My two wrestling pet peeves

[Karl Kox]

1) guys that don't wipe their feet before they get in the ring.

2) guys that carry title belts through the ring ropes.  (You should always set it on the ring apron)

[Melkor]

Inactive tag team wrestler not holding onto the tag rope in the corner.

[Karl Kox]

Inactive tag team wrestler not holding onto the tag rope in the corner.

Yes, that too.

[Montague]

1) guys that don't wipe their feet before they get in the ring.

2) guys that carry title belts through the ring ropes.  (You should always set it on the ring apron)

Guys who quit selling as soon as they exit the ring at the end of the match.

Dammit, you sell as long as fans can see you and, if it's television, as long as the camera is on you!!!

[Montague]

1) guys that don't wipe their feet before they get in the ring.

2) guys that carry title belts through the ring ropes.  (You should always set it on the ring apron)

In regards to #2, Austin was one of the few permissible exceptions.

[Thin Lizzy]

The Ref getting knocked out and missing all of the heels' illegal tactics, and then waking up just in time to see the face retaliate.

[Playboy]

Guys who call there spots too loud and obvious.

[Montague]

Guys who call there spots too loud and obvious.

I wonder how many guys botched spots with Steiner because they couldn't understand WTF he said.

[Karl Kox]

Guys who call there spots too loud and obvious.

Heard Triple H do that very thing tonight.

[UPINTHEMGUTS]

When one wrestler shoots the other into the ropes, the wrestler then fires a punch or attempts a clotheline and the other ducks out of the way. Most of the time the wrestler who whiffs moves his arm too high above the other guy ducking the move. It looks stupid because he fires his arm way too high making it look too obvious he was intentionally missing.

[UPINTHEMGUTS]

I also don't like when the wrestling mat has too much spring and bounce. For example, before a match begins and the two opponents are staring each other down....one guy will start hoping up and down like he's warming up...you look at his opponent or the referee and they are bouncing up and down as well except they are remaining still. It just looks stupid like all three men are on a trampoline or something.

Not all wrestling mats are designed to have the same amount of spring, do they?

[Melkor]

Another one of my biggest pet peeves - when the offensive wrestler prepares for a diving move from the top rope but the wrestler lying on the mat is not in the correct position, so they MOVE THEMSELVES into position so the offensive wrestler lands the move! It doesn't happen often and can be hard to spot depending on how well the camera production mask it but you do see it from time to time.

[Montague]

Not all wrestling mats are designed to have the same amount of spring, do they?

No, they are not. The ring we trained in had much more give than the one the promoter used in shows. I remember a local promoter had one even "softer." Some Indy promoters, though, would use old boxing rings that they no doubt got for a good deal. Boxing rings are f*cking hard, dude!

A lot of it has to do with the number of cross beams that run under the platform, as well as how far apart they're spaced. More beams closer together results in greater rigidity. Fewer beams with greater spacing has the opposite effect.

When WWF signed their original deal with NBC to do Saturday Night's Main Event in the 80's, the network insisted Vince stiffen his rings because it was feared the action would look too phony with the setup the Fed had been using at the time. Vince complied, and as a result, guys started getting more injuries.

[UPINTHEMGUTS]

Another one of my biggest pet peeves - when the offensive wrestler prepares for a diving move from the top rope but the wrestler lying on the mat is not in the correct position, so they MOVE THEMSELVES into position so the offensive wrestler lands the move! It doesn't happen often and can be hard to spot depending on how well the camera production mask it but you do see it from time to time.

I know what you're talking about. But the offensive wrestler should see that, drag his opponent into position, then climb to the top rope. Because if the opponent on the mat doesn't try to move into position, the wrestler on the ropes then is forced to make an awkward jump in order to land the move.

Saw it all the time when Shawn Michaels did the flying elbow. His opponent would be too close to the corner ring post, Michaels would climb the ropes, and instead of jumping in an arc to land on his opponent, he would jump nearly straight in the air vertically. Doesn't make the move as effective looking.

[Montague]

One more note about the WWF ring:

I believe the company kept the ring more rigid until Foley's infamous HITC match with Taker in Pittsburgh. After that is when Vince ordered the ring construction be softened to reduce injuries. While I haven't looked at the book in years, I believe Foley documented this account in "Have A Nice Day."

[Melkor]

I know what you're talking about. But the offensive wrestler should see that, drag his opponent into position, then climb to the top rope. Because if the opponent on the mat doesn't try to move into position, the wrestler on the ropes then is forced to make an awkward jump in order to land the move.

Saw it all the time when Shawn Michaels did the flying elbow. His opponent would be too close to the corner ring post, Michaels would climb the ropes, and instead of jumping in an arc to land on his opponent, he would jump nearly straight in the air vertically. Doesn't make the move as effective looking.

Yeah I agree, this is definitely the attacking wrestlers fault when this happens.

[Karl Kox]

No, they are not. The ring we trained in had much more give than the one the promoter used in shows. I remember a local promoter had one even "softer." Some Indy promoters, though, would use old boxing rings that they no doubt got for a good deal. Boxing rings are f*cking hard, dude!

A lot of it has to do with the number of cross beams that run under the platform, as well as how far apart they're spaced. More beams closer together results in greater rigidity. Fewer beams with greater spacing has the opposite effect.

When WWF signed their original deal with NBC to do Saturday Night's Main Event in the 80's, the network insisted Vince stiffen his rings because it was feared the action would look too phony with the setup the Fed had been using at the time. Vince complied, and as a result, guys started getting more injuries.

Well said.  We had a ring for a while when I was a kid. There was no spring in the middle, just cross beams but it had a good amount of give.
Didn't know about the WWF ring change. I have noticed a difference though over the years.

[Montague]

Well said.  We had a ring for a while when I was a kid. There was no spring in the middle, just cross beams but it had a good amount of give.
Didn't know about the WWF ring change. I have noticed a difference though over the years.

LOL!!

How long did it take you and your brother to figure out that the best/softest spot for bumps is in the middle?

[Karl Kox]

LOL!!

How long did it take you and your brother to figure out that the best/softest spot for bumps is in the middle?

Not long! I will say we had good padding. If I remember correctly a carpet/carpet padding combo and eventually some type of foam. But even without the spring the give was good. My dad use to help out at some crapy school and although their ring was bigger and had the proper spring ours was better to bump on.
The one we had was a old tv studio ring. Smaller snd not as high off the ground.

[Montague]

Not long! I will say we had good padding. If I remember correctly a carpet/carpet padding combo and eventually some type of foam. But even without the spring the give was good. My dad use to help out at some crapy school and although their ring was bigger and had the proper spring ours was better to bump on.
The one we had was a old tv studio ring. Smaller snd not as high off the ground.

 

[njflex]

I hated those old nwa studio mat/ring that made that 'loud sound/give to it.

[Playboy]

Well said.  We had a ring for a while when I was a kid. There was no spring in the middle, just cross beams but it had a good amount of give.
Didn't know about the WWF ring change. I have noticed a difference though over the years.

Ouch...body slams must have been unforgiving.

[Karl Kox]

Ouch...body slams must have been unforgiving.

They weren't too bad, plus we were young and dumb.

[Playboy]

1) guys that don't wipe their feet before they get in the ring.

2) guys that carry title belts through the ring ropes.  (You should always set it on the ring apron)

Never heard of setting the belts on the apron. Interesting.