There are many terms used in professional wrestling which are specific to the business. This list will attempt to clarify some of the jargon, slang and terms you might see on this website or hear when watching professional wrestling on TV.
Agent: A backstage member of staff who will train, advise and help with creative decisions. Sometimes referred to as a road agent. Quite often agents are former professional wrestlers.
Angle: A storyline.
Attitude Era: An era in WWE’s history, between 1997 and 2001, when the storylines and performances were more adult-focused.
Babyface (or face): A character which the fans like and cheer for. A good guy.
Backyard Wrestling: Wrestling that isn’t endorsed by an official organisation and usually the performers are not professionally trained.
Blade: When a wrestler will use a blade to cut himself open to make an injury look more effective. Usually happens when a wrestler is struck with a foreign object to the head.
Bury: To diminish a wrestlers respectability. If a wrestler has been disrespectful backstage or has a bad attitude, to punish them an organisation may book them to lose to a wrestler that has a lower prestige than him – this is considered burying.
Carry: Where the better wrestler will work hard to make another look good.
Cheap heat: A heel may try and attain boos by being disrespectful towards the audience, this is dubbed ‘cheap heat’. A common example of cheap heat is mocking the local sports team.
Count out: When a wrestler is outside of the ring for the referee’s 10 count and loses the match.
Stone Cold can draw
Draw: If a wrestler is very well liked by the fans, he is considered to be a draw, as people will pay for tickets or buy the PPV to watch that wrestler. The Undertaker is considered a huge draw, as he ‘draws’ fans to buy tickets, merchandise etc.
Finisher: The trademark move used by a wrestler which usually will end a match. John Cena’s finishers include the Attitude Adjustment and the STF.
Gimmick: A term used for a characters persona. Being a leprechaun is Hornswoggle’s gimmick.
Hardcore: A match making foreign objects legal.
House Show: A wrestling event that isn’t televised.
Independent Circuit (or Indies): A wrestling group that is too small to compete at a national level. Roughly comparable to a minor league.
IWC: Refers to the Internet Wrestling Community, including the forums and boards that are very popular on wrestling websites to discuss current storylines.
Jobber: A wrestler whose job is to make the opponent look good. The Brooklyn Brawler was a famous jobber as he would lose most of his matches.
Kayfabe: The notion and upkeep that professional wrestling is real or, in-character. For example, a wrestler may give an external interview and give their own personal opinions even if they differ to that of their character. This contrasts to the idea of shooting, which is not staying in character.
Knockout (1): When a competitor is knocked out and their opponent will win via knockout. The referee will usually count to 10 before giving a knockout decision.
Knockout (2): A female competitor in TNA.
Over: Well-liked or well-respected. If a wrestler is over with the crowd, it means they get a good reception.
Promo: A chance for wrestlers to talk about their opponent or an upcoming PPV.
Punt: A vicious kick to the head, a move used recently by Randy Orton.
Push: When a wrestler receives more time on TV, or gets a run at a championship he is receiving a push.
Rib: A joke or prank.
Wrong kind of shooting...
Sell: To make the audience believe something is real. For example, a wrestler may pretend to have a leg injury and will therefore limp or be able to do less on the leg. He therefore sells the injury to the audience.
Shoot: Something that is real and isn’t kayfabe (in character). In a shoot interview a wrestler will give his honest opinions on a matter, not the opinions portrayed by his on screen character.
Squash: A match that one wrestler is completely dominant in and win without any trouble.
Stable: A group of wrestlers that have formed an alliance. For example, Legacy or D-X.
Submission: A hold which attempts to get the other wrestler to give up. For example, The Undertaker uses Hell’s Gate which is a submission hold in order to get the opponent to submit.
Swerve: A sudden change in direction of a storyline which goes against the expectations of fans.
Tap Out: A form of submitting. If a wrestler taps while in a submission hold, it means he is giving up.
Turn: A change in character which results in a wrestler becoming a babyface or a heel. At Bragging Rights 2009, Batista turned heel after attacking Rey Mysterio.
Unification: To combine 2 (or more) championships to make 1 championship.
Vacate: To give up a championship or title. In April 2011, Edge vacated the World Heavyweight Championship due a legitimate neck injury forcing retirement.
Vignette: A segment that is filmed featuring characters or events. Vignettes can be shown for wrestlers who are imminently debuting to build hype, for example WWE aired several vignettes of Kharma in April 2011 before her WWE debut.
Work: To perform in the ring. A wrestler will work a match.
Worked Shoot: A storyline which is based on the belief it is out-of-character and not planned, however it is actually pre-planned.
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