WrestleRanks Guides

A glossary of wrestling terms.

Professional wrestling has a rich vocabulary that can be baffling to newcomers. Much of it dates back to the carnival and territory days, when performers used insider slang to talk shop in front of audiences. Knowing these terms makes it far easier to follow wrestling discussion — and to understand how WrestleRanks talks about who had the best week. Here are the most useful terms, in alphabetical order.

Angle — A scripted storyline or feud between wrestlers that builds toward a match or payoff.

Babyface (face) — A heroic, fan-favorite wrestler the audience is meant to cheer.

Heel — A villainous wrestler the audience is meant to boo. The tension between heels and faces drives most storytelling.

Booking — The behind-the-scenes decisions about who wins, loses, and how storylines unfold. A 'booker' makes those calls.

Card — The lineup of matches for a given show. The 'main event' sits at the top of the card.

Clean finish — A decisive, rules-abiding ending with no outside interference or shortcuts — a straightforward win.

Cutting a promo — Delivering a scripted or improvised interview or speech to advance a storyline or hype a match.

Dark match — A match held before or after a broadcast that is not televised, often used to test talent or warm up the crowd.

Draw — A wrestler whose popularity sells tickets and attracts viewers. Being 'a draw' is among the highest compliments in the business.

Gimmick — A wrestler's character, persona, or shtick — the personality they present to the audience.

Heat — Negative crowd reaction directed at a heel, or backstage tension. 'Cheap heat' is booing earned by easy shortcuts.

Hot tag — The dramatic moment in a tag match when an isolated wrestler finally tags in their fresh partner.

Jobber — A wrestler whose role is mainly to lose and make opponents look strong. 'Doing the job' means losing by design.

Kayfabe — The long-standing convention of presenting wrestling's scripted events as real. 'Breaking kayfabe' means stepping out of character.

Lucha libre — The Mexican style of wrestling built on speed, aerial offense, and masked competitors.

Mark — A fan who is fully invested in the on-screen product; sometimes used affectionately, sometimes not.

Over — A wrestler who connects strongly with the audience is said to be 'over.' Getting someone over is a primary goal of booking.

Pop — A loud, spontaneous crowd reaction, usually positive — for a big entrance, a finisher, or a surprise return.

Push — A concerted effort to elevate a wrestler through wins, screen time, and prominent storylines.

Run-in — When a wrestler interferes in someone else's match, often to cause a disqualification or set up a new feud.

Sell — To react convincingly to an opponent's offense so it looks effective. Good selling makes matches believable.

Shoot — Something real or unscripted, as opposed to a 'work.' A 'worked shoot' blurs the line on purpose.

Spot — A planned sequence or signature moment within a match, such as a big dive or a near-fall.

Squash — A short, one-sided match used to make a wrestler look dominant.

Stable / faction — A group of allied wrestlers who work together, often holding multiple titles and running shared storylines.

Strong style — The Japanese approach emphasizing stiff strikes, realistic grappling, and fighting spirit.

Swerve — An unexpected twist in a storyline, such as a surprise betrayal.

Turn — When a wrestler changes alignment — a 'face turn' or a 'heel turn' — reshaping their character and feuds.

Work — The scripted, performed aspect of wrestling; also, to perform a match. The opposite of a 'shoot.'

Work rate — A measure of the quality and pace of a wrestler's in-ring performances. High work rate is prized by hardcore fans.

Keep learning

This glossary covers the essentials, but wrestling's language keeps evolving. If you run into a term tied to in-ring work, our match styles guide may help, and our promotions guide explains the companies these terms show up in. When you are ready to put it all into practice, head to the rankings and join the conversation on the message board.