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THE LOST ART OF WRESTLING PSYCHOLOGY

In the past edition of Wrestling’s Wild Way the psychology of the sport was critiqued and analyzed by yours truly. Assuming you have read it (if not go do so! It’s damn good.) I will further dive into the Selling of a move, Timing of a move, Crowd Reaction, and Execution of a move. Since we have recognized these ingredients to be necessary for ring psychology, it is common sense that this allows for variation in match quality; the better the wrestler, the better the ring psychology, the better the match quality.

First off, the matches themselves have been changed and therefore, some argue, that the ring psychology itself has changed. With WWE and other promotions following in its footsteps, the presentation of a match has undoubtedly changed. When Nick Bockwinkel argued with Verne Gagne in the AWA , there were no million dollar production crews to capture the magic, alter it, and present it with more grandeur. The stars themselves had to create the magic, and that’s how the true stars stood out from the others. The true stars had a magnetic energy about them that seized the attention of the fans to continue to watch and to feel the environment. Once the wrestlers drew the card and got the fans inside the arena, it was up to the match to deliver and spread good word for further business.

The cameras were few, and by far less quality. Today we have High-Definition television and Blue-Ray DVDs that allows for every scratch and drop of sweat to be seen with crystal clear frequency. However, back in the day, before digital media, the action of a wrestling match was usually displayed through one or two camera angles at most. For the most part, the whole ring would be visible. This gave the wrestlers a bigger stage to fill (and more responsibility). Each action was watched and had to be meaningful. It also gave wrestlers more freedom when it came to the execution and selling of a move. If a wrestler were to take a punch, the impact wouldn’t be shown as much, which would allow the wrestler to have more creative freedom when reacting to the punch. He could sell the punch harder or softer as he chose. 

Today with HD, the wrestlers must work much stiffer (more contact and harder shots). However, this sacrifice is not used properly because due to camera angles the impacts of moves are changed. For example, previously with the old format of production, one would see RVD kick Y2J in the gut, the kick would be seen and so would the impact to the gut. However, with today’s production values, the camera will not catch the full extension of RVD’s kick, and neither will it display the full impact on the gut. Therefore, the beginning of the kick is shown and the selling is shown. This is technically fine because that’s all that needs to be seen, but from a spectators stand point and an emotional investment stand point, fans want and need to see the actual blows to believe them and to accept the selling. Plus, it adds more to the viewing of the match and creates fewer distractions for the eye. In the end it is aesthetically more pleasing and rewarding.

Furthermore, this change in the execution of the moves alters the art of being a professional wrestler. It is part of the art and skill to suspend the belief of a viewer and to create a legitimate reaction from the crowd. The better the move is executed, the better the selling (if the wrestler is good) and the better the move comes off. But, it was the fact that a punch could seem to land and seem to daze an opponent legitimately when in fact it hadn’t, that was the art of performing. It was the ability to apply the move so efficiently, with such skill and timing that made a wrestler great. It was also the ability to react so well and create an energy and emotion responding to the move that made a great wrestler. Now with wrestlers working much stiffer, it takes away from that skill and ability. Plus the fact that the cameras don’t capture the full action, it takes away from the match, the wrestlers, and makes them absorb more pain from the stiffer shots for no reason.

Honestly, besides the camera views that alter the impact of moves; I would have to say the main reason why today’s matches suffer is due to the execution of a move and the selling. If I may use to of my two favorite wrestlers once again, during a Flair- Steamboat match, every move would count for something and mean something. Every punch was thrown and delivered as if it would make a difference in the big picture. Each punch put the one throwing it in a higher position and wore the receiver down. Today each punch is barely impactful, and is mainly used as a leeway or transition into another move. Whereas previously, several punches could be used for a specific amount of time to wear off an opponent. Another example would be Jerry “the King” Lawler. His main finisher is the fist drop. He wears his opponent down, until they lay on their back beaten battered and tired. Then to finish them off, he climbs the second rope and drops a solid fist right into their skull. This move is simply using a fist, yet it is highly impactful because the execution of the move is done properly, and the selling is done well.

You may ask, why is the execution done properly and what is the difference in the selling? If I may use a current generation star as an example without shooting or criticizing, I will use Carlito. Carlito, has a great look, star quality, a great moves set, and a lot of athleticism. So you may ask, why isn’t he in the main event or at the very least at the upper mid-card. The answer is simple, he can’t sell. Besides his finisher, when he executes a move, each one is meaningless; each move is treated as the next spot, the next move in a chain, and the lead up to the finisher. When he is on the receiving end of a few moves, he constantly seems to be able to rub them off, no matter what the impact. He always seems to be able to shake it off, and return to full throttle after a few seconds or a minute or two.

This displays that none of the moves are good enough, impactful enough, and in turn then translates that the very best of his opponent isn’t very good at all. This is why Jerry ‘the King” Lawler’s finisher demonstrates his skill. When the move is executed, the fist doesn’t appear to miss its mark or seem soft (although it may be), it seems solid as rock, hard as nails. Once the fist has finished hitting the skull, most of the time, wrestlers out of respect sell as if it knocked them out cold. However, they shouldn’t simply sell in such a manner out of respect; they should sell in such a manner because that’s how it must be done. If it’s a move that should knock you out, get knocked out, not dazed. If it’s a move that dazes you, be dazed, don’t flinch. That is the problem with today’s generation of sellers (some, not all). A lot simply underplay the moves and their meaning, which cost the quality of the match and its psychology.

When it comes to execution, I would say the moves don’t translate as well because workers are working stiffer instead of tighter. This is slightly due to the HD and Blue-Ray phenomena, but even before so wrestling holds seem to have become less painful and easier to escape. It wasn’t too long ago that an arm lock could break your arm, or wear it down to the point that your arm would be tense, but now it has become much like the headlock in the sense that it is used merely out of tradition, rather than applying it out the need to wear an opponent down psychologically so that an better move or later move can be applied. Some would argue that, that is the case. That arm locks are used before the arm is thrown into the ring-post, but I would argue that combination would be considered one move, because it is rare these days for the arm not to be thrown into the ring-post.

The main issue with the execution of the locks is that they seem to be loose. That when Shelton Benjamin has got an opponent down on the ground with an arm lock, the arm lock doesn’t seem to be locked it at full capacity, but rather Benjamin’s arms are in the arm lock position. However, if you take Randy Orton, if he puts you in a hold, his whole body is contorting to apply more pressure and fasten the lock on his opponent. That is the main difference in executing a move, and that’s why I would say Orton in the main event, and Shelton is not. Even though, Shelton has got some skills, the differences do very well matter. And it is those differences in executing a move and selling the move, that alters the psychology of a match to the point, where the match quality is decreased or improved.

<I> This has been the third edition of “Wild-Heart” Gavin Schwartz’s column “Wrestling’s Wild-Way”. Next week’s column will be on Crowd Reaction. </I>