An Illustrated Guide to Masked Wrestlers
Go back to explore mode to see all masks.Revenez en mode exploration pour voir tous les masques.
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TermsTermes
- Babyface (face): A wrestler who is heroic and follows the rules. Fans usually cheer him on.
- Booking: Determination of the way the match progresses, as well as the events to follow. Similar to a script in cinema.
- Botch: Poorly executed booking or hold.
- Bump: A fall on the ground or in the ring. It is the first thing that a wrestler has to master.
- Feud: Rivalry between wrestlers, usually spread out over several matches.
- Gimmick: Role embodied by a wrestler in the ring.
- Heat: Shouts from the crowd for a wrestler. The more a heel recieves, the better he is.
- Heel (rudo): A wrestler with a violent or cheating gimmick. The babyface's adversary, their goal is to be booed by the public.
- Job: Unrewarding but essential work in wrestling which consisters of losing to another wrestler, in order to highlight the other's talent.
- Kayfabe: The illusion maintained around wrestling to make everything seem real. The term comes from "carny", slang used by fairground people, by inversing the word "fake" ("kay-fay"=>kayfabe)
- Mark: A person who believes, or lets himself believe, that wrestling is real. The term was used in the fairground to designate gullible people, who were "marked" (with a chalk sign for example) without them knowing.
- Pop: Positive reaction from the crowd, usually after a spectacular hold or the victory of a beloved wrestler. The more a babyface receives, the better he is.
- Push: Putting a wrestler forward, following a decision by the bookers or a growing popularity with the public.
- Screwjob: The final result of a match deemed unfair by the public. It can be scripted or not, as in the case of the Montreal Screwjob, between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart, where the latter lost the belt without being warned.
- Shoot: Action which breaks the kayfabe (ex: calling a wrestler by their real name). It can be scripted or not.
- Smart: Designates a wrestling enthusiast who knows the behind the scenes of wrestling or is looking to learn more.
- Spot: Action or series of actions constituting highlights of a match. Generally generates a strong public reaction. However, too many spots can damage the psychology of the match and saturate the public. Wrestlers are then pejoratively described as "spot monkeys".
- Squash: A wrestler's expeditive victory. The squash is often used to put a monster heel in the spotlight.
- Stiff: Execution of holds with excessive force. This allows the wrestler to intensify the match but with the risk of injuring their opponent.
- Turn: When a wrestler changes their alignment, going from heel to face, or vice versa. The turn generally provokes a strong public reaction.
- Tweener: A wrestler that cannot be easily classified as a face or a heel. His gimmick is often that of a rebel or an antihero who opposes authority. He can therefore break the rules while still being supported by the public.
My name is Gwen, and I am a French journalist and graphic designer, and have been a fan of wrestling since I was 10 years old.
For me, the mask is the best symbol in wrestling. It is immediately recognizable and unique for every wrestler. I started out drawing them just for fun at first, but through my research I discovered passionate lives that I wanted to share.
For this publication, we have limited ourselves to around 200 wrestlers (though more will be added) chosen according to their importance in wrestling or for their specific interests. Details were primarily derived from sources available on the Internet (Wikipedia, press articles, and fansites), and also the sites Luchawiki, Cagematch, and Wrestling database. Additional information comes from Heather Levi’s book “The World of Lucha Libre”.
Although I am a wrestling fan, I do not claim to be an expert. This subject is complicated for a journalist because reality and fiction are permanently intertwined in order to maintain the illusion (or kayfabe) of the storylines. We are always open to any suggestions or for improvement or correction.
Whether you are a fan, or maybe even a wrestler, please don’t hesitate to contact us to enrich this database. I would be particularly interested in a masked wrestler’s experiences, in order to know more about their connection to their mask. Get in touch at [email protected].
Je m’appelle Gwen, je suis un journaliste et graphiste français, fan de catch depuis mes 10 ans.
Le masque est, pour moi le meilleur symbole du catch. Il est à la fois reconnaissable en un clin d’oeil et unique à chaque catcheur. J’ai commencé à les dessiner simplement pour m’amuser mais, au fil de mes recherches, j’ai découvert des vies passionnantes et souhaité partager cela.
Pour cette publication, nous nous sommes limités à environ 200 catcheurs (cependant, d’autres seront ajoutés), choisis en fonction de leur importance dans le catch ou de leur intérêt pour illustrer des points précis. Les détails proviennent principalement des sources disponibles sur Internet (wikipedia, articles de presse et sites de fans), avec en particulier les sites Luchawiki, Cagematch et Wrestling database. Des informations supplémentaires proviennent du livre d’Heather Levi, “The World of Lucha Libre”.
Bien que fan de catch, je ne prétends à aucun titre d’expert. Le sujet est épineux pour un journaliste car réalité et fiction s’y mêlent en permanence, afin de maintenir l’illusion (ou kayfabe) des scénarios. Nous sommes toujours ouverts à toutes suggestions pour amélioration ou correction.
Que vous soyez fan, ou peut-être même catcheur, n’hésitez pas à nous contacter pour enrichir cette base de données. Je serai en particulier intéressé par des témoignages directs d’un catcheur masqué, afin d’en savoir plus sur leur relation au masque. Contactez nous à [email protected].
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