Top 10 Secret Signals Used By WWE Wrestlers
#10: Dictating the Match
Every WWE match-up is different, with a particular ebb and flow. However, the traditional pro wrestling contest can often be defined by early offense from the babyface, i.e. “the good guy.” As a result, it can often come down to the heel, or “bad guy,” to dictate the match from that point forward. This can be in the form of rest holds, low-impacted maneuvers such as a sit-down head or chin-lock, where both wrestlers can take a breather. Furthermore, it often comes to the heel to indicate, either verbally or with a physical cue, that it’s time for the face to make their “triumphant comeback.” In other words, the performance of a wrestling superhero is often only as good as their villainous rogue’s gallery.
#9: Receipts
Have you ever been watching a WWE match and thought to yourself, “damn, that looked like it hurt.” That could be because it potentially did. The wrestling business often uses the term “potato” to define a real, un-worked strike or punch. These potatoes could occur for a number of reasons, including by accident, but other times they’re what the industry calls “receipts.” This is when one wrestler might mess up a move on their opponent, to the point where that opponent becomes angry. Said “receipt” is doled out as if to say, “hey, watch it” or, “take it down a notch.” Even a cursory glance back at wrestling history will likely turn up enough potatoes to grow a testosterone-fueled vegetable garden.
#8: The Importance of Announcers
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The referees are a well-documented source of safety and knowledge to all performers within a WWE ring. However, those striped officials aren’t the only line of communication between the squared circle, and producers behind the curtain. Ring announcers, commentators and even time keepers have been known to communicate to referees from outside the ring. It is true that refs often wear earpieces for communication, but this isn’t always the case. As a result, a tip of the cap or a gesture with a pen or pencil can subtly communicate to a referee that a match is going long, a commercial break is about to end, or just about anything else.
#7: Hooking the Leg
This pro wrestling secret is admittedly from a bygone era, and not one that’s in practice anymore. This is due, in part, to just how fast-paced and technical the industry has become over the years. However, WWE matches during the 1980s occasionally utilized a maneuver that many modern wrestling fans take for granted: hooking the leg. Do you remember when WWF commentator Gorilla Monsoon would continually admonish wrestlers for not doing this during a match? Well, there was actually a method to their madness. This is because the hooking of the leg was often a sign that the match was over. We see it all the time today, but at one point, it would sometimes serve as the “go home” move for the victor.
#6: Spot Calling
This is another pro wrestling tactic that’s not largely employed anymore…with one glaring exception. Yep, WWE fans are likely quite familiar with John Cena’s penchant for audibly calling out spots, or moves, during a match. WWE matches are predetermined, with some wrestlers going so far as to meticulously plan out their ring road map for the night. Others may communicate quietly, during rest holds or while in the corner turnbuckle. Not Big Match John, however. The face that runs the place can often be heard shouting out for clotheslines or what-have-you, essentially improvising on the fly with his opponents.
#5: The Hot Tag
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Have you ever wondered how a tag team match can conjure up that moment of excitement when both wrestlers tag their respective partners at the exact same time? Well, there’s a method to that magic, although it sometimes differs, depending on the wrestler. Historically, however, tag team wrestlers will often extend their arms palm-down if they’re not expecting the tag. Then, when it’s time to switch, they will turn their palms up. This doesn’t happen all the time, of course, but it works very well as a means to communicate such a time-sensitive spot as the double hot-tag. Specifically, it allows the wrestlers in the ring, who don’t have eyes in the backs of their heads, confidence enough to make that leap into their corner.
#4: Eye Contact
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An average wrestling match might contain a dozen or more near-falls. Have you ever paid attention to the eyes of the wrestler being pinned, however? Oftentimes, they’re looking directly at the referee. This is not accidental. Communication occurs here, and it’s a clear sign that this pin attempt is not going to be successful. Now, watch your average match conclusion. You’ll notice that oftentimes, the losing wrestler is no longer gazing at the ref. Instead, their eyes are usually closed, glazed over or staring at the lights on the ceiling. This means that it’s time to “go home,” and the match is over.
#3: Squeezing the Ref
We’ve mentioned referees a lot during this video, and that’s definitely by design. They’re a hugely important aspect of any wrestling match, WWE or otherwise. One way in which they keep things organized can be seen after a particularly high-impact or dangerous-looking sequence. Refs will often run towards a downed wrestler, and grab their hands, searching for a squeeze. If that wrestler squeezes back, then they’re ok, and the match can continue. Refs will also occasionally squeeze a wrestler as a warning, such as when to expect a hit from behind, or to brace for impact.
#2: Hand Slaps
Slapping is a BIG part of professional wrestling. Wrestlers slap each other, and even slap themselves, in order to create an auditory illusion of impact during a move like a superkick. Other times, however, the act of the slap serves as communication. Randy Orton, for example, claps his hands together as a signal that he’s about to hit his patented power slam. When he doesn’t clap his hands, that’s a signal for his opponent to either counter or avoid the move. Elsewhere, the infamous DDT is often predicated by a slap on the back. Some wrestlers omit the slap for the same reason: the DDT is intended to be blocked or otherwise nullified.
#1: The Big X
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There can be a whole lot of confusion surrounding our number one secret sign. It’s something no one ever wants to see: when the referee crosses their arms over their head in the form of an “X.” This is supposed to be the sign that a real injury has occurred, and the match might be shortened, or even entirely called off. Yet, there have also been moments when the WWE have used audience knowledge of this X in storyline terms. This blurs the line even more between fiction and reality, but there’s no denying The Big X’s historical reputation as a bad sign.
