Shining a Spotlight 12.11.08: Cliches

Posted by Michael Weyer on 12.11.2008

A look at some of the cliches of wrestling and how we accept them as part of the show.

This is one of those weeks where I had trouble figuring out a column idea. Had one for Christmas gifts for wrestlers but The Shimmy beat me to it. And it's a bit early for my annual "Gifts for Fans of the year" column so I was wrestling with the idea of what to do. But then something hit me reading a site, one of those ideas I'd thought of before but never nailed down. Something that really does pop up so often in wrestling for fans and it's part of the experience that makes being a fan so fun.


I'm talking about the clichés of professional wrestling. You know, those bits that pop up over and over again that we all know are coming but we still like seeing them. I'm not talking catchphrases or certain bits by wrestlers although that can help. It's not just the easy ones like the ref bump either but ones that make wrestling seem oddly unique. Some are attuned to certain performers but a lot of them are more general and you can't help but enjoy them when they pop up.

First, a few of the general ones:


The Contender Convergence: You know how it is. A guy will come out demanding a title shot or be named the number one contender in the middle of the ring. Then another guy will come out saying he should be the number one contender while insulting the first guy. Then another will come out, insulting each of the two guys. Then at least two more will come out in turn, each bragging over how they deserve the spot more than the others and we'll get a fun bit of each running down the other while insisting they deserve the shot. It'll usually end with a big match with all of them but it's fun seeing so many guys together for the same purpose.


The wounded champion exit: There's two variations of this one which result from a very hard-fought match between champion and challenger. If the heel champion wins, they'll slink out of the ring, limping up like a wounded animal selling injuries but still with a smile holding the belt even if they can barely stand. If the face champion wins, they'll be lying in the ring, too exhausted to move, the ref often placing the belt right on their prone body. They'll manage to get up enough to hold the title up in triumph before leaving. A good way to sell a hard battle for fans.


The fake sell: While this is usually a heel tactic, it's fun with the faces try it too. Bret Hart was a master of it, acting like he'd injured his leg, holding it and withering in the ring while the ref checked on him. Often, the heel would actually seem concerned, moving in himself and allowing Bret to roll him up. While it rarely ended with an actual pin, it was still a good way to show the face as being smarter and willing to use chicanery to get his way.


The jump start to a match: Something you don't see much of these days as while the face makes his entrance, waving to fans, the heel will jump him before the bell rings, getting in several shots while the face is distracted. A good way to get early heat going and sell the heel as conniving.


The ref rope-break: A rare example of a referee really pushing his power. We all see the bit where the heel will have his opponent in a submission hold of some sort (Figure-four, abdominal stretch, etc) and will grab the rope for leverage while the ref checks the face. However, every now and then, the ref will catch the heel doing it and actually kick his hands loose from the rope which gives the face the chance to escape. The Hebners were good at this and nice to see a ref actually pushing authority for once.


The contract signing: A true classic bit going back years as the face and the heel will meet, often in the ring, to sign a contract for a big time matchup. You'll get each doing promos on the other to sell the upcoming match before signing the contacts. Of course, nine times out of ten, a big brawl will break out with the heel beating the face down, often smashing them through the contract table, in order to rev fans up for the match and make it a big payday.


Tag team fun: Ah, I miss the good old days of great tag team wrestling as there were so many, many great clichés used effectively:
*The face partner will be kept in the corner as a heel attacks his partner, drawing him into the ring. The ref will push the face out while the heels double-team the other guy in the corner behind his back, the ref ignoring the partner's urging to turn around while sending him back outside and turning to see the heels breaking it up.
*With the ref distracted, the heels will switch places, one clapping to indicate a tag was made.
*The attacked face will crawl to his corner, pulling himself over and just be about to make the tag when the heel will tag in his partner, who'll rush over and drop an elbow to cut him off.
*The tired out face will manage to tag his partner, who'll rush in to fight but the ref will have been distracted and claim there was no tag to make him leave.


The pop-up no-sell: Doesn't happen as often as it once did but still fun when the heel will do a major move, not his usual finisher but close to it and will turn and milk the crowd. Thus, he'll miss the face getting right back up, not selling it for an instant so the heel will turn, stare in shock and thus be open to an attack.

The manager beat-down: Obviously in the past with the lack of managers these days, nothing was sweeter for fans then when the face finally got his hands on the slimy heel manager to nail him with a few shots and maybe even a finisher. Bobby Heenan and Jimmy Hart were great examples of this, always got the crowd going when they took a shot at last.


The finisher chain: Usually done in multiple man tag matches when things digress into a huge brawl and we'll suddenly see one guy hit his finisher on another. As the opponent rolls out or lies there, the guy will celebrate only to have an opponent rush in and hit his finisher and so on. Prime example, a 2008 RAW tag match with Jeff Hardy hitting Whisper in the Wind on Snitsky only for JBL to run in and hit Hardy with the Clothesline From Hell with Jericho coming in to give JBL the Codebreaker only to take a Samoan Spike from Umaga who in turn gets Sweet Chin Music from HBK who eats a book from Snitsky who gets a Twist of Fate and a swanton from Jeff to win the match. Yes, unlikely but still fun to see happen.


The Foreign Object Hunt: Two bits on this. The first is the old bit of the refs checking for foreign objects before the bout (but of course, failing to find one the heel uses later). Better is when the heel plays "hide and seek" with the object he uses, trying to secret it around the ring so he's sure the ref won't find it. Look up classic Jerry Lawler matches to see it in action.


While those are for general matches, some guys have their own unique clichés and bits. I'm not talking the usual stuff that's part of their character in-ring repertoire (like Taker's rope-walk or Bret Hart's Five Moves of Doom) but stuff that pops up a lot for them in matches, not every one but enough that it's associated.


The Look: You all know it. Anyone who watched WWF in the 1980's knows it. It's the moment before the big stuff but the key part of every Hogan match fans waited for. After taking a hellacious beating and often a finisher that would put down any other man, Hogan kicks out of a seemingly certain three-count and whips his head around, hair flying. He'll then rise up to his feet, shaking his fists as if pumping himself with adrenaline, the crowd that had been so quiet before erupting. The heel will just stare as he lays down blows to no effect, with one final blow causing Hogan to straighten and give him THE LOOK. That bug-eyed stare with nostrils flaring and cheeks flushing that let fans know Hogan had stood all he could stand and would stand no more. He'd point a finger at the horrified opponent, who'd try his best to hit back but once Hogan gave you that look, it was over and the fans never, never failed to eat it up with a spoon. Say whatever else but in his prime, no one was capable of holding a crowd's fervor like Hulk Hogan was and dammit, I still feel a thrill seeing him do it in an old match.


Flair: Flair's got two famous ones. The first, of course, is the "Flair Flop" where Flair will take a massive beating in the corner from the face. When the face finally backs off, Flair will strut his way out of the corner with a dazed look before falling flat on his face. The sheer showmanship always made it work.

The second bit is when Flair will climb up the top rope only for his opponent to grab him there. After a pause for photographers, Flair will be sent flying out in a slam in the middle of the ring. It was so much a part of Flair's character that when he beat off Carlito at Unforgiving ‘05 and hit him with a flying chop, the crowd and announcers went wild at the fact it actually worked for a change.


The Perfect Posting: I don't know how it started or why it kept on happening but a common theme in Curt Henning matches would be when his opponent would grab him by the legs and drop back, sending Henning flying toward the turnbuckles. Rather than hit those, however, Henning would give himself an extra bounce to smash his face into the metal ring post and fly backward, bouncing and flopping around. He always made it look terrific and used it well, including his dropping of the AWA belt to Lawler and the IC title to Kerry von Erich as well as the 1990 Royal Rumble to Hogan. As with anything he did, Henning made it look just perfect and fans ate it up.


Finke's "NEW!": I really miss Howard Finkel. The guy was the perfect ring announcer in so many ways for the big shows of the WWF glory days and never was that better than when a title changed hands and he'd emphasize the "NEW" better than any other announcer. Even better was how he'd change it. If the face won, it'd be a loud and triumphant "NEEEEEW!" for fans to cheer with. If the heel won, it'd be shorter and lower as if he didn't want to say it. A good example of how an announcer can help the show as much as the wrestlers.


The Strap: Way before Hogan was doing "The Look" and such, Jerry Lawler was ruling Memphis wrestling. Whenever he was the face (which was often), Lawler would have his own move whenever he'd taken enough punishment. After beating the heel back and sending him down, Lawler would look around the cheering crowd then slowly reach up and pull the single strap of his ring outfit off his shoulder. It always sent the crowd howling more than ever and signified Lawler was going to go on the warpath. Really do wish WWE would do a DVD to show more of this guy's classic stuff.


The Bad Guy's Gold: After years of trying, Scott Hall finally got to stardom as Razor Ramon, the supposed drug dealer turned wrestler. While he started as a heel, Hall's cockiness and ring skills got fans behind him. He had his great ring entrance, strutting to the ring with arms out in a surfing motion, stomping his feet when he got to the ring. The best part would be him removing his gold chains from around his neck, folding them carefully and giving them to a ringside official, always carefully warning him to keep it safe. It showed that even as a face, Ramon had that smarmy attitude that made him a great performer to watch.



I know, plenty more but these are ones that really stood out for me over the years. Some are still used, other deserve comebacks but they're all memorable. They may be clichés but then entertainment is filled with them and clichés are clichés because people are always willing to accept them when it happens. It's part of the show and we fans can't help but eat it all up and it gives a nice familiarity to things, shows us wrestling still holds to traditions. However you feel about them, we all have our likes there and will keep putting up with them for a while.


Also around 411mania:

Truth B Told wonders if wrestling needs a bailout.

Chin discusses the Importance of the Rock

Evolution Schematic takes a break to talk TNA troubles

The Bard analyzes the Survivor Series

For the Record does his own Slammy Awards while Five Star Conversation talks of Slammies past and

The Wrestling Doctor talks face paint

Welcome If I Could Be Serious For A Moment with a bit on new talent



Don't forget Column of Honor, Triple Threat, 3 R's, Fact or Fiction, Ask 411 and the rest.


Next week, it's my annual look at what gifts wrestling has given fans this past year. For now, the spotlight is off.