Just like you and your own ethnicity and culture may have certain traits that are generally attributed to that culture, it also happens in wrestling. Don’t worry, this is not one of those types of lists. Just another ironic. If you look at several different groups of people in the wrestling business in promotions like WWEAEW and beyond, they too have quirks and abilities that are generally attributed only to them.
They aren’t talked about as much these days as they were in the past, but these traits used to be used to help establish some superstars. As we continue to celebrate everyone’s diversities, let’s celebrate all sorts of tropes in wrestling and figure out what to do (and not to do) and avoid from certain types of opponents.
9 Don’t head butt the islanders
As recent stories involving The Bloodline show, Samoans in wrestling are terrifyingly headstrong. So are other boys from the islands, Tongans like Haku, for example.
While bashing someone’s head into a turnbuckle or headbutting them isn’t just a futile move, it’s similar to waking a sleeping baby: prepare for a tantrum (comeback) that can’t be stopped.
Speaking of islanders, for years they were reserved to be wild: Kamala, The Headshrinkers, The Islanders, The Wild Samoans, and several others were reserved to be super animal tricks.
That meant a lot of barefoot wrestling. Plenty of martial arts tricks rocked bare feet as well, most recently former MMA star turned WWE Superstar Matt Riddle.
7 The Irish love to fight
When Sheamus and The Brawling Brutes arrive at the arena, every fan knows it’s fight night! Fighters on the Emerald Isle not only never back down from a challenge, but many of them often enjoy a good fight every week.
Heck, it was Fit Finlay’s catchphrase – “my name is Finlay and I love to fight” – it certainly sprang from the old Irish stereotype of a bar brawler. That may not work for society anymore, but it certainly is fun for wrestling.
6 Canadians use the Sharpshooter
While Riki Choshu invented the Sasori-Gatame and Sting popularized it in the United States as The Scorpion Deathlock; It was Bret The Hitman Hart who made The Sharpshooter famous. Which is why, in later years, unless Sting uses it, whenever he is blocked by a wrestler, he is known as The Sharpshooter.
It has also become, by default, the official filing hold for Canadians everywhere. Yes, some may use other ways to “unhook” opponents, but during many matches, the Sharpshooter is used in homage to The Hitman.
5 samoan drop
From a fireman’s carry position, any wrestler who lands backwards is using The Samoan Drop. But the Anoa’i family knows how to deliver it a little better.
There is a bit more oomph to a Samoan casting a Samoan Drop on an opponent. They drive their shoulders a little harder into their opponents’ sternum to knock their breath away.
4 Native American War Dance
Another fighting trope steeped in the folklore of a society’s past is the Native American war dance. While many Babyfaced Superstars would find their own way to “break down”, Native American Superstars like Wahoo McDaniel, Chief Jay Strongbow, Tatanka and even The Ultimate Warrior (yes, some fans believe this was a variation on the gimmick of the Indian warrior) would. they begin to dance around the ring and begin to get psyched up for the big comeback.
3 European uppercuts
While many American brutes use clenched fists (despite being illegal) and many Japanese superstars use a big open palm punch, European fighters like Claudio Castagnoli and William Regal deliver a massive European Uppercut, which is a forearm punch. which can dislocate a chin if thrown. with malice
While non-European stars have popularized the move as well, they don’t have the hard-hitting running style that guys like Butch and Claudio have.
2 flying fighters
Other than perhaps La Parka and Konnan’s Last Day, wrestling in North America has been popularized almost exclusively by high-flyers who have a knack for defying gravity, no matter what the situation.
In recent years, in both AEW and WWE, teams like The Lucha Brothers, Legado Del Fantasma, The Lucha House Party and now the reborn Latino World Order have worked hard to uphold that tradition. From Mil Máscaras (for its time) to legendary wrestlers like Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio, Lucha Libre in America means high-flying action.
1 The fog
There isn’t much more sports entertainment than the mystical “Asian Fog”. We all know that nothing like this exists in reality. But when the old school fighters pull off the dokugiri, or Poison Fog, you can be sure that victory is near. The practice has spread to various superstars beyond The Rising Sun, such as Malakai Black or Gangrel, who have found ways to make it their own. But the tactic is still mostly associated with fighters like Tajiri, The Great Muta, and Asuka who have mastered it.
In North American wrestling, it was originally wrestlers like The Great Kabuki and Great Muta who popularized the fantastic move. It has rarely been mentioned in recent years, but each color mist has a different effect. Green can obstruct vision, red can burn your eyes, black blinds you, and blue can put you to sleep. The objective is clear and simple: avoid the fog at all costs.