GLOSSARY OF TERMS

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Glossary of wrestling terms used in Bodyslam. This will be updated as needed.

Let me know here or on Twitter (@/my_wetties) if you need any terms added! Please use this section for comments as the list below will change & shift and any comments may be lost. Thanks & I adore you guys!!          >>>>>>>>>>>


Angle - a storyline; a feud between wrestlers or groups of wrestlers

Apron - the area of a wrestling ring just outside the ropes, also sometimes the drape of fabric from the surface of the ring down to the floor.

Blade/blading - to intentionally cut one's head open with a razor blade to produce a deceivingly copious flow of blood down one's face. Also, the device used to do the cutting.

Booker - the "boss" of a wrestling organization; decides who works there, who wrestles who, who wins/loses matches, often writes or oversees the various feuds and storylines.

Botch - to screw up, generally a move/spot

Bump - a fall, the wrestler's body hitting the mat/floor/any surface. A back bump is landing on your back, a front bump is landing face-first. Usually these falls are controlled/protected for safety (but they still hurt like a bitch).

Business/the business - pro wrestling

Call/call a spot - when one wrestler tells the other what move or series of moves is coming during a match. This is done in coded, abbreviated language on the fly as the match progresses. 

Canvas/Mat - the surface of a wrestling ring

Chain/chain wrestling - a series of holds and reversals where the wrestlers never lose physical contact with each other; can go on indefinitely with proper training; vital skill when pacing out a match

Corpse/corpsing - to break character and laugh at a time when it's unscripted or otherwise uncalled for

Dirtsheet - newsletters, magazines, websites, and other sources of professional wrestling news written from an "outside" perspective. Formerly a pejorative term, now generally used as a term for any pro wrestling publication. 

DQ - disqualification, to get disqualified from a match. A wrestler can be disqualified for any of a number of rules violations.

Face - a "good guy"

Fed - Federation; an organized group/company that puts on wrestling shows. A backyard fed is a derogatory term for a small, less organized group - usually with poorly trained or untrained wrestlers - often operating out of unregulated spaces like backyards.

Feed - to put a body part in easy reach of your opponent; "feed a leg" means to move your (left, always the left) leg into a position where your opponent can grab it to perform a move of some sort

Finish - the end of a match

Finisher - a signature move/spot used by a wrestler to "finish off" an opponent in order to pin them. Every wrestler generally has one or several finishers they use on a regular basis, usually with a catchy name (i.e. Rock Bottom, Stone Cold Stunner, Go To Sleep, F5, Spear, Swanton Bomb, Unprettier, etc)

Gate - the amount of money made during a show from ticket sales, merch, etc. The number of fans at a show. 

Gig - see Blade. The act of blading, a blade. Regional usage, blade is more common. 

Gimmick - a wrestler's persona, and things associated with the persona (name, costume, attitude, etc)

Go home - v. to finish or end the match; n. the immediate lead-up to the finish.

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