,
when WWE superstars Shawn Michaels, Diesel, Razor Ramon, and Triple H (The Clique) broke
kayfabe (out of character) in front of a live sold out New York crowd, playing it out in a farewell
to the crowd and a group hug.
Curtain jerker, the first match on the card, or a wrestler who wrestles in the first match of the
card, especially on a regular basis.
D
Dark match, a non-televised match at a televised show used to warm up the crowd (compare
"house show").[1] A dark match before the show begins is usually used to test out new talent
(often local to the event).[1] A dark match after the show typically features main-event level
wrestlers either to sell more tickets, or send the crowd home happy.
Daydreaming, a term used to refer to someone lying down for the pin.
Dead Weight , when a wrestler goes limp in the middle of a move.[1] This could be done
intentionally, either to make his opponent look weak or just "rib" him,[1] or unintentionally
because the "dead weight" wrestler is unfamiliar with the cooperation needed to pull off a
particular wrestling hold (or just not paying attention) or as a result of injury. An example of
unintentional dead weight would be Hulk Hogan's body slam on Zeus during the Survivor Series
1989 where Hogan had to rely entirely on his own strength to lift the relatively untrained Zeus. An
example due to injury would be Jake Roberts having to throw Ricky Steamboat into the ring
without any help on Saturday Night's Main Event following a DDT on the concrete that totally
knocked Steamboat out. See also Sandbag.
The Deal, another term for title belt.[1]
Death Match a more extreme version of a Hardcore Match that involves more weapons and
where bleeding / blading is commonplace.
Decision, a means in which a wrestler in an Iron Man match scores a point against his opponent.
In Iron Man matches, decisions can be rendered by pinfall, submission, count-out, disqualification
or knockout. A point is given to the appropriate wrestler, and the wrestler with the highest number
of points at the end of the allotted time wins the match. Less frequently, a decision simply refers
to the result of a match, by whatever aforementioned means it came about.
Dirtsheet, a newsletter, magazine, or website that portrays wrestling as scripted entertainment,
rather than portraying it as a sport. Dirtsheets often offer backstage information and gossip about
wrestlers and others involved in wrestling.
Diva, Aside from the original meaning of a hard to work with individual, this term is used, mainly
by WWE, to refer to any woman involved in wrestling, either as "eye candy" or as a wrestler (or
frequently both).
Diva Match, a match, usually involving inexperienced or non-wrestling women, that does not
require much wrestling expertise, such as a "Bra and Panties Match" or a "Pillow Fight Match."
Do Business, when two wrestlers work together to get a match or an angle over or when a
wrestler does a job or angle when asked regardless of whether it helps him/her.[1]
Dogging, to put in minimal effort.
Doing Business On The Way Out, or aka Time Honored Tradition to job (lose) before leaving
a particular promotion in order to maintain a positive relationship.
Doom The epithet 'of doom' is often jokingly used to describe a move that is sold as doing far
more damage than it would in real life or if done by another wrestler.
Double-clutch, to hesitate and bounce before jumping off the top rope, resulting in limited airtime
and height.
Double Juice, when two wrestlers blade during a given match.[1] Can be expanded to "triple
juice", "quadruple juice", etc.[1]
Double Turn, the rare occurrence when both the heel and the face switch roles during an angle or
a match. An excellent example of this is the Bret Hart/Steve Austin match at WrestleMania 13.
Down South: a term used to refer to World Championship Wrestling or any other Southern-based
promotion (including Total Nonstop Action Wrestling). (Compare: Up North)
Draw, to be able to attract the attention of the audience.[1]

Drawing Power, having recognition with the fans as a star, someone fans pay to see.[1]
Drop, when a titleholder agrees to be booked to lose the title to a contender.
Dud, a very poor, boring or otherwise uninteresting match.[1] Can also be a match with morally
objectionable elements.
Dusty Finish, an ambiguous finish to a match where either wrestler can be claimed the winner.[1]
The "Dusty" in the term refers to Dusty Rhodes, who booked many such finishes in NWA and
later in WCW.[1]
E
End, Also known as the Finish.
Enforcer, a wrestler who accompanies another to matches, and acts as a bodyguard.[1] This term
was coined by Arn Anderson, whose nickname was "The Enforcer". Another definition would be
of an individual (usually a celebrity) who acts in a "special guest referee" capacity from outside
the ring, usually favouring one wrestler over another (such as Chuck Norris at Survivor Series
1994 or Mike Tyson at WrestleMania XIV).
Enmascarado, Spanish term for a masked wrestler.
Extended hope, the longest hope spot in a match, designed to totally turn the crowd against the
heel by taking all the face's advantage.
Extreme wrestling, a style of wrestling based heavily on highspots and weapon attacks. See also
Hardcore wrestling.
Extremists, term briefly used by WWE to refer to its ECW brand wrestlers to emphasize that
they, and the ECW brand, are more "extreme" in comparison to the Raw and SmackDown!
superstars.
F
Face, short for "babyface",[1] which means the good guy.[6]
Face in Peril, a more generic form of "Ricky Morton", a face in a tag team that gets sympathy by
being beaten on and stopped from making a tag.
Faction, see "stable."
False comeback, when a face mounts a brief offensive flurry before losing it to a heel wrestler
after being dominated for several minutes.[1] Usually, it occurs before the actual comeback.
False finish, a spot which the audience expects a finish to the match but the wrestler kicks out or
makes it to the ropes, used to build excitement during the home stretch.
Fan cam, a video of a wrestling event taped by a member in the audience.
Fan Favorite, alternative name for a face, often used in magazines like PWI.
The Federation, an alternative slang name for World Wrestling Entertainment, referring to its
past days as the World Wrestling Federation and refusal of calling the company the former.
Feeding, the heel's role during a face comeback where he runs at the face only to be repeatedly
fended off, with the hope that the series of bumps by the heel will generate positive fan heat for
the face.[1] A babyface could also feed the heel in hopes of generating fan sympathy.[1]
Feud, a battle between two or more wrestlers or stables, often involving matches, promos and
angles.[1] A feud usually lasts for several months.
Fighting Spirit, a demonstration of a wrestler's will to win in the face of adversity, usually in a
spot involving the no selling of a supposedly powerful or match-ending move. Originates from
puroresu, though some American indy workers influenced by puroresu have since began to
implement such spots into their matches.
Finish, the planned end of a match.[1] (See "Dusty Finish" and "Clean Finish")
Finisher, a wrestler's trademark move that leads to a finish.[1]
Five Moves of Doom, a particular combination of moves that a wrestler uses in every match,
often in the same sequence, usually leading to the finish. Often associated with Bret Hart or, more
recently, John Cena.
Five Star Bump, when a wrestler takes an impressive, massive bump, such as Mick Foley's bump
from top of the Cell at King of the Ring and Jack Evans' two bumps from the top of the cage at
CZW's Cage Of Death 6.
***** (Five Star) Match, a perfect match, not just one of the best matches of the year but one of
the best matches of all time.
Flair chop, a chop to the chest made popular by Ric Flair, usually followed by the "WOOOOO"
by Flair and/or the fans. (See "Pitching Some Woos").
Flair Flip, a move, popularized by Ric Flair, where a wrestler is flipped upside down upon hitting
the corner turnbuckle and often ends up on the other side of the ropes on his feet on the ring
apron.[1]
Flair Flop, Ric Flair's trademark gimmick of selling a blow by taking a few steps and then falling
face-forward with his legs going backward.
Flat back bump, a bump in which a wrestler lands solidly on his back with high impact, spread
over as much surface as possible.[1]
Flub coverup, when a poorly executed maneuver is called a "variation" or "modified" by the
announce team.
Fluff, a move or punch that is made to look or sound as though it hurt but the opponent feels
nothing.
Flying Burrito is a wrestling move that was given to Shawn Michaels on RAW in 2004 with a
different name (Flying Forearm). The move is a flying forearm to the opponent, who crashes to
the mat on their backs, followed by a kip-up around the same time the wrestler(s) gets up. Tito
Santana used a variation of this move which was termed the Flying Jalapeno by Bobby Heenan.
Following, a term used for a wrestlers' fanbase.
Foreign Object, an object that is illegal to the match, such as a chair, brass knuckles, garbage can,
etc.[1]
**** (Four Star) Match, an exciting and entertaining match, given four out of a possible 5 stars.
Considered to be a Match of the Year candidate.
Four-Way, a term used in tag team wrestling, when each member of a team pairs off with another
wrestler on the other team and continue to brawl, this is a point in the match where the referee
loses control of the match, this usually happens right before the finish.
Freebird rule, an unofficial rule which allows any two members of a tag team with three or more
members to defend a tag team championship. Named for the Fabulous Freebirds, who famously
did this in Georgia Championship Wrestling. A more recent example of this would be the Spirit
Squad's tag team championship reign.
Front office or Office, the headquarters and staff that handles the administrative affairs of a
wrestling promotion.
G
Gaijin, an American, or other foreign worker in Japanese promotions. (Not strictly a wrestling
term, as it is a Japanese word for a foreigner).
Garbage Wrestling, "hardcore" matches or extremely spot heavy matches wherein wrestlers use
nothing but weaponry or highly planned out spots to attack each other, also outrageous gimmick
matches that have no obvious elements of traditional in-ring competition.[1] The term was coined
by Giant Baba of All Japan Pro-Wrestling when he referred to Atsushi Onita's FMW promotion
(which used barbed wire and other such dangerous implements) as "garbage." The term later
evolved to encompass spotfests as well.
Gas, 1. Steroids[1] (see also juice and roids) or 2. Stamina (as in "out of gas", when a wrestler is
tired and unable to perform properly)
Gate, amount of money generated from ticket sales.[1] Merchandise sales are often a part of "the
gate."
Geek, to cut oneself.[1]
Get Over, a campaign designed by the bookers to make a wrestler (or a group of wrestlers) either
popular or a credible threat; in other words, someone that an audience would pay to see.
(Example: Triple H's feud with Batista in 2005 was designed to get Batista over.)
Get the Tights, grabbing the opponent's upper part of the trousers or shorts or the lower part of
the shirt or tank top in order to get the pin.
Gig, the blade a wrestler uses to cut himself.[1]
Gig mark, a scar from blading.[1]
Gimmick, a wrestler's personality, behavior, attire and/or other distinguishing traits while
performing. It can also be an implement used to cheat. For example, Jeff Jarrett's gimmick of
knocking out opponents with his guitar, and the guitar itself is also a "gimmick." In recent years,
the emphasis has been on more realistic gimmicks which portray the wrestler as an actual person,
albeit with exaggerated personality traits, as opposed to previous years during which gimmicks
could be best described as cartoonish. Over a wrestler's career, he or she may be expected to
portray many gimmicks, most of which may be implausible or inconsistent. Sometimes a wrestler
may undergo a complete on-screen personality change from one week to the next.
Gimmicked, an object that has been altered to break easily.[1]
Gimmick Table, place where a (usually independent) wrestler sells his merchandise, usually by
the concession stand.
Gizmo/Gizzmo, old term for gimmick.[1]
Glorified Jobber, a well-known wrestler whose primary function is losing to other well-known
wrestlers.
Go home, a saying that a wrestler is told by a ringside commentator or the referee which indicates
that the wrestlers should end the match shortly thereafter.[1] (See Take (it) home)
Go over, to beat someone.[1]
Goozle, the single handed choke hold a wrestler puts on their opponent in before a chokeslam.
Go through, a time limit draw.[1]
Going bush, a wrestler who moves from a major league promotion to a regional or independent
promotion.[1]
Going into business for ones-self, when a wrestler goes against what has been discussed for a
match or segment and improvises, usually for the benefit of their own character or persona.
Gongus Wrongus, refers to the futile ringing of the bell during a post-match beatdown.
Good Hand, a wrestler who other wrestlers enjoy working with due to the wrestler being in total
control during the match, not getting lost, and not working too stiff or too light.[1]
Gorilla Position, the position behind the stage curtain where wrestlers wait before they become in
view of the crowd. Named after the legendary Gorilla Monsoon.
Green, refers to a wrestler (often called a green boy) who is in the early stages of their career
and, as a result, may be prone to make mistakes because of their inexperience.[1]
Gusher, a deep cut that bleeds a lot, usually caused by a mistake while blading but can be
intentional.[1]
H
Hangman, when a wrestler twists the second rope over the third with his neck caught in-between,
which results in the illusion of the wrestler hanging from his neck by the ropes.[6]
Ham-and-Egger, a jobber. The term originates from the salaries paid to enhancement talents,
which are low, but can still buy a simple meal. The expression was used most extensively by
manager and color commentator, Bobby Heenan.
Hardcore wrestling, matches that focus on the use of weapons such as chairs, chains, fireballs,
ladders, and tire irons, often combined with brawling all over the arena, rather than traditional
wrestling holds and techniques, also referred to by some as "garbage" wrestling.
Hard Flop, a match that (kayfabe) ends by a ref's decision because one wrestler is incapacitated
and unable to finish.
Hardway, when a move does much more damage than a worked move.[1]
Hardway juicing, bleeding that is not self-inflicted. (Compare blading" and "juicing")
Heat, a wrestler getting a negative crowd reaction.[1] (See "cheap heat," "canned heat," and "X-
Pac heat")
Head drop, a move which, as a result of a botch, causes the receiver to be dropped on their head,
often resulting in a legit concussion or other injury such as a broken neck. Also, especially in
puroresu, the term can refer to a bump which is intended to make a move appear as if the receiver
landed on his/her head. In reality, the full force of the move is intended to be taken on the upper
back and shoulders, though such moves still carry a high degree of legitimate risk with them.
Heat vacuum, a phrase associated with workers who are not able to get any crowd reaction, either
positive or negative.
Heel, a bad guy.[6][1] (Compare "tweener" and "face")
High on, to be impressed by a worker enough one way or another to push him/her.
Highspot, a top-rope move, or a series of maneuvers perceived as dangerous.[1]
Hood, the mask of a masked wrestler.[1]
Hooker, a wrestler with strong legitimate mat-wrestling abilities and an array of match-ending (or
in extreme cases, career ending) holds known as "hooks," hence the name.[1] In the early 20th
century, one who has worked for carnivals taking on "all comers." Since these types of events are
on the decline, this word is falling out of common usage. A hooker is the opposite of a pure
performer. Examples include Lou Thesz or Kurt Angle.
Hope spot, when a babyface is being beaten on by a heel and teases a brief comeback, only to
have the heel take over offense again.[1] (See "comeback spot")
Hoss, a large wrestler who lacks talent and has a low workrate.
Hotshot, when a promoter or booker rushes to a feud, a climax of a feud, or books a big match on
television instead of at a pay-per-view in order to get a short-term boost for business.[1] Also
applies to angles or turns that are done for shock value rather than acting as a part of an ongoing
storyline.[1]
Hot Tag, in a tag team match, when a face wrestler tags in a fresh partner after several minutes of
being dominated by his opponents.[1] Often the hot tag happens after several teases (where the
other face is enticed into the ring, only to be stopped by the referee and the heels getting away
with illegal tactics).
House show, a non-televised show.[1] (Compare "dark match")
Hulking Up, when a wrestler begins to come back in a match by no-selling a wrestler's moves
and fights back. Named for Hulk Hogan, who did this in many of his matches in America. (See
"Superhuman Comeback")
Hung Up to Dry, when a wrestler (typically male) lands onto the rope with their groin.
I
Indy, short for "independent promotion," refers to a wrestling group that is too small to compete
on a national level.
International Object, a 1980s alternate term for "foreign object" during a time when Ted Turner
had a policy on his networks that no one was to use the word "foreign," but instead
"international."[7] Wrestling announcers on TBS picked up on this, and a foreign object is still
occasionally, jokingly, called an "international object."
International Spot, a spot generally used at the start of a match.
Internet wrestling community, fans (often smarks) who talk about professional wrestling via the
Internet.
J
Job, a scheduled loss.[1]
Jobber, a wrestler whose primary function is losing to better-known wrestlers.[1]
Jobber to the Stars, a mid-card wrestler who is fairly well-known and gains victories over lesser-
known wrestlers on occasion, but is primarily used as a jobber to talent higher on the card than
him.
Joshi, Japanese women's wrestling.
Juice, steroids.[1] (See gas and roids). It can also mean blood, usually from the forehead.[1]
Juicing, bleeding (frequently, but not always, self-inflicted).[2] (Compare "blading" and "hard-
way juicing")
K
Kayfabe, term used to describe the illusion (and up-keep of the illusion) that professional
wrestling is not staged (i.e. that the on-screen situations between performers represent reality).[1]
Also used by wrestlers as a signal to close ranks and stop discussing business due to an
uninformed person arriving in earshot.[1] The term is said to have been loosely derived from the
Pig Latin pronunciation of the word "fake" ("akefay").
Kick out, when a wrestler breaks a pin by kicking upward, usually right before the ref counts to
three.
Kill, to diminish or eliminate heat or drawing power. There are a variety of ways to do this, but
mostly it is done by having a wrestler do too many jobs. A house can be killed by too many
screw-job endings. Synonymous with bury.
Kill [the/a] Town, to put on such a horrible performance as to make it impossible for any
promotion to put on a financially successful show in that location for an extended period of time.
L
Lead ass, a wrestler who is often uncooperative in the ring; or, the act of being uncooperative in
the ring.[1]
Legit, anything that is "real"; for example, a "legit" wrestler has a background in actual fighting, a
"legit" event is one that actually took place (outside of kayfabe), a "legit" fight is when two
wrestlers actually come to blows. Often used as a synonym for shoot.
Legit heat, a real-life conflict between wrestlers.
Light, the appearance of being too easy on an opponent.[1]
Lights out, a spot in a match where the lights in the arena turn off; when they come back on,
either the referee or another wrestler will appear to be knocked out, allegedly having been
attacked by an unknown assailant during the dormancy period.
Lock up, the beginning of a match.[8]
Looking at the lights, another term for being pinned .(See Staring at the ceiling)
Loose, applying holds with less force than average.[1]
Locker Room Sell-out, when the wrestlers in the locker room are so interested in the match they
watch the monitors. Sometimes called a Curtain Sell-out because they often peek through the
curtain as well.
Lucha libre or Lucha, Mexican professional wrestling, which translates to "Free Fighting".[1] It
is used to describe the Mexican style of wrestling that consists of high-flying acrobatic moves.[1]
Luchador, a Mexican wrestler; Luchadores is the proper plural form.
Lucha rat, a fan that prefers Mexican-style professional wrestling over American-style.
Lunch Wagon, a derogatory term for a wrestler that is booked for their size as opposed to their
wrestling abilities. For example: The Great Khali.
M
Main eventer, a wrestler who is viewed by management to be one of the top draws on the roster
and thus is promoted in Main Events.
Manager, a performer assigned to accompany a wrestler to the ring and, usually, put them over in
interviews.[1] They are often used to help a heel cheat and incite the crowd.[1]
Mania Era, (also referred to as the Federation Years) refers to the time period spanning from
1984-1993 in WWF/WWE history when Vince McMahon took the company from being a
regionally promoted business to a successful national business. The term "Mania" denoting the
era is attributed to "Hulkamania" being the dominant aspect of the era. This time is also
sometimes referred to as the Showtime Era, The Superstars Era, The Hulkamania Era, or the
Federation Era.
Mark, a fan who believes that some or all of professional wrestling is real.[1] The term can also
be applied to a fan who idolizes a particular wrestler, promotion, or style of wrestling to a point
some might consider excessive.[1] (Compare "smark")
Marking out, a moment of enjoying professional wrestling "for what it is" rather than analyzing
its staged nature.[1]
Marriage, a long drawn out feud between two wrestlers, teams, or personalities.[1]
Mscara, a Mexican masked wrestler (from the Spanish for mask).
Meat Squad, refers to anyone of a group of known jobbers within promotions, someone known to
be jobbing is referred to as being a member of the Meat Squad
Mercy Kill, quickly ending an angle or match that has gotten to a level where the fans no longer
care.
Mic Work, the art of speaking and giving promos.
Mid-carder, a wrestler who wrestles in the middle of shows, is seen as being high in seniority but
less than a money draw.[1]
Missed Spot, a move in which the timing is off or it showed "light". Also referred to as a Blown
Spot.[1]
Money Mark, someone who invests money into a promotion or starts a promotion to rub
shoulders with pro wrestlers.[1] A money mark is usually ridiculed by wrestlers when he or she is
not within their presence.[1]
Money Match, a non-title match which was the most heavily promoted of the card that is placed
near or at the end of a live event, which is the main reason fans attended the event or watched the
event.[1]
Money Promo, a promo that is so good and meaningful that it's enough to draw buyrates for the
PPV all by itself.
Monster heel, a villain who is portrayed as unstoppable, usually to set up a feud with a
promotion's lead face.[1] Particularly applies to heels who are physically monsterous, grotesque,
or just plain scary. Examples: Andre the Giant, Abdullah the Butcher, The Great Muta, and Brock
Lesnar.
Montreal Screwjob (or just Montreal), an incident at Survivor Series 1997 where referee Earl
Hebner claimed that Bret Hart submitted to Shawn Michaels and Vince McMahon ordered to bell
to be rung in order to take the WWF Championship title from Hart who was exiting the World
Wrestling Federation for World Championship Wrestling.
Moondogs, cutoff blue jeans with heavily frayed ends. This term refers to the ring gear worn by
the Moondogs tag team.
Mouthpiece, a manager who does the promos for a wrestler with little or no mic skills.[1]
Muta scale, a scale to measure the amount of blood lost by a wrestler in a match. The scale goes
from 0.0 (no blood loss) to 1.0 (corresponds to the amount of blood lost by The Great Muta during
a 1992 match against Hiroshi Hase, during which Muta performed what is widely hailed as the
most gruesome bladejob of all time).
N
Near-fall, occurs when a wrestler's shoulders are pinned to the mat for a count of two, but the
wrestler manages to escape before the referee's hand hits the mat a third time, which would signify
a pinfall.
New Generation, an era in World Wrestling Entertainment spanning from mid-1994 through late-
1997 where technical wrestling and younger stars were pushed such as Bret Hart and Shawn
Michaels, weapons and blood were downplayed (for the most part) and a more "family oriented"
television program was broadcast. This is in contrast to the "Federation Years" which was
dominated by muscular types, such as Hulk Hogan, who generally did not wrestle very technically
and the "Attitude Era" where a more violent type of wrestling was introduced and the television
shows were more vulgar and mature in nature.
New York, going to the big time, as World Wrestling Entertainment's "World Headquarters" is in
the New York area (Connecticut to be exact).
No Holds Barred, a match than cannot end by disqualification or count-out. Its origin comes
from the older days of wrestling where specific maneuvers or submission holds were illegal, such
as a piledriver in Memphis, Tennessee. In today's wrestling, the rule generally permits the use of
weapons and outside interference.
No-sell, giving no reaction to another wrestler's offense or moves.[1]
No-show, when a wrestler doesn't show up for a match.[1] No-shows are usually staged, often for
the purposes of a storyline. Genuine no-shows are less frequent, since the wrestler (or other
employee) is usually fired or suspended afterwards. Examples: Ultimate Warrior in the summer of
1996 and Stone Cold Steve Austin in 2002.
O
Office, when one wrestler indicates to another to reverse a submission hold. For example, when
Jake Roberts had Shawn Michaels in a headlock, Jake squeezed Shawn's wrist, to indicate that he
wanted Shawn to reverse the hold.[9]
One-Fall, a match that requires one decision to end, such as a pinfall, a submission, a count-out,
or a disqualification. Certain matches can only be won by a specific fall. For example, a "No
Holds Barred" match can only end by pinfall or submission. A ring announcer will generally
announce "This match is scheduled for one-fall" when such a match takes place.
Outlaw Promotion, a promotion set up in an established promoter's area with the intent to oust
the established promoter.[1] The idea of Outlaw Promotions has mostly died out along with
territorial wrestling promotions.
Outlaw rule, a rule stating that in a four-way tag team match (where anyone is allowed to tag
anyone else) partners on the same team can't pin each other. Named for the New Age Outlaws,
who once simply pinned each other to win a match and retain their Tag Team Championship over
three other teams.
Over, refers to a performer whom the fans care about (either positively or negatively) or the act of
making someone look good, often by losing to them.[1] Wrestlers can be over as either faces or
heels. The term suggests that the fans are buying into what the wrestler is selling, meaning his
character. One of the most common ways a wrestler can be "put over" is by winning a match. It's
also possible to put someone over by taking bumps or selling a move.
Over-book, a match that involves two or more variations on a finish usually resulting in
confusion or complication. (Example: the Razor Ramon vs. I.R.S. match at the 1994 Royal
Rumble featured a ref bump, a run-in, and a Dusty finish. (Compare "clusterfuck")
Over-sell, showing too much of a reaction to another wrestler's offense. (Example: Shawn
Michaels oversold Hulk Hogan's offense at SummerSlam 2005.
Over-the-top Flop, used by Ric Flair going to the top turnbuckle, only to be thrown off with a
press slam to the mat.
P
Paper, to give away a great number of free (comped) tickets to increase the size of the crowd for
publicity.[1]
Paying Dues, the concept that newer or younger wrestlers must be hazed or punished in the early
parts of their careers, both in and out of the ring.[1] (See "job" and "rib")
Phantom bump, when a wrestler or referee takes a bump even though the move they are selling
was visibly botched or otherwise not present.[1]
Pier Six Brawl, term used to describe a wild brawl. Made famous by Jim Ross. (See
Slobberknocker)
Pillmanize, when a wrestler "breaks" the bone of another wrestler by placing it between the seat
and backrest of a closed folding chair and jumping on the chair. The technique was originally used
on Brian Pillman's ankle by Stone Cold Steve Austin in a 1996 feud.
Pitching Some Woos common known as "Flair chops" a chop to the chest at the turnbuckle, made
popular by Ric Flair. Shawn Michaels is also known to use the move. The chop(s) usually
followed by the "WOOOOO" by the fans, or Flair.
Plant, is a professional wrestling term for a trained wrestler or actor who poses as a fan, usually
seated in the front row of an event.[1] Plants are a good tool for a heel wrestler to gain heat from
the crowd.[1] Usually the "plant" is an unknown trained wrestler.[1] (Note: not all attacks on fans
are on "plants". Occasionally, a wrestler will start a legit attack on a real fan who has engaged in
behavior such as spitting, cursing, or insulting the wrestler's family members).
Play-by-play, the reporting of a sporting event with a voice over describing the details of the
action of the match in progress. The play-by-play person is assisted by a color commentator.
Plunder, weapons (garbage cans, road signs, kendo sticks, etc.) that are used during a hardcore
match. Pulling several weapons of this kind from under the ring, or bringing them to the ring from
the backstage area, is called "loading up the plunder".
Policeman, a wrestler usually one who has worked with a promotion for several years and is
loyal to the top officials who shoots with an uncooperative opponent to either make a point or as
a "punishment".[1]
Politician, a wrestler who establishes connections with management in hopes of garnering the
backstage clout to influence creative and business decisions behind the scenes.
Pop, a sudden crowd reaction, either positive or negative.[1]
Popcorn Match, a match that the audience doesn't care about, put on the card to provide incentive
for fans to leave their seats to buy from the merchandise or concession stands.[1]
Possum (or playing possum), to fake an injury to get an opponent into a more favorable
situation.
Post, to ram an opponent into the steel ring post.[1]
Potato, an intentional or accidental legit punch.[1] Sometimes done when the wrestlers are close
to the crowd. Other times done as a shoot or a cheap shot at a lesser opponent (a jobber) who isn't
allowed to fight back.
Preliminary Wrestler, alternative name for enhancement talent or jobber used in magazines like
PWI.
Promo, a promotional interview (as in "cutting a promo").[1] Often includes either an "in-ring
interview" or (on television) a skit by wrestlers and other performers to advance a storyline or
feud.[1]
Promotion, a group that organizes professional wrestling events.[1]
Pull-apart Brawl, a match that originally involves two or more wrestlers but degenerates into a
brawl.[1] At that point, other face and heel wrestlers from the locker room storm the ring, after
which an all-out brawl results.[1] Usually, these matches end in a no contest or double
disqualification. Alternatively: two wrestlers brawl without regard to the rules and other referees
and officials enter the ring to break it up.
Puroresu or Puro, Japanese professional wrestling
Put Over, to allow oneself to be pinned or otherwise defeated by someone or to compliment them
in an interview to get that person over.[1]
Psychology, the story of a match. It can be as simple as a wrestler going after someone's bad leg
or trying to hit a move to which the wrestler knows they have a weakness.
Push, when a wrestler gains popularity with wins and positive exposure.[1] A push can be a
sudden win over a major superstar, or becoming involved in a high profile angle. (Compare
"bury")
Push "through the moon", when a wrestler gains popularity really fast, semi-new to the
company, winning titles or winning a lot of matches.
Put to sleep, a when a match or an interview elicits no reaction from the audience or bores them
to the point that they may not retain interest for the rest of a show.
Rasslin', refers to a Southern style of professional wrestling. It was synonymous with the NWA-
affiliated promotions. Rasslin' included TV tapings at smaller venues, as compared to the larger
and more well-known arenas utilized by northern U.S. promotions such as the AWA and W(W)
WF. The term is derived from a phonetic spelling of how the word "wrestling" sounds when
spoken with a heavy Southern accent. It is also commonly used in a derogatory manner by non-
Southern wrestling fans to describe that style of wrestling. When Ted Turner purchased Jim
Crockett Promotions in 1988, he allegedly called Vince McMahon to tell him that he was now in
the "rasslin'" business. McMahon differentiated his company's style by responding, "That's great,
Ted. I'm in the entertainment business."
Receipt, seeking revenge against another wrestler when after that person put too much force into
his attacks or maneuvers on his opponent, deliberately or accidentally.
Red means Green, a phrase used to describe bleeding makes money.[1] If you bleed red (blood)
you will get Green (more money).
Ref bump, when the referee for a match is intentionally knocked out, generally to allow outside
interference or other illegal act.[1]
Repackage, to completely change a wrestler's gimmick, going beyond a simple face or heel turn.
Usually, wrestlers are taken off of TV for a period of time before being repackaged. Other times
wrestlers are repackaged quickly, on TV, by simply acting differently.
Rest hold, a hold applied more lightly at a designated point in a match in order to save energy.[1]
Rib, practical jokes played by or on wrestlers.[1] Owen Hart was known to pull ribs on the boys
and Vince McMahon. Wrestlers spend a lot of time together in close quarters and often resort to
practical jokes, either to break the monotony or to get revenge for real or imagined wrongs.
Ribber, someone involved in the pro wrestling business who is well known for playing practical
jokes.
Ring Rat or Rat, someone with amorous feelings for wrestlers and frequents wrestling events to
flirt or pursue sexual liaisons with wrestlers.[1]
Ring Rust, when a wrestler is out-of-practice, and thus more prone to blow spots, as a result of a
long period away from wrestling.
Ringer, a veteran wrestler that often administers stretching to ill-disciplined newcomers. (See
"Policeman")
Rocketbuster, term coined by Tazz for a wild brawl. (See Slobberknocker)
Road Agent, this person/crew of people run live events (house shows) backstage, assist the
bookers, and produce the finishes of the match(s). They also help put together a televised (or non
televised) program.
Roid Rage, paranoia, depression, and explosive outbursts caused by steroid use.[10]
Roids, steroids.[10] (See gas and juice)
Rope Break, When a wrestler that is in a hold reaches the ropes, the hold must be broken.
Rub, when a wrestler makes another wrestler look good to build them up in the eyes of the fans.
Usually a wrestler with higher status will "give a rub" to an up and comer, especially when the
higher status wrestler is on his way out of the company. (See "Put over")
Rube, a term to describe a fan who believes pro wrestling is real. (See mark)
Rudo, a Mexican heel wrestler.
Rulebreaker, alternative name for heel often used in such magazines as PWI.
Run-in, occurs when one or more individuals who are not actively participating in a match run
into the ring.[1] Run-ins are made by heels, typically to further a feud with a face.[1] More often
than not, a run-in will result in a "beatdown" in which the heel(s) pummel the face(s) until the
script calls for the beating to stop, either from the heels' satisfaction with their handiwork, a
retaliatory run-in by one or more faces, or (less often) the entrance of one or more authority
figures (referees, road agents, security personnel). Sometimes a run-in results from a face wanting
to stop a heel from physically punishing a weaker opponent, usually to set up a feud.
Rushed finish, when the end of a match is hurried, usually due to a botch, injury, or time
constraints.
S
Sandbag, to not cooperate with a throw and to act as dead weight, which makes the moves the
wrestler is attempting much harder, if not impossible to pull off.[1] It's usually done in protest to
something the wrestler giving the move has done in the match, such as not protecting his/her
opponent or working stiff.
Save, when one or more wrestlers enter the ring to aid an ally.
Scientific wrestling, refers to wrestling action that relies on amateur or Catch-As-Catch-Can
wrestling holds and maneuvers.
Scientific wrestler, a wrestler who often utilizes a "scientific" style. Many scientific wrestlers are
also excellent brawlers who use those skills when needed.
Schmoz, a crowd of wrestlers in a brawl, designed to end a feud or angle.[1]
Screwjob, a match with a controversial or unsatisfying finish, often involving cheating or outside
interference.[1]
Second wind, the idea of a face wrestler trying to get back into a match up, after suffering a lot of
offense at the hands of a dominating heel.
Sell, reacting to an opponents attacks in a manner that suggests that the techniques are being
applied at full-force.[1]
Send it, a wrestler telling another wrestler to "send it" is telling them to deliver a chair shot using
the wrong (and unsafe) side of the chair.
Seven Year Rule the statute of limitations before a finished angle, gimmick, or storyline can be
used again without being criticized for re-hashing storylines. This phrase was coined by
accomplished manager and promoter Jim Cornette. Not to be confused with the three month rule,
which deals with the expiration of kayfabe.
Sheep, Wrestling fans who frequent wrestling websites, and kiss up to favorite wrestlers in hopes
of gaining their attention or "talking" to them.
Shine, the point at the beginning of most matches where the face briefly takes an advantage over
the heel. This period of the match is intended to convey the talent and ability of the face and is
usually ended when the heel cheats or employs unsportsmanlike tactics to gain the upper hand.
Shock TV, using risque angles and promoting controversy in order to draw ratings.
Shoot, any "real" event in the world or wrestling (as in "shoot interview").[1] (Compare "worked
shoot")
Shooter, a wrestler who has a background in legitimate fighting (originally catch wrestling, now
more often mixed martial arts), or otherwise has a reputation as a tough guy.[1] One notch below a
"hooker".
Shootfighting, competitive full-contact mixed martial arts tournaments, used in comparison to the
staged performances of professional wrestling.
Showing Light, when a wrestler visually shows making no contact to his opponent when
performing an attack.[1]
Showing Your Ass, an older term for a heel doing something to make the crowd dislike him or
put over the face, including bumping more, complaining to the referee, playing chicken, etc. The
term is thought to have come from a popular comedic move done on heels during the early days of
professional wrestling where the face would perform a sunset flip and "accidentally" pull down
the heel's tights.
Showman, A wrestler who can entertain the crowd even without wrestling.
Six Pack, A match in which 6 wrestlers face each other at once with no count-outs or
disqualifications.
Skin The Cat, a term used to describe when a wrestler goes either over or through the ropes to the
outside but is able to pull themselves back into the ring without touching the floor.
Slobberknocker, term used to describe a wild brawl. Made famous by Jim Ross.
Slop Match, term used to describe a match - almost always between female wrestlers - taking
place in a pool of mud or a similar substance.
Smark, a portmanteau of "smart mark," a phrase coined by internet smart marks to describe a fan
who enjoys pro wrestling despite or because they know that it is staged.[1] Brian Pillman cut an
in-famous promo about smarks when he made his debut in ECW. (compare "mark").
Smart, someone who has inside information on the wrestling business.[1]
Smarten Up, To reveal the secrets of professional wrestling to somebody who was previously
unaware.
Sock, an older term for a masked wrestler.
Sports Entertainment, a term coined by WWE to differentiate its product from traditional
professional wrestling as an attempt to garner interest from a broader audience. It refers to the mix
of wrestling, scripted storylines, and concepts which borrow from other forms of pop-culture
entertainment.
Sports Entertainment Finish, a TV main event that ends with a run-in or stable beatdown, the
final shot before going off the air being a wrestler posing over or walking away from a fallen
wrestler, the fallen wrestler reacting to a beating, a victorious wrestler celebrating, etc, yet when
the cameras stop rolling the face will generally regain the upper hand to send the in house crowd
home happy.
Spot, a preplanned move,[1] which is designed to get a particular audience reaction or determine
the pace of the match. Spots can be anything from an Irish Whip at a certain time, to a series of
spots, for example a succession of reversals. Wrestlers who choreograph their matches before the
show will usually decide on an opening spot and a take home spot, as well as several spots to use
throughout the match. The remainder of the match will be divided between transition moves and
general offensive and defensive moves. (See "high spot" and "blown spot")
Spotfest, a match which consists mainly or entirely of spots, normally with little flow between
moves and no logical transitions. Referring to a match as a spotfest may have positive and
negative connotations. A spotfest is normally a fast-paced, exciting match with constant displays
of athleticism. When the term is used in a pejorative context, the match appears choreographed
(for example, it may contain Spot shuffles, where wrestlers will put themselves in obvious
danger). In addition, spotfests often contain many high risk moves (i.e. aerial maneuvers), and
therefore endanger the health of the participants. Spotfests tend to be more common in
cruiserweight matches.
Spot Monkey, a wrestler who is capable of performing incredible spots but not known for any
other skills.
Spot Shuffle, when a wrestler who is out of position moves into position to allow his opponent to
execute a maneuver.
Spud, a match with a lot of "potatoes".[1]
Squash, an extremely one-sided match which is usually over quickly.[1]
Stable, is a group of wrestlers within a promotion who have a common element -- friendships,
either real or storyline, a common manager, or a common storyline -- which puts them together as
a unit. Stables can be small alliances of two to six wrestlers (like Evolution, The Cabinet, The
Four Horsemen, MNM, The Dudley Boyz, Team Xtreme, Team Canada, Planet Jarrett, the Latin
American Exchange, D-Generation X and others), or supergroups that include up to half the
promotion's talent roster (like the New World Order (nWo) and Sports Entertainment Xtreme).
Stalling, a heel tactic whereby anything is done to avoid wrestling.
Star ratings, a scale used by fans and/or critics to rate the quality of a wrestling match (DUD
being the worst, four or five being match of the year quality). Often used on recap websites.
Derived from the various popular systems used for rating movies, hotels, and restaurants.
Staring at the Ceiling, another term for getting pinned (also see "looking at the lights").
Stiff, when a wrestler puts force into his attacks or maneuvers on his opponent, deliberately or
accidentally.[1]
Stooge, although this sometimes means "to tell on someone," it more often refers to a heel
wrestler booked in the position of underling associate of another heel.[1] The stooge will do his
boss' dirty work,[1] such as getting squashed in matches against a face (with whom the heel has a
feud) to set up a run-in (and subsequent beatdown) and future match.
Strap, another name for the championship/title belt in a promotion.[1]
Stretch, to apply submission locks and holds with full force.[1]
Strong Style, a Japanese professional wrestling style that is worked, yet aims to deliver realistic
performances.[1] The style emphasizes stiff attacks and worked shoots.[1]
Stroke, backstage influence.
Stunt Granny, is an obvious "plant". The term comes from the NBC television special Exposed!
Pro Wrestling's Greatest Secrets, which claimed to expose many of the secrets of professional
wrestling, including the use of plants.
Sunday Wrestling or Saturday wrestling, often referring to syndicated wrestling shows that
aired on local TV stations on the weekends during the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. (See WWF
Superstars of Wrestling, WWF Wrestling Challenge, WCW Saturday Night, and WCW
WorldWide)
Superhuman comeback, when one wrestler, usually a face, no-sells his opponent's offense,
usually after several minutes of being dominated.[1] This tactic usually sets up the finish and
victory by the face wrestler. The most common example is Hulk Hogan.
Superman Booking, a term used by internet fans to describe wrestlers who have been booked to
look unstoppable, ie: winning all their matches and dominating during feuds. ie: Goldberg, John
Cena, Batista and Bobby Lashley
Superstar, a term used by the WWF/WWE when talking about a wrestler instead of "wrestler".
i.e WWE doesn't have any actual wrestlers, they have Superstars.
Swerve, a sudden change in the direction of a storyline to surprise the fans. Usually, but not
always, it involves one wrestler turning on an ally, often to join someone who had been a mutual
enemy to that point. These swerves almost always lead to the start of a new feud between the
former friends. Another kind of swerve is when a booker does everything in their power to
convince the fans that something specific is going to happen at a show or someone they're
expecting is going to debut (or come back), only to then do something completely different. It is
sometimes the result of a false report by a wrestler to the press.[1]
T
Tag team, a pair of superstars working together in a tag team match (a match which pits two or
more teams of wrestlers against one another).
Take home or Take it home, the last spot of a match or an instruction to a wrestler to finish the
match.
Tap Out, submitting to a submission maneuver by tapping on the mat. Unheard of in World
Wrestling Entertainment until late 1997 when Bret Hart tapped out to an ankle lock applied by
Ken Shamrock while the referee was bumped. Previously, wrestlers would vocally tell the referee
if they wished to submit or not. Today, the tap-out method is used almost entirely.
Taterin, getting hit with a "potato."
Technical, a worker with a legit amount of skill and athletic ability.

Tcnico, a Mexican face wrestler.
Three-count, a pinfall.
Three Month Rule, a term describing the removal from kayfabe of old angles and other events,
typically after at least three months have passed without on-screen mention. Anything removed
under the "Three Month Rule" can, however, be restored as part of future storylines. The term is
normally used only to refer to angles and events that are directly or implicitly contradicted by the
current storyline, such as inaccurate claims by the announcers that a wrestler has "never beaten"
his current opponent. Not to be confused with the "Seven Year Rule", which deals with rehashing
of storylines.
Tights, wrestling attire. Traditionally, wrestlers dress in some form of tights, trunks, or singlet.
Modern wrestlers more often use unorthodox attire in the ring, such as track pants, sweatpants,
and jeans. Regardless of the actual form said attire takes, it is often referred to as "tights."
Time Honored Tradition, indicates when you put over or/and drop the strap on your way out of
a company or brand (retire or exploring options with another company). Vince McMahon made
that speech on a Taping of RAW in 1997 about Bret Hart seeking his options on other avenues of
Sports Entertainment (WCW move).
Titantron or simply Tron, a screen which is directly above the stage area of the arena used for
showing entrance videos, other segments, and promos. Named for the original tron, the TitanTron,
which was introduced as part of WWE's RAW set and was named after the then-parent company
of the World Wrestling Federation, Titan Sports. The -tron suffix has since been used to
unofficially identify other big screens used in wrestling.
Token Offense, meaningless offense a worker doing a job gets in during a squash or an extended
squash.
Tope, flying over the rope from the inside of the ring to the floor.[1]
Trademark, in the legal sense, a word, phrase, image, or other kind of marking can be registered
with the United States Patent and Trademark Office as a trademark. The owner of the mark,
assuming it is valid, will then receive protection in perpetuity against anyone else using that
trademark (or a mark which is so similar that it could cause confusion in the marketplace).
Trademarks have been a source of controversy in wrestling because wrestling characters, names,
and catch phrases can be trademarked and owned by a company instead of the wrestler utilizing it,
which then bars them from using it elsewhere. In older jargon, the term 'trademark move' was
used more loosely, to refer to a certain move that was associated with a particular wrestler. The
figure-four leglock was Ric Flair's patented move, even though he probably has no 'official' right
of ownership.
Transitional Move, the way two wrestlers get from A to B in a match. A move used to get from
spot to spot. These moves are cues for the escalation of the brutality of the subsequent moves in
the match.
Transitional champion, a holder of a traditionally-short title reign which bridges two "eras,"
long-running title reigns by usually-popular champions.
Turn, when a wrestler switches from face to heel or vice versa.[1]
Hard Turn, is when a wrestler switch to heel or face in a sudden surprise plot twist
(swerve).
Soft Turn, is a gradual switch to heel or face over an extended period of time.
Tweener, a morally ambiguous wrestler, neither a bad guy or good guy (an inbetweener).[1] This
term is also used to describe wrestlers who use tactics typically associated with heels (i.e.,
cheating), yet are still cheered by fans in spite of (or because of) these antics.
Two-and-a-half count, the count at which a wrestler is said to escape from a pinfall when a
referee's hand comes very close to hitting the mat for a three-count. Other fractions are sometimes
used for exaggeration or comedic effect--two and three quarters, two and seven eighths, etc.
U
Undercard, matches prior to the main event. (See also Dark match).
Unification, the act of combining two championships into one; the result of which is either an
entirely new title or the consolidation of one title into another.
Up North, a term used to refer to the (Connecticut-based) World Wrestling Entertainment or any
other Northern-based promotion. (Compare Down South).
V
Valet, a female performer assigned to accompany a wrestler to the ring and put him over in
interviews.
Vignette, any piece of video footage featuring characters or events which is shown to the
audience for the purposes of entertainment or edification. Usually, they are meant to either
introduce a debuting character or to get a wrestler over before their TV wrestling debut. In World
Wrestling Entertainment, wrestlers rarely acknowledge that they are being filmed, forcing the
viewer to "suspend disbelief" as to why a camera operator would be allowed to witness and record
an intimate or secretive situation.
Vince's Philosophy, Vince McMahon's philosophy on doing live televised shows. It states that
"nothing can go wrong if it's live." For example, if a wrestler trips, he meant to.
Virgin Market, refers to WWE marketing of TV tapings and house shows in Canada, Asia,
Europe, Australia, and where the money rate is not as strong as the U.S. cash flow.
Vocal Selling, when a wrestler makes sound to imply that he's hurt. (See Sell)
W
Weekend Warrior, someone who usually only wrestles independent shows on a weekend due to
semi-retirement or, more frequently, because they need to have another job as they do not make
enough money out of pro wrestling alone.
Work, a staged event, from the carnival tradition of "working the crowd."[1]
Worker, a wrestler.[1]
Worked Shoot, a scripted segment that takes place in a show with elements of reality being
exposed. It can also be a segment that fans are meant to believe is a shoot, but isn't.
Workrate, a wrestler's talent level.[1] When used by critics, it is an analysis of the action in a
match and the skill level exhibited.[1]
WrestleMania Caliber, a match at an event other than WrestleMania that is hyped up or
anticipated so much that it would typically be saved for that event. (Example: "Macho Man"
Randy Savage vs. The Ultimate Warrior for the WWF Championship at SummerSlam 1992.)
X
X-Pac heat, when a wrestler receives negative heat (boos) not because his character is a heel but
because fans legitimately don't like him, or think that he is boring and should stop wrestling.
Named for the crowd reactions to X-Pac circa 2001.
X sign, a gesture made by the referee (crossing both arms) which indicates that an injury is
legitimate and medical assistance is required. However the X sign has been used in a kayfabe
context when the injury is not real, but is a worked shoot instead.
Z
Zamboni, A legit low-blow.
Zebraing, Legit punches.
Notes
1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay
az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co
cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc dd de df dg dh di dj dk dl dm dn do dp dq dr ds dt du dv dw dy dx dz ea eb ec ed ee
ef eg eh ei ej ek el em en eo ep eq er es et eu ev ew ex ey ez fa fb fc fd fe ff fg fh fi Torch Glossary of Insider Terms.
PWTorch.com (2000). Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
2. ^ a b c d Harley Race, Ricky Steamboat, Les Thatcher. The Professional Wrestlers' Workout & Instructional
Guide (p.106)
3. ^ Foley, Mick. Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks (p.90)
6. ^ a b c Foley, Mick. Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks (p.2)
9. ^ Michaels, Shawn. Heartbreak & Triumph: The Shawn Michaels Story, p. 67.
10. ^ a b Associated Press (June 26, 2007). WWE star killed family, self. SportsIllustrated.cnn.com. Retrieved on
2007-06-26.
References
Mick Foley (2000). Have A Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks. HarperCollins, 511. ISBN
0061031011.
Harley Race, Ricky Steamboat, Les Thatcher (2005). The Professional Wrestlers' Workout &
Instructional Guide. Sports Publishing LLC. ISBN 1582619476.
External links
PWTorch Glossary
Total Wrestling Terms
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_professional_wrestling_slang"
Categories: Incomplete lists | Professional wrestling slang
This page was last modified 16:30, 6 August 2007.

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for details.)
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List of professional wrestling slang - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Page 1 of 21

List of professional wrestling slang

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Botch, a scripted move that failed.

Draw, to be able to attract the attention of the audience.[1]

Technical, a worker with a legit amount of skill and athletic ability.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_professional_wrestling_slang"

Categories: Incomplete lists | Professional wrestling slang

This page was last modified 16:30, 6 August 2007.

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