What fans should know to enjoy WrestleMania 24 at the Florida Citrus Bowl
Link: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/custom/wrestling/orl-wrestlemania2608mar26,0,5914732.story

Andrea Adelson | Sentinel Staff Writer
March 26, 2008
Professional wrestling is unquestionably sports entertainment, with story lines unfolding like a soap opera. Although nobody believes what they are watching is real, many behind-the-scenes plans go into a pro wrestling show, from the choreography of moves in the ring, to the scripts to the real injuries that plague wrestlers.

So as we draw closer to WrestleMania 24 on Sunday at the Citrus Bowl, here is a little primer for those new to pro wrestling. Call it Pro Wrestling for Dummies.

1. Wrestling moves are choreographed. Every wrestler learns hundreds of wrestling moves, but they ultimately are known for their "signature" or "finishing" move. For someone like Rey Mysterio, his move is known as the 619 -- named after his hometown area code of San Diego.

Mysterio swings himself from the ropes, parallel to the ground. As he completes his swing, he knocks down his opponent. Guys also are known for their pile drivers, where they pick up an opponent, turn him upside down and then fall to the ground, making it appear as though the opponent has slammed his head on the ring.

Ric Flair has the figure-four leglock, turning and twisting his opponent's legs and locking them into position. Each wrestler knows what to expect from the other in the ring, so there is no need to rehearse before matches. They sometimes communicate with each other by whispering in the other's ear. Plenty of holds allow the wrestlers to get a quick rest before going on to their next move.

The biggest job the wrestlers have to do is sell the show. Yes, they are hitting each other, but not as hard as it might appear. The ring has some bounce to it, so when guys fall to the ground, it sounds worse than it really is.

They also know how to time their falls when a guy hits them so it all looks real. Wrestlers also have to learn how to stomp a foot on the ring when they punch someone, so the sound is amplified.

2. The outcome of each match is scripted. Because this is sports entertainment, a team of writers scripts story lines that must be followed. If the writers see a wrestler is despised, they will amplify his bad-guy status.

If they see a wrestler is beloved, they will play that up as well. There are not as many bad guys around as there once were, so most times the battle is a slightly flawed good guy vs. a good guy, and fans of each wrestler root for their favorite.

The wrestlers knows in advance who is going to win. But that doesn't mean every move in the ring is scripted. Nearly all the moves are ad-libbed based on what each wrestler does best. That is how each person knows how to anticipate what is coming next.

3. Referees play a large role. The referee is like the third wrestler in the ring. He knows how long the match should last, and who will win. It is his job to keep the time of the match, and to talk to the wrestlers in the ring about how much time is left -- and to gauge crowd reaction.

He also has an earpiece so he can communicate with the producers backstage about things that seem to be working in a match and things that are not. Then the referee can communicate that to the wrestlers. Referees are also in charge of counting to three when a wrestler is pinned.

If someone is truly injured, he puts his arms up in an "X" to alert those backstage, paramedics and other wrestlers about what is going on. If the wrestler can continue, he waves it off. The X also has been used in story lines, so it is sometimes hard to know when a wrestler is really injured or when an injury is written into the script.

4. Guys really do get hurt. Although injuries are sometimes written into the script, most wrestlers get injured at some point in their careers. The action is not completely real, but they really are getting hit, thrown to the mat, into ropes and on the ground. After a while, it takes a toll.

Mysterio just had surgery on his arm and won't have a wrestling role on Sunday. John Cena, one of the biggest stars in wrestling, tore his right pectoral muscle last year and was out for nearly four months before making a surprise return at a pay-per-view event in January. Big-name guys Edge and Shawn Michaels were also out at the time.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin temporarily was paralyzed in 1997 after a pile driver that went wrong. Although he regained full movement and later had surgery, neck problems still pain him today.

Most wrestlers suffer from bumps and bruises they must get through every night. Any time you are involved in activity that is as physical as pro wrestling, it is impossible to stay completely healthy.

5. WWE is one of highest-rated cable shows. The flagship show Raw, which airs on USA on Monday nights, is consistently ranked in the top 10 of the weekly TV ratings, averaging between 3.5 million and 5 million viewers every week. WWE also puts on two other shows, Smackdown! on Friday nights on the CW Network along with ECW on Tuesday nights on the SciFi Channel.

Although mixed martial arts and the ultimate fighting championship are rising in popularity, they don't come close to getting the viewers the WWE gets. MMA and UFC might have eclipsed boxing, but it has a way to go before becoming as popular as WWE.

6. Pro wrestling is more than just what is seen on television. WWE also has house shows that feature many wrestlers, nontelevised events in smaller venues in which fans get to see their live action. What happens at the house shows has no effect on the television show. Many times, smaller-name wrestlers are featured so they can gain ring experience.

Most big-name wrestlers work 120 to 165 dates a year (that is actually light compared to 25 years ago, when many guys worked 300 nights a year). Those appearances include TV shows, house shows, pay-per-view events and overseas shows. WWE is expanding internationally, and it rotates its best superstars to different countries around the world for numerous events.

7. WWE is more than just the superstars and divas on TV. Many more wrestlers are on the WWE roster than you see on television or pay-per-view. As of Feb. 1, WWE had 165 wrestlers under contract. That includes wrestlers in training and smaller-name talents working to gain ring experience and a good gimmick before they get promoted to one of the three shows.

How you become a star largely depends on that gimmick and crowd reaction. When Bob Remus first started out, he bleached his hair blond and wore tie-dye to try to imitate "Superstar" Billy Graham. That didn't work for him, so he decided to become a drill sergeant by the name of Sgt. Slaughter, evolving into one of the more popular characters in the 1980s.

8. Romance happens. Working so closely together, romantic relationships are bound to happen between wrestlers, divas or support staff. Paul Levesque, known as Triple H, is married to Stephanie McMahon, daughter of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. They have one child and one on the way.

Triple H used to be involved with Chyna, but the two broke up, and he started his relationship with McMahon. There are other examples -- Goldust (Dustin Runnels) and Marlena (Terri Runnels) were married in real life but have divorced; Batista is dating WWE diva Melina, and former WWE women's champion Mickie James is engaged to WWE wrestler Kenny Dykstra.

9. Wrestlers tend to stick with what they know. After they retire, wrestlers often stay with WWE in different roles. Jerry "The King" Lawler does ringside broadcasting. Dusty Rhodes is a script writer. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat is an agent for WWE, "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart is a WWE ambassador and so is Sgt. Slaughter.

Of course, many often find other careers. "The Million-dollar Man" Ted DiBiase is now an evangelist with the Heart of David Ministry. That doesn't mean he's forgotten about wrestling. He is taking part in a cruise for wrestling fans as part of WrestleMania festivities in Orlando.

10. Pro wrestling pioneered pay-per-view. Although pay-per-view had been around for a while, pro wrestling took it to new heights, starting with the first WrestleMania in 1985. Every single WrestleMania has been on pay-per-view. Last year, it set a record with 1.2 million pay-per-view buys. WWE now has 14 shows on pay-per-view every year. Each show costs $39.95 except WrestleMania, which costs $49.95. Last year, the WWE generated $94.3 million off revenue from pay-per-view events.

Big boxing matches are now only available through pay-per-view, along with some select college football games.

Andrea Adelson can be reached at \n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it href="mailto:aadelson%40orlandosentinel.com">aadelson@orlandosentinel.com.

Credit: A1 Wrestling Newsletter