Nothing quite lives up to watching a sports game live. Well, aside from using sports betting odds to make your wagers, that is! But there’s something extra special about watching a pro wrestling match that we simply cannot explain.
Pro wrestling has millions of dedicated fans who tune in to watch the entertainment unfold. Yet to fully enjoy and understand the events, fans must be familiar with a lot of the insider jargon (or terminology).
Here are seven examples of this jargon for you to take a look at.
1. Receipt
A ‘receipt’ is a term used to refer to a particularly stiff move that is made back to a pro wrestler. If a wrestler legitimately strikes their opponent with a hard blow, then the other wrestler can reciprocate the action as a physical reminder not to strike out so hard.
Essentially, it’s the vengeance that one pro wrestler gains once an opponent has done them wrong.
However, this isn’t the only meaning of the word ‘receipt’ in pro wrestling. It’s also used when discussing other aspects of a particular wrestling presentation such as a wrestler going into business for themselves in a promotion.
2. Angle
As its name suggests, an ‘angle’ is a type of pro wrestling storyline or plot that is practiced and rehearsed multiple times before it plays out for fans.
These are generally the main driving force behind the art of pro wrestling and may play out much like a novel over a single match or even a vendetta that spans several matches (or even years!)
Pro wrestling angles can take on many forms and may include one pro wrestler attacking their opponent and then a particular story playing out afterward. This will usually take on multiple forms and is considered the main reason why feuds occur in pro wrestling!
3. Heat
This is often used interchangeably to refer to crowd reactions and describe any animosity between pro wrestlers involved in a particular match or angle.
In terms of the crowd, ‘heat’ can be used both negatively and positively but is more typically used to describe adverse reactions from a crowd to a particular pro wrestler such as booing or hissing. This is the complete opposite of a positive reaction commonly known as ‘pop.’
The term ‘heat’ is also used in pro wrestling as slang for a negative reaction that a wrestler receives backstage from management and colleagues, or both, for an incident that might or might not have occurred in the ring.
4. Shoot
Pro wrestling is staged entertainment instead of a sports competition. Yet sometimes, shoots occur.
A ‘shoot’ in pro wrestling, shortened from the common phrase “straight shooting,” refers to any unscripted or unplanned real-time occurrence in a pro wrestling event. It’s generally something negative that is usually always directed at the other pro wrestler in the match.
This sort of off-script movement essentially turns anything into a real fight. As a result of the unscripted movements, two wrestlers may wind up using different striking movements in an attempt to try to hurt one another.
5. Buried/Burial
A ‘burial’ is the act of lowering the reputation or status of a pro wrestler in the eyes of fans, the complete opposite of a ‘push.’ It’s commonly achieved by simply refusing to promote the wrestler in any positive way.
It typically entails a drastic drop down the card, a lack of entrance music, forced participation in degrading angles, and little to no support from commentators. Due to its harsh nature, a ‘burial’ is dished out as a punishment to a specific wrestler due to real-life disagreements between them and the company or the booker.
6. Carry
In pro wrestling, the act of a single wrestler guiding a less skilled or experienced performer through a match is referred to as a ‘carry’ job. The more experienced wrestler is perceived to be the one doing all the hard work for a match, taking pains to make everything look better.
Carrying, or building up the other guy, is a vital part of pro wrestling. It could make or break the initial impression that a young superstar wrestler or a rookie receives from the crowd, which will have a direct impact on their pro wrestling career.
7. Enhancement Talent
These are wrestlers that are relatively unknown to the audience with a specific role that involves making other wrestlers look better by losing (thus enhancing their image). They’re also called ‘jobbers’ although this tends to just be used by rude pro wrestlers or fans.
An ‘enhancement talent’ works to resolve the problem of big egos by having a set class of pro wrestlers who never expect to win. It’s been an effective part of wrestling for at least fifty years, with no signs of stopping any time soon.
Lots of pro wrestling stars are grateful for enhancement talent as it makes them look better in the ring.
Summary
Pro wrestling comes with a considerable amount of jargon that all fans must know if they want to follow the events of a particular match. These are just a few common examples that are used in today’s pro wrestling industry.
