Wrestling Clichés
 

What are some wrestling clichés that you could do with out? I'll start:

"Im fat therefore im strong"

and

"We are babies therefore we are friends" (and the heel equivalent.)

NOW YOU GO

"I'm a heel woman therefore I am crazy."

Contract signings. The talking drags on way too long. We all know they're going to end up fighting, just get it over with.

In a similar vain, nobody pays any attention to any wrestling wedding segment until the "speak now or forever hold your peace" line.

Chekhov's cake.

Thats a good one. so played out.

Distraction loss by feuding rival playing their entrance music

Im fine with it as long as they explain how they coerced the production truck to interfere on their behalf.

Babyface dives out of ring onto the heel, clearly having the upper hand
Commercial break
Return from commercial break, heel has face worn down in a rest hold

Thats more practical than anything. You go into commercial with a hope spot. This increases the likelyhood the audience staying. SO HYPE.

On the flipside you need to grab a hold during commercial otherwise you're bumping for free. Moreover the lull from the hold lets you go right into another hope spot as soon as you're back from break.

The only way around that is dont go to break during a match...

"The Hot Tag"

Just tag your partner. No need to do the leaping tag, or a flair flop, or tag from countering a move.

thats not what a hot tag is

But I do like the rock N Roll express tag. Its classic.

Nobody did like Ricky Morton though

the " I'm Alexa Bliss and i'm gonna show my ass but not shit in RP's mouth " cliche

I know it's all practical but it still makes me kinda laugh because I remember when I was like 10 and Tony Schiavone would be like "WE'VE GOTTA TAKE OUR LAST COMMERCIAL BREAK, IF THE MATCH ENDS WE'LL SHOW YOU WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE COME BACK"

And if it was somebody I was invested in like DDP or Sting I'd panic during the commercials cause I thought I'd actually miss the finish :lol:

As a counter to that - I love how 80s WCW would talk about "standby" matches they had planned in case there was still time left in the show after the main event. Because, in theory, it could've been like a 5 minute match cause it was a real contest.

Now you can take yourself right out of the main event by looking at the clock and knowing they have to go home in 2 minutes.

Little things like that went a long way. I dont know if today you would do them but I really enjoyed those small nods to kayfabing an actual sportscast.

didn't they do that with that super long Michaels vs Cena match?

I think Michaels/Cena opened up the show so I'm not sure. They might've billed a match the next week as one that had been unexpectedly cancelled.

Yeah they were doing HBK vs. Cena and Edge vs. Orton, HBK and Cena went the full hour so they pushed the other match to the next week

One NXT someone demanded a match to Regal. Regal told him it'll have to be next week since this show is "booked solid". One of my favorite NXT moments.

If you need an authority figure on the show at all, Regal is exactly the type of one I'd want. Someone who only occasionally appears because he's busy actually running the show.

There's been a heel authority figure in some form or another for over 20 years now and it's so beyond played out.

Thats a big one "heel authority figure"

They almost dont know how to write without it

They don't know how to write with it either.

Wrestlers shoehorning events and dates into their promos. I didn’t mind it so much when wrestlers are doing backstage promos to the camera, but when two wrestlers are in the ring together taking to each other I hate it.

“Brock, when I see you in the ring this Sunday at Wrestlemania live from the MetLife Stadium in New York, I’m gonna BURN. IT. DOWN!”

Opponent A uses Opponent B's finish, Opponent B is guaranteed to kick out on a long two count.

Somebody must have won using the other guy's finish before but if they have, I ain't seen it.

We’re both [insert race] so we should tag together.

Wrestlers backstage watching a tv screen but viewing it in an awkward or non-normal way.

Wrestler being shown arriving to the building after the show had already started. Surely they should at least get a write-up at some point.

The stand by match was a staple of Mid South T.V

Wrestlers being in full gear and oiled up backstage even though they’re not booked for a match. Like that’s just how they are all the time.

Lol I used to feel awful for Goldust. So many Raws in the past decade where he had to do the full paint job only to be used in a 5 second backstage spot.

Actually speaking of full gear - anytime a wrestler hosting an interview segment has their gear on, it’s a giveaway that an impromptu match is about to be booked.

Matches, especially main events, being announced in the opening segment. Um, what was the main event going to be?

A wrestler will take less damage off giving a top rope superplex than they would if they would miss a second rope senton.

"What's that? Someone else's music I hear? I am going to drop my guard, turn my body and present myself to my current opponent in a way that will allow them to roll me up."

Wrestlers who don't watch the show. There will be a miscommunication between partners one week, and the next they will still act like it was intentional even if they can see that it was set up by the heels or whatever.

Heels that have just attacked two wrestlers fighting in a #1 Contender's Match and are SHOCKED to discover that they will be defending their belt in a Triple Threat.

Once a referee gets knocked down, they take ages to make counts. It must be more exhausting to hold your arm up against gravity like that.

Wrestlers walking backstage with a camera on them like nothing's happening. They are always surprised when something happens.

Finishers or weapons are super-effective outside the context of a match. During a match, they can't get a three.

Wrestler hits a trademark move they have never won a match with and are surprised when their opponent kicks out during a televised match. You have literally never won a match with that move.

Wrestlers who used to be tough as babyfaces suddenly get glass jaws as heels. This can be expanded to wrestlers suddenly completely changing their approach to matches overnight if they turn at all. I mean, that's part of the game, isn't it? But this becomes pretty comical when things are as two-toned as they are now.

Top rop superplex v second rope senton I think could be covered by the whole timing thing. If you know you are executing a suplex you will expect the landing and adjust for it. If you miss the senton the timing may be all fucked up and so you land in a way you hadn't prepared for.

Or at least that's how I always assumed those things would be explained away.

Wrestlers having to use their finisher to end the match, hitting it multiple times in the main event or ppv. I’m good with finishers but don’t do it every match, make it more special by not using it all the time. How many times did Bret Hart win with a roll up and win by the skin of his teeth? Didn’t have to hit the sharpshooter every match, but when he dot it on nobody got out.
I feel like Daniel Bryan is the only guy winning without always hitting the finisher.

I hate the psychology of finishers. More over the finishers lack psychology altogether.


dont get me wrong though. the concept is over so yeah get your shit in but its so stupid.

Remember Cody Mckenzie the MMA fighter? He had a finisher.

His MMA record at one point was just a string of like 13 guillotine choke wins. Then he started to lose because at a certain level nobody is letting you take their neck that easy.

The thing about finishers is that they only work if you expect it to actually finish the match. And nowadays, in big matches it's commonplace to expect kickouts. Therefore ruining most false finishes because you don't bite on them the way you're supposed to.

The only finisher that's insanely protected nowadays is the One Winged Angel. I believe Ibushi kicked out of it once, and Okada once got his foot up on the ropes.