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WRESTLING FAQ
1. How do wrestlers throw fireballs? A: A substance called nirocellulose is formed into a blazing paper known as flash paper. It burns extremely quickly. When lit up (usually by a lighter concealed by the referee until the right moment), it produces a dramatic flash for a few seconds. The wrestler throws the fireball after lighting it, and if timed right, will seemingly explode in the other wrestler's face. There is very little damage to the other wrestler, and no one has actually been burned from the trick. 2. How do wrestlers color their tongues? A: Food coloring, suckers, candy, Kool Aid... 3. How do wrestlers blow mist? A: Although this is common in Japan, few wrestlers in North America perform it. However, those who do blow mist in the U.S. are usually associated with it (for instance, what stands out most in your mind about the old WWF wrestler in the mid-90's, Quang?). The "evil green mist" is performed when wrestlers mix water with food coloring. They then put the mixture in a small baggie or ballon, and have the referee conceal it in his pocket until the planned time. Sometimes, though, the wrestler will already have it in his mouth, but that's usually just during a short match. Of course, there is a choking hazard here, so it would be wise not to try this one at home. 4. How do wrestlers hit each other with chairs without getting hurt? A: All of the fold-up chairs the wrestlers use are designed to take most of the impact of a blow and most of the time, wrestlers don't hit their opponents very hard, which reduces the risk of injury. Be warned: Regular kitchen chairs won't take most of the impact (as if you didn't aready know) and will end up actually injuring your opponent. 5: How do wrestlers bleed? A: Despite what you might have heard, 95% percent of the time, a wrestler bleeds by "blading" himself, and not by using a blood capsule. Here's how it works: A wreslter rolls out of the ring and hides himself from the view of the audience. He then pulls out a small blade (usually concealed in a taped-up wrist or finger) and quickly cuts his forehead. Cutting anywhere else is very dangerous and is rarely ever attempted. However, cutting the forehead is somewhat dangerous, because you can hit a major artery if you cut too deep. New Jack learned this the hard way. The thirst for blood has let up lately, because of the fear of AIDS. 6. What is a wrestling ring made of and roughly how big is it? -A wrestling ring is usually either 18' X 18' or 20' X 20'. Some of the smaller feds have rings as small as 12' X 12'. The smaller venues need smaller rings. The 18X18 or 20X20 is the standard. I believe ECW uses 18X18 and WWF uses 20X20. I am not sure about WCW, but I may have read somewhere that is was 18X18. The ring usually consists of a thin covering, usually canvas or nylon, a thin foam padding, usually around and inch and a layer of plywood. The bracing is either made of steel or wood and there is a spring, similar to a coil spring on a car, that gives the ring the spring in the mat to pull off dropkicks and moves like that. Also there is often a microphone under the ring to catch the noise of the blows to ring. 7. What are the ring ropes really made of, and why do they look different in the different feds? -Most ring ropes are either plastic-covered steel cables or plastic-covered actual ropes. WWF uses rope, while WCW, ECW and Japanese feds uses steel. In Europe, some feds actually use bare steel cables. Mick Foley was wrestling Vader in Germany and he did a simple head tie up in the ropes and ended up severing his ear, thus ending up with the sporty, earless look he has now. 8. What is the deal with the "creative control" we are always hearing about? -Creative control is a section in a wrestler's contract that lets him or her have a final say in all storylines and or titles and match finishes that have a say in his/her career. This is why you see many wrestlers rarely lose, even though their work-rate has been failed significantly or they are visibly injured. Originally, this was a favor to an older and respected wrestler, but this has been abused of late for wrestlers who are beyond their prime and refuse to believe that they are not the star they were in the mid '80's. 9. Does pro wrestling really have a high mortality rate or does it just seem that way because it's big news when a wrestler passes away? -Unfortunately, it is indeed very high, and for all the obvious reasons. Here
is a list of wrestlers that have died since 1985 and their respective ages at their death: Use your browser's BACK button to return. |