The Professional Wrestling lingo is a complex one, one that was used by the promoters and the workers many years gone by so that fans didn't grasp what the promoters or the wrestlers were talking about when it came to booking matches. This came from the carnival days when wrestling was a sideshow act, that would ultimately become one of the world's most beloved sports and sources of entertainment. Some of these words and terms are still used to this day by those in the profession.

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A

 

A-Show: A wrestling event where a company's biggest drawing talents wrestle.
 
A-Team: A group of a wrestling promotion's top stars who compete at an A-Show.
 
Abort: To discontinue a feud, angle, or gimmick suddenly, usually without explanation due to a lack of fan interest.

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Agent: A management employee, often a former veteran wrestler, who helps wrestlers set up matches, plans storylines, and relays instructions from the bookers. Often acts as a liaison between wrestlers and higher-level management. Referred to as producers by WWE and sometimes by other companies. Sometimes they help train and teach younger active wrestlers and give criticism.
 
Angle: An Angle is a influential part of either ending or starting a storyline.
 
Apter mag: An old-style professional wrestling magazine that sticks to kayfabe articles. The term refers to the magazines at one time connected to legendary journalist Bill Apter, such as Pro Wrestling Illustrated.
 
B
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B-Show: A wrestling event featuring the middle and lower-level talent of a wrestling promotion. Can sometimes include well-known wrestlers making a return or finishing up their career.
 
B-Team: The group of wrestlers on a B-Show. 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 / Face: A goodie or a good guy, Typically wrestles clean and to the rules.
 
Beat down: A situation in which a wrestler or other performer is the recipient of a beating, usually by a group of wrestlers.
 
Blading / Juicing: Terms used for when a wrestler or character cuts themselves open to cause the bleeding effect in most hardcore matches or for selling a hard knock.
 
Blind tag: A tag made in a tag team match where the wrestler on the apron tags his partner unbeknown to him or without his consent. It can also refer to such a tag where the tagger's opponent is unaware a tag has occurred. blindside attack. Most often occurs when the partner in the ring is thrown against the ropes or backed into his own corner.
 
Blow off: The final match in a feud. 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.
 
Blow up: To become exhausted during a match.
 
Blown Up / Blow Up: When a wrestler or wrestlers get tired during a match and resort to rest spots to regain energy.
 
Bonzo Gonzo: When all the wrestlers are in the ring at once despite the rules and the referee cannot restore order.
 
Book: To determine and schedule the events of a wrestling card.
 
Booker: The person who decides who wins and who loses and plans the show.
 
Botch: To attempt a scripted move or spoken line that does not come out as it was originally planned due to a mistake, miscalculation, or a slip-up.
 
Boys: Slang used between fellow wrestlers to refer to workmates.
 
Broadway: A time limit draw.
 
Bump: The Falls that wrestlers take during matches.
 
Burial/Bury: The relegation of a wrestler's, Done by losing in squash matches continuously, and participate in unentertaining or degrading storylines.
 
Business: Used to represent Professional wrestling, instead of "profession" or "sport".
 
Bust open: To start to bleed, typically from the head after being hit with something like a chair, and typically after blading. The commentators will usually refer to the bleeding wrestler as being "busted wide open", to sell the illusion that a blunt force laceration is the source of the bleeding.
 
C
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Call a match: Several Meanings- To plan the choreography of a match as it happens, Though some matches are fully scripted ahead of time, most wrestling matches are largely improvised. Or a commentator will call a match.
 
Call: To instruct the other wrestler of what is going to happen in the match.Canned Heat: When a television taping has a quiet crowd, company's will use pre recorded crowd reactions from previous events especially for these occasions.Card: A line-up of matches that are listed and confirmed.
 
Carny: Carnival Language used by bookers and workers mostly back in the early days of Pro Wrestling when it was a side show act at a carnival or fairgrounds events.
 
Carry: The act of one wrestler guiding a typically less experienced performer through a match. Also refers to a match or angle in which a particularly skilled performer is able to make an inferior wrestler look good, or is perceived to be doing all the work.
 
Catch as catch can: A Professional wrestling style that was developed in the UK by J. G. Chambers in 1870.
 
Chain wrestling: A sequence of pure grappling between two wrestlers trading holds and takedowns Back and forth.
 
Cheap heat: The incitement of a negative crowd reaction by insulting the crowd en-masse, typically by bringing up something unrelated to the wrestling business (for example by insulting the city or a local sports team, like wearing a Yankees jersey in Boston, or by using a news event as part of a promo).
 
Cheap pop: The incitement of a positive crowd reaction by "kissing up" to the crowd (for example, mentioning the name of the city or complimenting a local sports team). Heels often follow the same principle but in reverse to get booed (see Cheap heat).
 
Clean Finish: A match that ends without any rules being broken, such as cheating and interference.
 
Cut-off: A point in the match where the heel stops the face's attack and goes on the assault after breaking the rules by cheating.
 
D
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Dark Match: A non televised match that occurs just before or after the taping's are over to test new young talent, sound and lighting or just as a warm up match to get the crowd ready for the filming.
 
Dirt sheet: Either a newsletter or source of wrestling inside information for wrestling fans.
 
Double down: When both combatants are on the canvass, and the tension builds to who gets up first.
 
Draw: Has several meanings, A match that ends with no winner, A wrestler who is very popular and can bring in fans to see him or her.
 
Dusty Finish: When a backup referee takes over the role of calling the match after the original referee is knockout out or cant continue.
 
F
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Feeding the babyface: when a heel falls victim to a series of attacks by the face and does not evade the attacks.
 
Fernum: A term for any sort of commonplace for a item or gimmick, such as a table or a blade.Feud: An ongoing rivalry that takes place between two or more wrestlers or other people, often resulting in a series of matches.
 
Fight from underneath: When a smaller wrestler takes on a bigger wrestler and is viewed as a underdog.
 
Foreign object: A illegal weapon used in pro wrestling.
 
Freebird rule: When any two wrestlers of a trio faction can defend the tag team titles.
 
Future endeavoured: The words taken out of the WWE's letters usually sent to a released talent.
 
G
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Gas / Gassed Up: The word sometimes used to call or say that a wrestler is taking body enhancing steroids to produce more body muscle and physique.
 
Getting Over: When a wrestler is liked by the fans. (Not to be mistaken with Going Over)
 
Gimmick / Gimmicked: has several definitions. A character or special persona in wrestling, A Special match stipulation such as a cage match for instance, A tampered piece of equipment such as a table in a tables match, so it guarantee's breaks upon impact, A signature feature or quality of a talent, such as Triple H's Sledgehammer or Al Snow's Head.
 
Go Home: The instruction given by a referee to the wrestlers to end the match.
 
Gorilla position: The area behind the curtain of the entrance ramp where management usually sits and watches the show from, Named after the legendary Gorilla Monsoon who oversaw many matches and shows from that position.
 
Green: Someone with next to little experience in their respective field.
 
Grunt and Groaners: A term used to call pro wrestlers.
 
Gusher: A harsh and potentially dangerous mistake made by a talent when a blade job go's wrong.
 
H
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Hardcore / Garbage Wrestling: The type of match that consists of only weapons and objects as to real pure grappling and wrestling.
 
Hardway: When bleeding is not caused by blading.
 
Heat: Has several definitions, The reaction a talent gets from the crowds, Backstage tension between workers.Heater: A big wrestler who draws fear into the crowds.
 
Heel: The Baddie in pro wrestling, someone who often breaks the rules and cheats a lot and seeks out insulting the fans.
 
Hide: To choreograph a match or matches so as to cover up a wrestler's lack of ability, cardio or lack of training, such as putting someone in a tag match so the crowds are not drawn to the weakness or problem.
 
Highspot: A move that consists of jumping off of something such as the turnbuckle or a ladder.
 
Hope Spot/False Comeback: A way of getting the crowd hyped only for them to anticlimax after the comeback is stopped.
 
Hot Tag: A desperate desire for a tag to the fresher partner, its a crucial part of every tag team match which also leads to the end of a match.
 
Hotshoting / Hotshot: To rush a storyline due to either lack of interest or due to timing reasons ect.
 
House Show: A wrestling event that is not taped for television.
 
Hulking Up: When a wrestler gets a huge burst of energy and power resulting in a comeback. Term comes from Hulk Hogan, when he used to mount up a huge comeback late in the match.
 
I
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Independent / Indies: Smaller wrestling events that tour all around their own respective country's.
 
J
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Job / Put Over: When a wrestler loses and gives the opponent the win.
 
Jobber / Enhancement Talent: A wrestler who is only used to make other wrestlers look strong by defeating them, often they are quick, meaningless matches.
 
K
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Kayfabe: Insider word for scripted, Its used as a word that separates Real and scripted in pro wrestling.
 
L
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Light / Lightly: A wrestler who works lightly is not very good at delivering kicks or punches, so they don't look very realistic.
 
Lights out: When a surprise wrestler returns at a event and the lights go out to put all focus on him or her.
 
Lucha libre: Translates to Free Fighting in Mexican, and is a style of Wrestling invented and pioneered in Mexico which features very elaborate moves, acrobatic performances, and wrestling masks, also lucha libre is viewed as a religion in Mexico due its sacred history and meaning.
 
M
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Manager: someone who escorts and manages their client during matches and is often a mouthpiece for the wrestler, this often overcomes the issue of a talent not being a very good talker.
 
Married: The term used for when two wrestlers get partnered together to do a program with one another, usually for a feud or a tour.
 
N
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No Sell: When a wrestler doesn't react to a attack or a move.
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O
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Original: Someone who believes in Pro Wrestling and doesn't care what other people say.
 
P
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Paper: Means Free tickets given to increase the crowd size for television taping's.
 
Parts Unknown: A Place where gimmicked wrestlers come from if they are strange or scary.
 
Pillmanize: To break your opponent's ankle or arm by placing it between a steel folding chair and jumping or stomping on it, named for an attack by Steve Austin on Brian Pillman.
 
Plant: someone who has knowledge of the Angle and is used to portray a fan in the crowd.
 
Playing Ricky Morton: A Major key point of any tag team match choreography where in one member of the babyface team is beaten up for a long period of time and is unable to reach his partner, rendering the match seemingly hopeless. When he finally makes it to his corner and tags in his fresh partner with a hot tag, said partner enters and takes out the heels.
 
Policeman: An in-ring enforcer tasked with preventing a chosen wrestler from winning, often by a authority figure or someone of high importance bullying a official referee backstage with repercussions if he or she refuses to do so.
 
Pop: A good positive reaction from a crowd towards a talent.
 
Popcorn match: Originally the term for a post intermission match that's not regarded as a high importance match or a match that is not worth missing, now it refers to any lighthearted match that serves to break up the monotony in a card.
 
Potato / Stiff: An intentional or accidental real shot to the head during a match.
 
Powder: To roll out of the ring after taking a bump, Traditionally this move was used for a wrestler to actually catch his breath or for a heel to beg off and regroup in character. It is most often seen in matches with more than two wrestlers, in which a wrestler powders out in order to allow two wrestlers to have a conventional one on one sequence in the ring.
 
Program: Has several meanings, A souvenir book with information on the wrestlers, A series of matches or angles with someone.
 
Promo: A segment where a talent or wrestler talks about a certain topic, such as a upcoming title match or to get heat or a pop.
 
Puroresu: From English and Japanese professional wrestling. The strong style wrestling is popularly known for its martial arts based stiff strikes and shoot submission holds also known as King's Road wrestling.

Purse: A wrestlers salary for a match, A term used to emphasise the winner has a much bigger paycheck.
 
Push: When a talent has the backing of the company to be at the forefront and win their matches.
 
R
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Rasslin': Southern for Pro Wrestling, not sports entertainment.
 
Receipt: A legitimate hit or assault done in a payback way after being a victim to a stiff shot in a previous match with said opponent.
 
Ref Bump: When a referee gets knocked out, which lets the heel cheat without getting disqualified.
 
Rest Hold/Rest Spot: A long pause between lots of action and bumps, often used to have a breather and regain their energy.
 
Ring General: A veteran who usually dictates during the match by calling spots and taking the lead.
 
Ring psychology: The act of a sadistic and premeditated attack on a wrestler during a match.
 
Ring rust: A term used for a wrestler who has been out of wrestling for a while and is out of condition whilst getting back in the business.
 
Road Agent: The Person/s who book matches at house shows and non televised events.
 
Rub: When a veteran wrestler gives his years of experience to a young and up coming wrestler to help him advance.
 
Run in: When a wrestler or several wrestlers interfere in a match, often resulting in a disqualification or a schmozz.
 
S
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Schmozz: When a match ends in absolute chaos and no order can be restored.
 
Screw Job: A false or dodgy ending which always leaves questions to be answered.
 
Sell/Selling: The Art of reacting to a attack or a submission hold, using facial expressions and body contorting.
 
Shakespeare: The art of using a foreign object.
 
Shine: To look good in a match.
 
Shoot / Shooting: The opposite of kayfabe, meaning that it is real and not scripted.
 
Shooter: A legitimate fighter or Grappler.
 
Showing Light: When fans are exposed to a botched manoeuvre or spot by a talent.
 
Showing ass: A heel looking bad in order to make the babyface look good, usually by exhibiting fear or cowardice or by being embarrassed.
 
Skinning the cat: When a wrestler is tossed out of the ring over the top rope but he manages to grab the rope and acrobatically pull himself back in.
 
Snug: Working snug is to apply real pressure on holds, But It's used variously to make matches realistic, to exert supremacy, or to exact revenge.
 
Sports Entertainment: Its more Hollywood than pro wrestling, resulting in more elaborate entrances and more fancy get ups rather than pure pro wrestling.
 
Spot: A moment in a match which is considered more memorable or the special moment of the match.
 
Squash: A one sided match which displays one wrestler destroying another to prove his or her dominance.
 
Steel chair: A metal folding chair.
 
Stiff: Using actual force in a wrestling match rather than the standard more pantomimed technique.
 
Stretch / Stretched: When a wrestler is injured and is forced to seek medical attention after or sometimes during a match.
 
Sugar hold: A move which a wrestler puts a prone opponent in a full nelson and then drives his knees into his back, Its a legitimately gruelling hold used frequently to toughen up students or ward off prospective students. The term is sometimes used more vaguely for any legitimately painful move.
 
Suplay / Suplex: A move in which one wrestler grabs another in a front headlock, lifts him into the air, and drops him onto his back as pronounced by legendary announcer Gordon Solie.
 
Swerve: A double bluff, a shocking turn or surprise in a storyline.
 
T
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Territory: A regional wrestling promotion.
 
Transitional champion: A wrestler who holds a championship solely for the purpose of shifting the title from one champion to another.
 
Turn: When a wrestler or talent changes his or her character from a Heel or a Face.
 
Tweener: When a wrestler or talent displays both Heel and Face quality's.
 

V
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Vignette: A way of introducing or reintroducing talents back on TV by video packages weeks before the debut or return.
 

W
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Work Rate: The term used to describe the effort and hard work a talent does in a match.
 
Work: One of the most important words in pro wrestling, which is used all the time, Its means planned.