Wrestling match types
In wrestling there are a variety of ways to set up the choreographed fights, hereinafter referred to as matches. This applies to the type and number of participants, the way to end the match and the conditions attached to its outcome.
A wrestling match today can be a combination of several of the following types of match.
Basic rules
There are different ways to win in wrestling depending on how the match is set. This section only describes the general rules of wrestling. The match types and conditions can be combined as desired and do not have to apply to all participants, which can result in many variations of these basic types.
Pinfall
Pinfall means that the opponent is pressed with both shoulders on the ring floor (English cover), while the referee three times with an interval of one second (in practice often longer to increase the drama) with his hand on the floor beats. The one who manages to "pin" his opponent like this is the winner.
task
When submitting , a wrestler admits defeat if he can no longer free himself from a submission hold by his opponent. To do this, he knocks several times on the bottom of the ring (English to tap out ), signaling the task. If the loser, on whom such a grip is performed, becomes unconscious , then it is a technical knock-out . To determine this, the referee raises the loser's arm three times in the air. If this falls down every time, the match is ended by knockout. Alternatively, the referee can also check without raising his arm whether the loser still reacts to being spoken to or touched and the match is then immediately broken off. Counting or disqualification is possible i. d. Usually not with this type of match.
I quit match
In an "I Quit" match, which is a special variant of the surrender match, there is also no disqualification and no counting. The loser is not allowed to knock as usual, but has to give an I Quit ( “I give up” ) that can be heard by all viewers through a microphone .
Counting out
When counting out, there is at least one wrestler outside the ring, while the referee counts up to a certain number (in North America mostly up to 10, in Japan, however, up to 20). If a wrestler is counted, he has lost the match. If both wrestlers are counted out ( double count-out ), the match ends in a draw. A title does not normally change in this way, but this can be decided by a special rule.
disqualification
A wrestler can be disqualified for an unlawful act . The referee does not always have to see this with his own eyes, so there have been decisions that were reversed afterwards, because the referee z. B. received notification of the use of a prohibited item from a colleague. This type of match decision was often used by Dusty Rhodes in his function as booker , which is why it is now known as the "Dusty Finish" .
Typical examples are:
- using unauthorized holds and ignoring the referee's count: the hold must be released after 5 seconds; this also applies to a legal surrender that the opponent can interrupt by grabbing the ropes;
- Fights against the referee;
- Use of unauthorized objects such as tables, chairs etc. or unauthorized blows;
- Intervention by other wrestlers not involved in the match.
The interpretation of this rule is, depending on the desired dramaturgy, at the discretion of the referee and is sometimes more, sometimes less severely punished.
No contest
The match ends without scoring:
- if both participants are distracted by the intervention of other wrestlers so that no disqualification victory can be declared for one party,
- if both parties are unable to continue the match, or
- if the match has to be abandoned due to external circumstances.
Reaching a possibly fixed time limit leads to the same result, whereby here we usually speak of a draw ( Time Limit Draw ) rather than a no contest .
Title match
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Matches in which one of the numerous wrestling titles is at stake are a specialty. The competition is for an award in the form of a belt. In principle, a title can be won through any type of match. In the event of disqualification or counting , however, the title cannot usually change, which gives the title holder the opportunity to intentionally lose the match but keep the belt. This tactic is naturally often used by "evil" characters (English heels ) to underline the cunning of their character.
Elimination match
There are several variations of this type of match. In individual elimination matches there are several wrestlers in or on the ring. Any wrestler can only be eliminated by pinfall , abandonment or throwing over the rope and must leave the ring. The winner is the one who is last in the ring.
In team elimination matches, the wrestlers of a team can either replace each other or each other, or are all in the ring at the same time (see Tornado Tag Team Match). Individual wrestlers are eliminated in the course of the match, whereby the eliminated wrestler either alone or with his tag team partner (depending on the rules) has to leave the match and is replaced by another wrestler from his team. The team that eliminated all wrestlers on the opposing team is victorious.
Gauntlet match
A Gauntlet Match (also known as a Turmoil Match ) is a series of matches. Two wrestlers face each other. After an opponent has been defeated depending on the plan (pinfall, abandonment, disqualification), he will be replaced by another wrestler until there is no other one left. The last remaining wrestler is declared the winner.
Numerical headings
Singles match
In a single match (engl. Singles match ) occur two wrestler against each other. The match can be decided by pin, abandonment, disqualification or counting. This is the traditional form of wrestling, whereby in the early days of the sport mostly the 2 out of 3 falls rule was applied, which states that the first opponent who wins two wins by pin, surrender, etc. is the winner of the Matches is explained. Today this is a rather rare extension that is mostly advertised as a special feature. Nowadays this type of match is also often referred to as an English Rules Match.
Handicap match
The term handicap match describes a variant of wrestling in which one side has a numerical superiority over the opponent (s). It is most common in the variant 2 versus 1 , whereby all conceivable constellations are possible. Often in handicap matches a big, strong wrestler faces several jobbers to demonstrate his superiority.
Multi-way match
Usually three to six wrestlers take part in matches of this type, although there are no intended alliances and therefore everyone competes against everyone else. The best known are the triple threat match (with three participants), fatal four way match (with four participants) and six pack challenge (with six participants). If more than 4 wrestlers take part, these matches are also known as one-fall-to-a-finish matches.
Optionally, an elimination rule comes into effect in such events, so that the wrestler who wins a pinfall does not win the match , but the one who remains last after the defeated participants are eliminated from the match one after the other. There are terms such as three-way dance and four-way dance for such elimination matches , although depending on the league, these can also be used as a synonym for the above terms and do not necessarily say anything about a possible elimination rule. There is also the four-corners variant, with one wrestler standing in each of the four corners of the ring and one of the two in the ring being able to substitute at any time.
Battle Royal / Top Rope Battle Royal
A type of match with an unlimited number of opponents (usually from a number of six participants one speaks of a battle royal , unless a special gimmick name is used), which is usually provided with an elimination rule . In the Battle Royal , the elimination of the opponent can only take place in that a wrestler is carried outside on the top rope and touches the ground with both feet. Depending on the league, in matches of this type with women only, the participants simply have to be pushed out of the ring, the ring ropes do not play a role. Another special feature of this match can be that not everyone takes part in it from the start, but instead enters the match at a fixed time after the drawing of lots.
In some independent leagues, such as the Independent Wrestling Association , the Battle Royal takes place under the rules of a hardcore match and is accordingly also referred to as hardcore rumble .
Tag team match
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In this match variant, two teams of two wrestlers each face each other, with only one partner actively participating in the match. The other partners stand in opposite corners outside the ring and can replace their partner in the ring by clapping ( tag ). After a change, there is a theoretically five-second phase in which the wrestler who has been replaced is allowed to stay in the ring in order to carry out an action together with his partner ( double team move ). The match ends if a wrestler is pinned, disqualified, etc .; Rules of elimination are not common.
Tag team matches with more than four participants
There are also tag team matches, in which two teams with up to six wrestlers are in each team (for example in the Survivor Series ) and handicap tag team matches, in which teams of different sizes face each other. With this type of match, there is often a rule of elimination, according to which the match is continued with the remaining participants after a wrestler has been eliminated until one team is completely eliminated.
Multi-way tag match
This is a variant of the multi-way match in which only two wrestlers take part in the match at the same time, while the other participants stand outside the ring and can be substituted on as in a tag team match . Each counterparty can switch with each inactive participant, including the partner of the opposing team. This can e.g. B. lead to the situation that two team partners have to compete against each other.
Such a match can also take place under elimination rules. Matches of this type are also referred to as four corners tag team match or four corners elimination tag team match .
Trios
The trio , also known as Relevos Australianos (Spanish: Australian change ), is the most common form of team match in Mexican wrestling (and there in particular in the two major leagues AAA and CMLL ). Teams of three wrestlers each face each other, with one man each being designated as the captain. A team can only win by defeating either the opposing captain or both of the other opponents. Different day rules are possible; so z. B. Often a wrestler who leaves the ring or is thrown out replaced on the fly by one of his partners. This rule is known as scramble and has already been used in Ring Of Honor .
Fixing according to special rules (English gimmick matches )
Beat the Clock Challenge
In a Beat The Clock challenge, several matches between different wrestlers are strung together (sometimes also under other special rules such as in a steel cage). In the first match, a stopwatch starts to run and the time to the cover or the task decreases. In the next matches within the Beat The Clock Challenge, this time must now be undercut in order to become a challenger. If the stopwatch runs backwards to zero, the match ends with a "no contest" and both challengers are eliminated. If a wrestler beats the given time, this time must now be beaten in the next match. A Beat The Clock challenge is usually set up before major events to award a starting place or a match for a title
Blindfold match
In this type of match, one or both wrestlers go blindfolded. The popular wrestler often involves the audience in order to determine the position of the opponent based on arm movements and thereby louder or quieter reactions.
Boneyard match
Functions similarly to the Buried Alive match mentioned below, with the additional rule that this match takes place in a cemetery.
Buried Alive Match
To win this match, the opponent must be transported into a grave opening and this must be shoveled. This variant was introduced for the wrestler The Undertaker . After the match, the “buried alive” loser escapes from his grave through a secret door that is hidden from the audience.
Career-Threatening-Match / Career-Ending-Match
An increase in the Loser Leaves Town match , in which the loser has to end his active career completely and mostly regardless of leagues. Often used to explain the actual planned end of a wrestler's career.
If Count Anywhere
This is an additional rule according to which it is possible to pin the opponent anywhere inside and outside the hall . It is also possible to tap (or give up). An additional rule can be that the loser must return to the ring in good time after suffering a pin. If he manages this, the match continues. If he does not make it, however, he has lost the match.
Also known as the so-called Pin-Everywhere-Match (PEM).
First blood match
The aim of this type of match is to puncture or cut the opponent, whereby there are no other rules. Whoever visibly bleeds first has lost the match.
Fulfill Your Fantasy
In this match female wrestlers compete against each other in stimulating outfits. There is a bed in the ring and pillows are available for the match, although there is usually no clear rule for determining the winner. Also called the Pillow Fight or Playboy Pillow Fight .
Hardcore match
Hardcore wrestling is a special form of modern wrestling, in which special emphasis is placed on the explicit representation of raw and particularly bloody violence. It is common practice in hardcore matches to use different weapons.
Hardcore wrestling emerged in the late 1980s as a response to the then popular extreme sports that were practiced from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s.
Forerunners were among other things the " Street Fights " and "Death Matches" of the National Wrestling Association and the National Wrestling Alliance , which these organized between the 1930s and 1990s. In contrast to today's hardcore wrestling in the independent or Japanese leagues, a certain security of the actors was always ensured in these promotions.
In the first regularly scheduled hardcore matches, from 1989 in the Japanese Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling league , one of the opponents usually came to the ring with a garbage can . This garbage can was then called the "garbage" ( dt. Waste) kept. This meant the permitted items that could now be used as weapons in this match. Another variant was that the garbage can was already in the ring when both opponents entered it. Before the term “hardcore wrestling” existed, this variant of wrestling was also known as “garbage wrestling”.
This type of match was then further developed by the Japanese wrestling promotion Big Japan in the early 1990s and later made popular by the then ECW in the United States. In Japan, the following formula was used at these matches: As much blood as possible and even the most serious injuries to the players were accepted by the promotions.
The various approaches of today's hardcore wrestling are all further developed from the garbage style of wrestling and are characterized today primarily by the waiver of counting and disqualification rules. There are no local restrictions on the match, so that it can even move outside the hall, onto the street. The use of weapons is practically mandatory for this type of match.
The former wrestling promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling held their matches for the most part under the hardcore rules. Since these were practically the order of the day there, their audience had to be satisfied in a different way. The ECW introduced the FTW Rules by letting wrestler Taz create his own title and rules. ECW matches under FTW Rules stand between the actual hardcore matches and the death matches of other leagues. Although they were similarly brutal and had no official rules, the ECW always paid attention to a certain security of their wrestlers. The old ECW operated according to the motto: As much blood, but as few injuries as possible . Real serious injuries were very rare in the ECW and all known serious injuries in the ECW were real (unplanned) accidents.
The former Promotion World Championship Wrestling usually referred to their hardcore matches as Raven's Rules Matches , which corresponded to the storyline worked out by Raven that his WCW matches would always be conducted according to ECW rules . Previously, so-called street fights were held in the WCW , which were strongly based on the ECW style. A little later, the WCW also introduced an independent WCW hardcore title. However, due to the strict no-blood policy and the fact that they saw themselves as a family-friendly product , these matches were much less brutal and the (deliberate) use of blood was completely avoided.
At the wrestling market leader World Wrestling Entertainment , the term hardcore match is used most often. There are also numerous synonyms such as Street Fight , Extreme Rules Match , No Holds Barred Match or ECW Rules Match , but these can only be pinned or given up in the ring .
The so-called death and ultraviolent matches go even further , which in turn have evolved from the hardcore style and in which even more obscure weapons, increase and injury opportunities can occur. A variant of the death and also the ultraviolent match is that the fans are allowed to bring all kinds of objects before the start of the wrestling event, which are then used as weapons by the corresponding wrestlers in the scheduled death match ( fans bring the weapons death match ) . This type matches are now mainly only in smaller independent, mostly Japanese leagues, the CZW and IWA held since the great promotions WWE , TNA and Ring of Honor such injury risks, such as those from burning barbed wire , electrified fluorescent tubes or cement blocks can arise, do not want to and cannot afford.
The associations of the National Wrestling Alliance hardly organize any hardcore matches themselves. Rather, their wrestlers, who have dedicated their storyline to hardcore wrestling, take part in the various deathmatch tournaments of the US independent scene.
Today's hardcore, death and ultraviolent matches are often combined with the barbed wire match .
Well-known wrestlers who have made a name for themselves almost exclusively with such matches are Abdullah the Butcher , Thumbtack Jack, Necro Butcher or Cactus Jack .
House of Horrors Match
This match premiered on WWE Payback on April 30, 2017 when Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton faced each other. The match started at Wyatt's House of Horrors , a house portrayed as scary, and later ended in the ring. The match could only be decided by pinfall, abandonment or non-appearance at the ring, there was no disqualification or counting.
Survivor Series Elimination Match
This type of match is only carried out in the WWE. In this type of match, teams of up to 6 wrestlers each compete against each other. The goal is to "eliminate" the opposing team, that is, to force all members of the opposing team to be eliminated by pin, surrender, disqualification or counting. The winner is the team that eliminated all opposing team members first.
Inferno match
Two wrestlers usually take part in this type of match. As soon as both are within the ring, it is lit all around using a special device so that the flames are between the ring base and the first ring rope and occasionally hit upwards. In order to win an inferno match , the opponent must be set on fire - there are (usually) no pin falls, submissions or disqualifications here. To protect themselves from burns, the wrestlers usually wear fireproof clothing, but this is not noticeable to the normal spectator. The Inferno Match was introduced in the WWE for Kane at Unforgiven in 1998, who also played all previous matches of this type. This type of match rarely occurs in the WWE, the last one so far (as of September 2013) took place at the major Summerslam event between Kane and Bray Wyatt as a Ring Of Fire match, but this match could also be won by pinfall or submission.
Iron-Man-Match / Iron-Women-Match
With this match variant, a certain period of time is set in advance in which the corresponding match is played (in the WWE usually 30 or 60 minutes). The winner is the one who has achieved the most victories after this period of time ( pinfalls, tasks, count-outs and disqualifications are counted ). In the event of a tie after the time has run out, overtime is often set according to sudden death rules: the first victory decides like in a normal match. An Iron Man match places high demands on the opponents, as in this variant they have to entertain the spectators for an unusually long period of time without indulging in noticeable breaks in the ring.
A special variant is the Ultimate Submission Match , in which points can only be achieved by submitting .
Item-on-a-pole match
In this match, a high post is attached to the corner of the ring, on which an object, often a weapon, hangs. The goal is to be the first to get the item down. The match can either be won by reaching the object or by pinfall, abandonment, etc.
Last man standing match
Sometimes referred to as Texas Deathmatch , this type of match is about weakening the opponent so much that he lies on the ground and is counted by the referee to ten in the style of boxing . Furthermore, disqualification is waived in these matches; Usually, matches of this kind are presented very brutally in order to make the knock-out appear credible. A fairly common variation is that the opponent has to be pinned first before the referee counts him.
Loser Leaves Town
Also known as the Loser Leaves Company and other names. The loser of the match drops out of the league / squad; a custom from the old days, when wrestling was a fairground attraction and it served the attractiveness of the respective marketer to sort out his actors and to replace them with new ones. Nowadays it is more used to justify a break (to cure an injury, for family reasons, etc.) for the defeated wrestler who will return to the league at a later date.
Luchas de Apuestas
The Luchas de Apuestas (Spanish: fighting for missions ) established in Mexico can be many different types of match, but they are characterized by the fact that the opponents put something at risk. In North American wrestling, the hair-versus-hair match is the most common. In this case, the loser of the match must have his hair completely cut off. In Mexico, the wrestlers' masks are often at stake - unmasking in a mask-versus-mask match in Lucha Libre means losing one's honor. Normally, a wrestler who lost his mask in such a fight is never allowed to appear masked again, but commercial interests have already made exceptions here - Rey Mysterio is still allowed to wear his mask outside of Mexico, although he once used it in a hair-vs Lost mask match to Kevin Nash .
Lumberjack or Lumberjill match
A lumberjack match (English lumberjack match ) is a singles match with the peculiarity that further wrestlers are posted around the ring, who normally have the task of getting wrestlers leaving the ring back into the same. This can be friends of the respective active opponents or a one-sided composition (mostly consisting entirely of heels ). Leaves a wrestler to ring it from him hostile, Lumberjacks attacked, often trying (so far as it does not is a Title Match) by his count-out victory to taste. The lumberjacks are not allowed to enter the ring itself. If the wrestlers standing around the ring are women, the fight is called a Lumberjill Match .
Mixed tag team match
The two teams usually consist of one male and one female opponent each, whereby only wrestlers of the same sex are allowed to compete against each other, ie if a team carries out a day , the opponents are also forced to switch. However, it has also happened that a female wrestler showed an action and sometimes the winning pin against a male opponent. Occasionally, dwarf wrestlers ( midgets ) appear in such matches instead of female wrestlers, but may then also compete against possible female opponents.
Strip match
In such matches, the goal is to partially undress the opponent. Since hardly any wrestling skills are used, untrained managers or valets usually compete, although nowadays trained female wrestlers also play matches of this kind. In the WWE, the bra and panties match or the evening gown match is the most common, in which the exclusively female opponents have to strip their opponent down to her underwear. In the buck-naked match , which is only widespread in more extreme leagues , the opponent must be completely undressed. In the 1980s and early 1990s in particular, male managers and other non-wrestlers often played tuxedo matches in which the opponent's tuxedo had to be removed.
Submission Counts Anywhere
This type of match is the same as the Falls Count Anywhere match, except that this match must be decided by submission.
Three stages of hell
This match is an extension of the 2 out of 3 falls rule, in which a maximum of three different individual types of combat are carried out one after the other. The winner is whoever has won two of the three matches first. Usually matches are selected with special conditions (steel cage, no disqualification, etc.) in order to make it more interesting for the audience.
Tornado Tag Team Match
In this variation, both wrestlers of the teams actively participate in the match, so that the eponymous day is omitted. Again, the match ends after the first rule-compliant elimination of an opponent, but the elimination rule can also be added.
Attachments with special aids or weapons
Ambulance match (ambulance)
In an Ambulance match (dt. Ambulance match ) the opponent must be transported in the interior of a placed outside the hall ambulance and the loading doors closed. In this type of match, the rules of hardcore matches are often used to increase the tension.
The last ride match is a variant of the ambulance match in which the ambulance is replaced by a hearse . This variant was introduced for the Undertaker because its gimmick fits this type of match perfectly.
Barbed Wire Match
In a barbed wire match, the ring ropes are wrapped with barbed wire. These first matches of this type were introduced by the then National Wrestling Association in the early 1930s and were mainly carried out at fairground events. This type of match was further developed by the National Wrestling Alliance , which organized it between 1948 and the 1970s in order to create a special tension for the audience. It was often about winning large sums of money. Even in today's WWE , barbed wire matches were common until the 1980s. However, in the larger leagues, the barbed wire was often prepared or even made of hard rubber (so-called gimmick wire ) to prevent serious injuries. Barbed wire matches are no longer held in the WWE today.
Today's barbed wire matches usually correspond to the rules of a hardcore match . They are mainly organized in the small independent leagues like the CZW and the IWA . Total Nonstop Action Wrestling only hosted barbed wire matches when they had Sabu under contract and which were called "Barbed Wire Massacres".
In Japan, this barbed wire matches run sometimes a bit harder from: There is often the barbed wire, of the ropes now replaced ( No Ropes Barbed Wire Match , No Ropes Barbed Wire Match in English) set under power or fitted with detonators. Are common in Barbed Wire matches additionally covered with barbed wire wooden boards ( barbed wire boards ) or wrapped with barbed chairs ( barbed wire chairs ) next to the ring.
A variant of the barbed wire match is the so-called barbed wire and barbed wire match (English: Barbed and Razor Wire) , in which additionally so-called NATO wire ( English razor wire ; a type of barbed wire in which the normal thorns are sharpened Razor-like metal strips are replaced) is used.
Cage match
In a cage match , a cage made of wire mesh or iron bars is built directly around the ring post. The cage is open at the top and usually the first wrestler to leave it wins. Often there is also a door on one side of the cage for this purpose, which is opened by standing referees on instruction from an opponent. Rather unusual is the possibility of being able to decide such a match by pin or abandonment. There are numerous variants and extensions of the cage match. T. only differ by the appearance of the cage or by minor rule modifications. There are also more extreme variations in which the cage is wrapped with barbed wire, for example.
Punjabi Prison Match
The Punjabi Prison Match is a special form of the cage match and was introduced for the Indian The Great Khali in the WWE. The ring is enclosed by two large cages made of bamboo poles that are 16 and 20 feet (4.9 and 6.1 meters) high. The inner cage has four doors that are opened by a referee when requested by an opponent. After 60 seconds the door is locked with a padlock and remains closed for combat. The outer cage has no doors, the tips of which are studded with sharpened bamboo poles. To win a Punjabi Prison Match , both cages must be vacated; there are no pinfalls, assignments or disqualifications.
In the WWE, only three (July 2017) matches have taken place in the Punjabi Prison . These goods
- at The Great American Bash 2006 between the Undertaker and Big Show .
- at No Mercy 2007 between the Great Khali and Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship .
- at Battleground 2017 between Randy Orton and Jinder Mahal for the WWE Championship .
Kennel From Hell-Match
In this variant, a second, larger cage is built around the first, so that a space is created (roughly the distance between the ring and the audience barrier) in which supposedly vicious dogs are locked. The aim of the match is to leave the outer cage without being attacked by the dogs. This match has only taken place once at WWE during the major Unforgiven 1999 event, with Al Snow and the Big Boss Man facing each other for the WWF Hardcore Championship . The match turned into a fiasco as the dogs ignored the wrestlers and either barked at each other or lay peacefully on the floor and one of them even urinated on the floor.
Chamber of Horrors
This type of match also only took place once, at the WCW Halloween Havoc 1991. Two teams of four wrestlers each competed against each other under hardcore rules and had the goal of putting one of the opponents in an electric chair set up in the ring and him cause an electric shock by operating a lever. The cage itself was decorated with spider webs, rubber bats, etc. in accordance with the occasion. This match was also received negatively in retrospect due to its high trash factor, but this is precisely why it enjoys a certain cult status with many fans nowadays.
Triple cage match
In this variation, three cages are placed on top of one another, each cage being smaller than the one below it. You can win either by reaching the topmost cage, in which there is an object to be reached, depending on the rule, or by reaching the lowest level and escaping from the cage.
Was a games match
In this kind of match, invented by Dusty Rhodes, two rings stand next to each other and are enclosed by a cage. Two or more teams of four or five members each compete against each other under elimination rules, with one wrestler from each team starting first. All other participants join in at predetermined time intervals, whereby the order is decided at random. This can e.g. B. lead to a superior power situation of three against one. The other wrestlers are only allowed to enter the hall when it is their turn. The winner is the team that eliminated all opposing team members first.
Asylum Match
In this special variant of the cage match (invented by Dean Ambrose according to the WWE storyline), weapons, e.g. B. a sack full of rice nails, a mop, a straitjacket, a potted plant, a kendo stick and a fire extinguisher. The match took place in the WWE at Extreme Rules 2016 between Dean Ambrose and Chris Jericho .
Casket match
The aim of a casket match is to put your opponent in a coffin provided and to close it yourself. The casket match was tailored to the Undertaker , whose gimmick suits this morbid type of fight perfectly. This form should not be confused with the coffin match (also Sargmatch , see next point).
Coffin match
Also a coffin match , but this is decided by pin or abandonment (there is no counting or disqualification) and the loser is only then transported into the coffin.
Container match
In a match of this type there is a certain container into which the opponent has to be transported, or an object to which the opponent is tied or similar. becomes. Other rules are usually overridden. The term container match itself practically never occurs; instead, the match takes on the name of the corresponding container. In addition to the variants listed below, there are many other container matches that use straitjackets ( Straitjacket Match ) or handcuffs ( Handcuff Match ), for example.
No escape
This type of match, which only occurs in the WWE, has a unique cylindrical cage construction built around the ring. In addition, the floor inside the cage is stepped so that it is level with the ring. A total of six wrestlers take part, two of whom start the match in the ring and the other four are positioned in small plexiglass chambers behind the ring posts and join the fight one after the other at intervals of four to five minutes. Whoever is pinned or gives up is eliminated from the match. Sometimes in preliminary matches it is already determined who will start the match and who will take part last, otherwise the order is decided "by chance" (actually determined in advance, of course).
Since 2010 the WWE has organized the Elimination Chamber PPV, known in Germany as No Escape . WWE is changing the name of said PPV to its alternate name based on Holocaust imagery related to gas chambers.
Hell in a Cell
This variant was first used by the WWE in 1997, but was not invented by this league. The ring is enclosed by a wire mesh cage , but in contrast to the cage match , its floor plan has a larger circumference, so that there is about one meter of space on each side next to the ring. In addition, the construct is closed at the top, so escape from the cage is theoretically not intended. The match is decided by pin or task. Since weapons (as well as the wire mesh of the cage itself) are mostly used in the Hell In A Cell and the matches are often relocated to the roof of the construction, this variant is considered one of the most dangerous.
Ladder match
In a leader match, championship titles or other important items (e.g. contracts or amounts of money) are usually at stake. The title belt or some other object is hanging under the hall ceiling - attached to a chain or rope - and can only be reached with a ladder. The ladder becomes the key to the match, it is often used to perform impressive jump attacks or as a striking weapon. If a wrestler climbs the ladder, the other participants try to pull or kick the ladder from under his feet, which regularly leads to spectacular falls. Otherwise there are no pinfalls, submissions or disqualifications. In the ECW the rules for a ladder match were a little different. There the ladder was set up as a legitimate weapon in the ring, the winner was determined by pinfall or abandonment.
Money-in-the-bank ladder match
The WWE introduced the Money In The Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania XXI as a new component of the major event, and since 2010 it has been held as an independent pay-per-view event . Up to 10 wrestlers from one brand compete. Usually there are also two matches there; one for the WWE Championship and the World Heavyweight Championship . Until 2011, the matches were separated according to rustlers (RAW and SmackDown), this has now been abolished. A suitcase is attached to a rope above the ring, the possession of which, according to the storyline , entitles the winner to a title match against any title holder at any time, provided a referee is present. The suitcase must be redeemed within the next twelve (sometimes only six) months; then the contract is no longer valid.
Strap match
In this type of match, both wrestlers are tied at the wrists with a rope so that neither of them can escape. This rope can be used at will in the match. In addition to the usual rules, the aim of the match can also be to touch all four ring posts in a row without being hindered by the opponent. In this case, lighting is usually attached to each ring post, which lights up after contact and goes out after a few seconds if no further post is touched. The attempt is then considered to have failed and must be started from the beginning. There are numerous synonyms that often depend on the shackle tool used, e.g. B. Dog-Collar-Match , Indian-Strap-Match , Caribbean-Strap-Match or Bull-Rope-Match or Texas Bull-Rope-Match .
Stretcher match
The aim of this match is to weaken a wrestler in the course of the storyline so much that he can no longer continue the match. The opponent places the “weakened” or “unconscious” wrestler on a stretcher and then has to push him over a marked area of the arena. Crossing this mark means defeat for the wrestler lying on the stretcher.
The first match of this kind was played by Rob Van Dam and Sabu in the ECW .
Tables match
There are a number of tables in and around the ring. The goal of the match is to push the opponent through a table so that it breaks. Most of the time, table matches are played under hardcore rules , although this is not mandatory - the legal use of weapons can also be limited to the tables, while other items lead to disqualification.
In the ECW there was the Flaming Tables Match , in which the surface of the table first had to be lit before the opponent could be thrown through and thus achieved victory.
Individual evidence
- ↑ [1] , (in English)
- ↑ [2] , (in English)
- ↑ [3]
- ↑ WWE No Escape 2018
- ↑ PPV results MitB 2012 ( Memento of the original from October 24, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
