WHAT IS WRESTLING PSYCHOLOGY?
As I wrote last week, I don’t pretend to have the final answer to that question. I’ve got some very strong opinions on the subject, but I though that it might be more interesting to try and generate a discussion on the subject, rather than just to give you my opinion.
This week’s contributions come from three sources: Inside Pulse Staff (IPS), Inside Pulse Forum posters (IPF), and Smark’s Choice posters (SC) Smark’s choice is an independent wrestling forum that has some very knowledgeable posters and a lot of spirited debate. I appreciate their willingness to contribute to this discussion.
A Few Attempts to Summarize the Answer
Psychology is nothing more than “why”, really. Great psychology in a match means the match makes sense. Bad psychology means it doesn’t. (Loss, SC)
Psychology is giving people a reason to care. (VHM, SC)
Psychology is that feeling you get from a match where suddenly, you’re not sure why you care so much about the match or while you might be watching alone, you still yell at the TV at a near fall or jump up and cheer in celebration at a finish. (Rob Blatt, IPS)
A match that has good ring psychology is one that, while watching, you forget it’s “fake” and – if even for a few fleeting moments – feel like you’re watching a “real sport.” (Matthew Michael, IPS)
Good ring psychology is the equivalent of good masturbating. You’re very much into it, thinking it’s real. (Dan Hevia, IPS)
Speaking as a fan, psychology in a pro-wrestling context is the ability to effectively tell a story within a match. The workrate freaks will hate this, but good psychology will consistently “put asses in the seats.” (CJ Ambrosia, IPS)
The ability to manipulate spectator reaction. (maRCoG, IPF)
Psychology: putting in the little extras and subtle details that take everything from an “angle” or a “plot” and make it compelling and entertaining. Be it an angle that foreshadows something later, or selling an injury, or whatever. (The Illuminator, IPF)
Ultimately, it comes down to making the audience believe in your character, your relationship with your opponent(s), and your strengths and weaknesses in the ring. (Mr Stay Puffed, IPF)
Psychology makes wrestling great. (Brad Barnes, IPS)
Psychology to me is more than just “working the leg the entire match”….it’s selling an injury, it’s playing to the crowd (whether heel or face), it’s selling your gimmick, it’s hitting your signature moves perfectly and on time at the RIGHT time… (Egomaniac247, IPF – also an Indy wrestler)
The Gimmick Battle Royal was a wrestling psychology clinic.
Some examples of what different people consider good psychology:
Psychology to me is making a match make sense. All Japan were great at that because they went beyond “work and body part and sell” but they pulled out moves that they had used 5 years previous. A great example is Kobashi pulling out the Lariat off the top that Hansen used on him in 1993 to try and defeat Misawa and the announcer even gave reference to it. I don’t think we’d ever see JR do that kind of stuff. Another perfect example is Paul London vs. Christopher Daniels from ROH Round Robin Challenge II in that London started by getting under Daniels’ skin and then it progressed to London getting too caught up with that it gave Daniels the opportunity to work his ribs. The finish also played off the rib work. (“Crippla” Brad Barnes, IPF/S)
A great example was a Tommy Dreamer match where his opponent (cant remember who) worked his shoulder the whole. When Dreamer won and the ref went to raise his arm he sold it like it hurt like hell and made him raise the other one. (sbbrbnhood, IPF)
(JR) noted… that Batista had been in the ’employ’ of D-Von Dudley as Deacon Bautista prior to coming to Raw. He said this during Batista’s squash of the week. And during the match, Batista used a crossover lariat just like he would do outside the ring on opponents during D-Von’s matches as Reverend D-Von. The timing of the comment and the move coming almost on top of each other reminded everyone that he wasn’t always Evolution’s ‘Animal’ and helped to present the idea that Batista may be tired of that label and ready to leave and go on his own. (Padawan, IPF)
Anything from remembering that your leg is supposedly trashed so you don’t just springboard to the top rope to remembering which knee you’ve been working on and putting the figure four on the correct leg. (Grr Agrh, IPF)
Perfect use of psychology for me is when you see Benoit sometimes after a particualrly hard-hitting move, and his opponent goes to pick him up and Benoit will fling their arms away as if to say, “I’m hurt, bitch! Leave me alone!” (Michaelangelo McCullar, IPS)
Examples of wrestlers with good psychology:
Jerry Lawler
Ric Flair
Chris Benoit
EDDY~! (CJ Ambrosia, IPS)
Watch Triple H vs HBK vs Benoit from WM XX or any Flair vs Steamboat match. If you are sitting on the edge of your seat for the last five minutes and going “ooh” “ahh” at every moment then you too will know what psychology means to me. (Kurtis Osterlund, IPS)
One very much talked about spot is the usage of the Million Dollar Dream at Wrestlemania 17. Steve Austin used it at a point of the match where you could see his character forming into the desperate, obsessed person we saw throughout all of 2001. The story of Steve Austin is basically going on in that match. When there’s deep psychology involved in a story, it isn’t always necessarily picking on a certain move, or spot, as it is analyzing an entire match and figuring out what story is being told. Good storytelling usually happens with workers who play off of past history between each other, or amongst themselves. Austin also used the MDD in the famed 11/17/96 bout with Bret, even though they’ve never feuded before. In that match, we basically saw the story of “the coming out of Steve Austin as a major star”, rather than mainly Austin versus Bret Hart. (This is Workrate, SC)
It may surprise you to hear this, Gordi, but I think the three best ring psychologists I’ve ever seen are: Masahiro Chono, Stan “The Lariat” Hansen, and the Road Warriors circa their AWA days. Maybe put the Miracle Violence Combination in there as an honourable mention. (Alex Lucard, IPS)*
Why do we like Hogan vs. Andre? Because it’s a retelling of the classic David Vs. Goliath story, and it gives the viewer, who may generally feel insignificant a sense of importance. Classic stories of familial betrayal (Cane and Abel, Hamlet)come to mind when a tag team or stable splits up. (Mike Lawrence, IPS)
Disgruntled Smart Mark: Why did Taker spend the whole match working the arm if he was just going to throw Mankind off the top of the Cell? This sucks!
A few examples of what some consider poor psychology:
I HATE when a worker does 10 minutes on the left arm, only to go to work on the leg! (Vinny Truncellito, IPS)
(Many) cruiser matches consist of spot after spot after spot. They lack transition and usually there’s little selling. (Michaelangelo McCullar, IPS)
A spotfest where every move in the book is pulled out is like an big budget action film with a bad script. While the spectacle of violence may be intoxicating there is no meaning or purpose, making it seem useless. (Mike Lawrence, IPS)
THE NEXT FEW WEEKS
I don’t necessarily agree with all of these opinions, but I feel that all of them add something interesting to the discussion.
In the next few weeks I’m going to keep quoting other people’s opinions, while injecting plenty of my own.
We are going to look at the subject in a lot more depth. Topics will include:
– Is there more than one aspect to wrestling psychology?
– Do technical matches always have better psychology than spot fests and brawls?
– Should different wrestlers use different psychology?
– What is the big deal about working a body part?
Thanks for reading!
TEAM ROH
I’m a big mark for the best Indy promotion in the world today: Ring of Honor. I am really happy that Inside Pulse has brought in a bunch of great new writers to cover the promotion from a variety of angles.
Matt F. brings the ROH weekly news to Inside Pulse!
Big Andy Mac writes the ROH opinion column. This week he’s taking a look at their sister promotion in Florida.
15 year old Australian Rolling Germans veteran “Crippla” Brad Barnes is on board to write reviews. This week sees a re-post of his review of Reborn: Stage 1.
The UK’s Thomas Killduff is also doing ROH DVD reviews. This week’s review: The Battle Lines Are Drawn.
OTHER WRESTLING COLUMNS
David Ditch sets up the HUGE Kojima vs. Tenzan match! I’m looking forward to reading what David has to say about the stunning outcome of that match, but I can’t link to it because I’m writing this on Tuesday night.
* Note: Alex Lucard’s quote was wrongly attributed to Eric S. when I originally posted this column.
Mahalo.
