Beginning in the early 1920s, wrestlers began choreographing some of their matches to make the matches less physically taxing, shorter in duration, and more entertaining.
Authentic matches were still held into the 1930s but far less frequently.
The difference in styles is due to the independent evolution of the sport in Mexico beginning in the 1930s and the fact that wrestlers in the cruiserweight division (italics=yes|peso semicompleto) are often the most popular wrestlers in Mexican lucha libre.
John Cena and Triple H are particularly notable in recent years for their highly theatrical entrances at WrestleMania. == Other types of wrestling == === Women's wrestling === The women's division of professional wrestling has maintained a recognized world champion since 1937, when Mildred Burke won the original World Women's title.
She then formed the World Women's Wrestling Association in the early 1950s and recognized herself as the first champion, although the championship would be vacated upon her retirement in 1956.
The NWA however, ceased to acknowledge Burke as their Women's World champion in 1954, and instead acknowledged June Byers as champion after a controversial finish to a high-profile match between Burke and Byers that year.
She then formed the World Women's Wrestling Association in the early 1950s and recognized herself as the first champion, although the championship would be vacated upon her retirement in 1956.
The French theorist Roland Barthes was among the first to propose that wrestling was worthy of deeper analysis, in his essay "The World of Wrestling" from his book Mythologies, first published in 1957.
Upon Byers' retirement in 1964, The Fabulous Moolah, who won a junior heavyweight version of the NWA World Women's Championship (the predecessor to the WWE Women's Championship) in a tournament back in 1958, was recognized by most NWA promoters as champion by default. === Intergender wrestling === For most of its history, men and women would rarely compete against each other in professional wrestling, as it was deemed to be unfair and unchivalrous.
In Brazil, there was a very popular wrestling television program from the 1960s to the early 1980s called Telecatch.
Upon Byers' retirement in 1964, The Fabulous Moolah, who won a junior heavyweight version of the NWA World Women's Championship (the predecessor to the WWE Women's Championship) in a tournament back in 1958, was recognized by most NWA promoters as champion by default. === Intergender wrestling === For most of its history, men and women would rarely compete against each other in professional wrestling, as it was deemed to be unfair and unchivalrous.
The feud between Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat lasted from the late 1970s into the early 1990s and allegedly spanned over two thousand matches (although most of those matches were mere dark matches).
Since the 1980s, local forms have greatly declined in Europe; wrestling from North America has experienced several different periods of prominent cultural popularity during its century-and-a-half of existence and has been exported back to Europe to fill the cultural gap left by the aforementioned decline of local versions.
In Brazil, there was a very popular wrestling television program from the 1960s to the early 1980s called Telecatch.
While invented long before, the practice of including music with the entrance gained rapid popularity during the 1980s, largely as a result of the huge success of Hulk Hogan and the WWF, and their Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection.
This led to a long (worked) feud with Jerry Lawler. In the 1980s, mixed tag team matches began to take place, with a male and female on each team and a rule stating that each wrestler could only attack the opponent of the same gender.
A prime example of this is The Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection of the 1980s, which combined wrestling with MTV. Professional wrestling is often portrayed within other works using parody, and its general elements have become familiar tropes and memes in American culture. Some terminology originating in professional wrestling has found its way into the common vernacular.
However, documented accounts do exist: WWE Superstar Bret "Hitman" Hart recalls "a long and fascinating talk" he had in the summer of 1981 with the great Lou Thesz who told him that: Those who participated felt that maintenance of a constant and complete illusion for all who were not involved was necessary to keep audience interest.
During the late 1990s, Wright called himself "The Godfather" and portrayed the gimmick of a pimp.
The feud between Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat lasted from the late 1970s into the early 1990s and allegedly spanned over two thousand matches (although most of those matches were mere dark matches).
In lucha libre, cheap-shots and male-female attacks are not uncommon. Intergender singles bouts were first fought on a national level in the 1990s.
However, WWE has made a few attempts to enter this market with their "minis" in the 1990s and the "junior's league" as recent as 2006.
Many of Japan's wrestlers including top stars such as Shinya Hashimoto, Riki Chōshū and Keiji Mutoh came from a legitimate martial arts background and many Japanese wrestlers in the 1990s began to pursue careers in mixed martial arts organizations such as Pancrase and Shooto which at the time retained the original look of puroresu but were actual competitions.
Since the 1990s, many companies have been founded which deal primarily in wrestling footage.
The term "smackdown", popularized by The Rock and SmackDown! in the 1990s, has been included in Merriam-Webster dictionaries since 2007. Many television shows and films have been produced which portray in-character professional wrestlers as protagonists, such as Ready to Rumble, ¡Mucha Lucha!, Nacho Libre, and the Santo film series.
Also, since Ken Shamrock popularized it in 1997, a wrestler can indicate a voluntary submission by "tapping out", that is, tapping a free hand against the mat or against an opponent.
The most famous example of this happened on the December 8, 1997 episode of Raw is War, when Stone Cold Steve Austin handed the WWE Intercontinental Championship to The Rock after refusing to defend the title. Forfeit victories are extremely rare in wrestling.
Vince McMahon, one of the most lucrative feuds in the World Wrestling Federation during 1998 and 1999. In theory, the longer a feud is built up, the more audience interest (aka heat) lasts.
Vince McMahon, one of the most lucrative feuds in the World Wrestling Federation during 1998 and 1999. In theory, the longer a feud is built up, the more audience interest (aka heat) lasts.
There have also been many fictional depictions of wrestling; the 2008 film The Wrestler received several Oscar nominations and began a career revival for star Mickey Rourke. Currently, the largest professional wrestling company worldwide is the United States-based WWE, which bought out many smaller regional companies in the late 20th century, as well as its primary US competitors World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in early 2001.
When the WWE purchased both WCW and ECW in 2001, they also obtained the entire past video libraries of both productions and have released many past matches online and on home video. Like some other sports, fantasy leagues have developed around professional wrestling.
Undertaker at 2002 Unforgiven), neither opponent is able to answer a ten-count, or both opponents simultaneously win the match.
There is also a less common role of a "tweener", who is neither fully face nor fully heel yet able to play either role effectively (case in point, Samoa Joe during his first run in TNA Wrestling from June 2005 to November 2006). At times, a character may "turn", altering their face/heel alignment.
There is also a less common role of a "tweener", who is neither fully face nor fully heel yet able to play either role effectively (case in point, Samoa Joe during his first run in TNA Wrestling from June 2005 to November 2006). At times, a character may "turn", altering their face/heel alignment.
However, WWE has made a few attempts to enter this market with their "minis" in the 1990s and the "junior's league" as recent as 2006.
The term "smackdown", popularized by The Rock and SmackDown! in the 1990s, has been included in Merriam-Webster dictionaries since 2007. Many television shows and films have been produced which portray in-character professional wrestlers as protagonists, such as Ready to Rumble, ¡Mucha Lucha!, Nacho Libre, and the Santo film series.
There have also been many fictional depictions of wrestling; the 2008 film The Wrestler received several Oscar nominations and began a career revival for star Mickey Rourke. Currently, the largest professional wrestling company worldwide is the United States-based WWE, which bought out many smaller regional companies in the late 20th century, as well as its primary US competitors World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in early 2001.
The 2008 film The Wrestler, about a washed-up professional wrestler, garnered several Oscar nominations.
In addition to the aforementioned moment between Steve Austin and The Rock, other instance of this happening was in March 2009, when Triple H decided not to show up for a handicap match against Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase Jr., instead opting to attack Randy Orton in his own home. Despite being, statistically, an extremely rare occurrence, Charles Wright is one wrestler who is famous for turning forfeit victories into his own gimmick.
Hornswoggle has also been given a run with the WWE Cruiserweight Championship and feuded with D-X in 2009. == Styles and characteristics in different countries == The U.S., Japan and Mexico are three countries where there is a huge market and high popularity for professional wrestling.
The 2009 South Park episode "W.T.F." played on the soap operatic elements of professional wrestling.
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