Scripted Wrestling Matches

[CdnWriter]

I recently watched the WWE's "Legends & Future Greats" reality television series and the coaches were talking constantly about how the wrestling matches had to tell a story.

Wrestling at its most basic is good vs evil. You have a good guy, a babyface fighting a bad guy, a heel, and they use scripted physical moves and holds to tell the struggle.

What I'm not sure I understand is how the stories are developed? Has anyone ever seen how a scripted wrestling match is put together?

When I watch a wrestling match it usually goes something like this, tie up, heel grabs babyface's hair and pulls back into the ropes, referee separates the wrestlers and the heel tries to take advantage, the babyface dodges and gets a hit on the heel....and it goes back and forth. Until after a struggle the babyface succeeds in pinning or submitting the heel, OR the heel somehow comes out ahead by cheating in some manner or MAYBE the babyface just gets knocked out and the heel capitalizes on the opportunity.

Has anyone come across a guide or how-to on how this is done? I would like to learn more about it - other than watching Wrestlemania III's Savage vs Steamboat match and recreating it for two generic wrestlers.

BTW, if this is the wrong forum, pls move it to the appropriate place. Thx!!!

 

[DLC]

I read they have actual scriptwriters and there's a couple of alternate scenarios they learn for when things go wrong when somebody gets hurt. Not sure how to go further than that - it became more soap opera over time where they fought for Miss Elizabeth or whoever, the heel would win the first match and the next month, big rematch revenge! I think that started with Mexican luchadors. I'd check wrestling nerd forums.

 

[CdnWriter]

I read they have actual scriptwriters and there's a couple of alternate scenarios they learn for when things go wrong when somebody gets hurt. Not sure how to go further than that - it became more soap opera over time where they fought for Miss Elizabeth or whoever, the heel would win the first match and the next month, big rematch revenge! I think that started with Mexican luchadors. I'd check wrestling nerd forums.

What I'm wondering about now is if the scriptwriters discuss the actual moves/techniques each wrestler does and at which point in the match?

There are some techniques that simply do NOT fit a wrestler's size or weight - for example, Brock Lesnar used to do a top rope turnbuckle move called a "Shooting Star Press" and it was a HOLY SHIT moment but it was so insanely dangerous for Brock to be doing that move. He was too large and heavy to do that move safety.

It's amazing to me that nobody in the WWE, surrounded by former wrestlers and current wrestlers and I assume professional trainers....and NOBODY said...."STOP." "DON'T!!!" "FORGET THIS MOVE IMMEDIATELY!!!" If you read his autobiography, it's actually wrestlers who saw him work at a show - not affiliated with the WWE - who came up to him and told him NOT to do it.

Similarly, if you go back to the early 70s, mid 70s, you can see Andre the Giant doing moves from the turnbuckle and drop kicks. It's amazing at how he could move, but a wrestler his size never should have needed to do any of that. He eventually stopped doing moves that didn't fit his body type but that was more because he couldn't do them anymore (safely anyways) and because Vince McMahon wanted to use him as a giant monster wrestler and giants don't do drop kicks.

I wonder what the WWE's workplace health & safety committee looks like...?

 

[DLC]

I think the Owen Hart thing changed stuff a bit. It's a pretty macho world, roids etc. Reminds of that Mickey Rourke movie The Wrestler

 

[DLC]