Why don't wrestlers wear a cup? (and other weird kayfabe things)

[Statto]

7 hours ago, stewdogg said:

Did it? I’d have to go back and watch it again but I’m pretty sure her video still said Shirai 

It certainly did, and the commentary verges on parody:

Smith: "Unbelievable, Io Shirai!"

*long awkward silence*

Saxton: "what is happening??"

Graves: "your guess is as good as mine Saxton, IYO SKY!"

[air_raid]

Used to love the sound of a little murmur in the crowd rising to a proper crazy reaction as the building gradually became aware someone was coming down that they weren’t expecting. Only THEN did we cut from the hard cam, away from the match for a couple of seconds only, then back to the match while they’re walking down (because walking isn’t interesting) and then back to the interfering party once they reached the ring. It felt like an authentic way to film the unexpected occurrence of wrestler(s) taking it upon themselves to stroll down. LOD at SummerSlam 90 for example. Today, it’s MUSIC HITS!!1 - switch to close up of enemy looking shocked - usually switch to a cam facing the ramp so (death to subtlety!) we can see their tron video playing. Interferer comes out, usually full elaborate entrance, all the while their enemy stands there agog like an idiot while the opponent sells like they’ve been blasted like a shotgun. Follow the third party down the ramp while they’re jawing with their rival until the inevitable finish/schoolboy ending.

A massive difference between the sports style filming of what’s happening and the live crowd reaction being a part of it, and the “making a movie” style of today which places far more emphasis on doing everything you can to add perceived drama and the importance of “moments” while all the way making everything as formulated as possible and inorganic as you can imagine. The only time in recent memory I actually liked the modern music/rampway distraction trope was when Jericho did it to Owens before the Goldberg match - it was pivotal to an important match, was a good storyline advancement and as such was memorable. Although I think Kane at Bad Blood may have been the first run (walk?) in to have music and that was certainly effective, but since Austin helping Mankind win the belt they’ve ALL had to be like that.

As an aside I especially miss hearing that excited buzz of “someone’s coming down” gradually changing to “OH. It’s that twat that turned heel an hour ago.” (Deafening boos)

Edited August 6, 2022 by air_raid

[poetofthedeed]

Re: The cup, the simple answer is they move, and you don't want to be 3 minutes into a match when one of your balls is in and one is out.

 

MMA/amateur wrestling have rounds/restarts where you can adjust.

[The Gaffer]

6 hours ago, boshealecta said:

I blame Taker for that. There’s so many things they did with him as a supernatural character, like the lights going out, his music playing. And that could all be kinda explained because he was supernatural. They heard the pops it got and started doing it with other wrestlers, but without the get out of “he’s got special powers” then the only explanation is they are telling the sound guy they are about to run out. 
 

Same with fire pyro. Used to be there because Kane summoned it. Now everyone can

Oh that reminds me of the real answer I wanted to give. 

Superstar themed mood lighting in their backstage area. 

Kane used to have it a lot during one of his awful final full time runs as the demon character. Again I couldn't see it on TV without thinking of him going "No way I'm walking down that hallway for the pre tape unless you get my crimson splash behind the lighting crates".

[simonworden]

1 hour ago, Gay as FOOK said:

Oh that reminds me of the real answer I wanted to give. 

Superstar themed mood lighting in their backstage area. 

Kane used to have it a lot during one of his awful final full time runs as the demon character. Again I couldn't see it on TV without thinking of him going "No way I'm walking down that hallway for the pre tape unless you get my crimson splash behind the lighting crates".

Funny enough I was watching a clip from Kane Vs Mankind at Survivor Series 97. I haven't double checked yet but did they announce kane as the winner in a creepy Halloween style voice?

As for the entrance music thing, Regals debut with no music a few months ago showed how well that thing can still work as well. 

As for the cups thing I always assumed it was just a human behaviour type thing like playing cricket with mates you'd risk a hit in the danglers but a competition match it had to be worn. Or like how I never wore a bicycle helmet as kid/teen just couldn't be arsed. 

How about the Royal Rumble where everyone comes out the same way but we are supposed to believe they are surprised by the next entrant like they've all been kept secret and away from each other.

[Version1.0]

On Raw, Becky Lynch called out Bianca Belair. Conveniently, she walked out from Gorilla 3 seconds later. Why was she there? What if she was in catering having a cup of tea? 

Random open challenges being answered by challengers in their gear. Why are you in your gear?

Declaring yourself in the Royal Rumble. I've already entered the 2023 Rumble.

[Statto]

6 minutes ago, Version1.0 said:

Random open challenges being answered by challengers in their gear. Why are you in your gear?

I don't mind this one so much. Raw has been booked on the fly (at least in part) for well over 2 decades now, so why wouldn't you be ready to wrestle at the drop of a hat? Also, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to assume that WWE requires you, as a contracted wrestler, to be at the show dressed and ready in case you are needed -someone hurts themself warming up and needs replacing (either kayfabe or real), a scheduled match only lasts 20 seconds so another match needs adding to the show (kayfabe) etc.

Of course, they then contradict themselves slightly by having Miz come out to host Miz TV in a suit (and it's subset, the times he comes out to do it in his gear and an impromptu match mysteriously ensues).

People just declaring Rumble entry can indeed fuck off though. If anyone can just say they are going in, why are there still spaces free on the Monday before (or indeed the day itself)??

[poetofthedeed]

18 minutes ago, Version1.0 said:

On Raw, Becky Lynch called out Bianca Belair. Conveniently, she walked out from Gorilla 3 seconds later. Why was she there? What if she was in catering having a cup of tea? 

 

This is a massive pet peeve, you have 4-5 ad breaks an hour, use them for this, come back with them still in the ring screaming for their opponent then have them come out.

[air_raid]

1 hour ago, simonworden said:

Funny enough I was watching a clip from Kane Vs Mankind at Survivor Series 97. I haven't double checked yet but did they announce kane as the winner in a creepy Halloween style voice?

The word you’re looking for is “French.”

[Lenin]

On 8/5/2022 at 5:08 PM, Gay as FOOK said:

Music for run ins. It can't happen without me getting this ludicrous image in my head of whoever is doing the run in barreling through gorilla screaming "PLAY MY FUCKING TRACK!"

Also "surprise" appearances or run ins when they're already in wrestling gear. If it was genuinely a surprise run in, they'd be in normal clothes surely? They don't wander around Tesco in their pants and knee pads.

 

Edit - just read @Statto's post above covers the logic behind it. 

Edited August 6, 2022 by Suplex Sinner

[Keith Houchen]

Whenever Kane was in a tag match, possibly even in singles matches, you could always tell if he was going to get the winning pin or not by the pyros. If he walks to the ring and does that “Summon the explosions in the corner” thing, he wasn’t getting the pin. If he didn’t do it, he’d do it after he got the win. 

[The Dart]

Just Kane's pyro being set up on the posts when Kane was having a surprise return or run-in was always annoying.   Kane was always nice enough to inform the pyro guys he was going to be doing a surprise return next week on Raw.

I think he retired just in time for them to be able to have the pyro come out of the top of the posts rather than on the side of them when it wouldn't be as obvious Kane was about to come out.

[Tim Healys Chutney Spoon]

Why do referees go down easier than continental footballers? The slightest touch and they seem to fall down for what seems like forever, yet they can run in and help separate a huge brawl with no problem...

[Vamp]

I remember Raj Ghosh hitting a low blow on Jack Xavier and the latter revealing a cup at an Academy show. That was a great show actually. 

I could buy that the WWE has their wrestlers chipped. Not just for music reasons either. Of course the truth is that the music is in their heads during those moments but we can hear it like we could see Warrior in Hogan's mirror.

Wasn't there a WCW concept that was going to try and make logical sense out of a lot of these kinda issues? Something about the wrestlers being locked into the building so they'd have to make alliances and there'd be cameras in every room to catch developments and conversations and things? 

[air_raid]

3 hours ago, Vamp said:

Wasn't there a WCW concept that was going to try and make logical sense out of a lot of these kinda issues?