48 Fun Facts About Pro Wrestling

What does the abbreviation WWE stand for?

WWE stands for World Wrestling Entertainment. The company was previously known as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) before a legal dispute with the World Wildlife Fund forced the name change in 2002.

Under what ring name did Dwayne Johnson debut in the WWF in 1996?

Rocky Maivia blended his father Rocky Johnson's and grandfather Peter Maivia's names; he debuted at Survivor Series in November 1996 and became The Rock after turning heel in 1997.

What is John Cena's signature catchphrase?

"You Can't See Me!" became John Cena's iconic catchphrase, accompanied by his signature hand wave in front of his face.

In which New York City venue was the first WrestleMania held in 1985?

Madison Square Garden hosted the first WrestleMania on March 31, 1985; the arena later staged WrestleMania X in 1994 and WrestleMania XX in 2004.

Which title, created in 1963, is presented as WWE's oldest and most prestigious?

The WWE Championship began in April 1963 as the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship after the promotion left the National Wrestling Alliance; Buddy Rogers was its first holder.

What is the real name of the wrestler who joined the WWF in 1990 and became famous as The Undertaker?

Mark Calaway kept the macabre gimmick for three decades, winning the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Best Gimmick award a record five years running.

Which wrestler, 'The Immortal', helped bring wrestling into mainstream pop culture in the 1980s?

Hulk Hogan, "The Immortal," was the face of professional wrestling during the 1980s boom, headlining the first WrestleMania and starring in movies and TV shows.

Which wrestling event features 30 competitors eliminating each other over the top rope?

The Royal Rumble match features 30 wrestlers entering at timed intervals, with elimination occurring when a wrestler is thrown over the top rope and both feet touch the floor.

How many consecutive WrestleMania wins did The Undertaker's 'Streak' reach before it ended in 2014?

The Streak reached 21-0, starting with a win over Jimmy Snuka at WrestleMania VII in 1991 and ending at WrestleMania XXX in New Orleans in 2014.

Ric Flair is associated with which signature exclamation?

'Wooooo!' is Ric Flair's trademark yell; he has credited Jerry Lee Lewis's 'Great Balls of Fire' as its inspiration, and crowds echo it whenever a chop lands.

Which wrestler's finishing move is called the "RKO"?

The RKO (Randy Keith Orton) is Randy Orton's finishing move, a jumping cutter that became one of the most memed moves in wrestling history with "RKO outta nowhere" videos.

Which company launched in 2019 as a major alternative to WWE, owned by Tony Khan?

All Elite Wrestling grew out of the 2018 independent show All In and launched in 2019 under owner Tony Khan, with Kenny Omega, Cody Rhodes and the Young Bucks as executive vice presidents.

Which Philadelphia promotion, run by Paul Heyman, closed in 2001 after pioneering hardcore wrestling?

ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling) was a Philadelphia-based promotion known for its hardcore style, innovative storytelling, and passionate fanbase. It operated from 1992 to 2001.

"Macho Man" Randy Savage was famous for which exclamation?

Randy Savage's raspy 'Oh Yeah!' was matched by his entrance music, the finale of Elgar's 'Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1', and his 'Snap into a Slim Jim' commercials.

Stone Cold Steve Austin famously stunned which WWE owner on live television multiple times?

The Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon rivalry was the defining feud of the Attitude Era, with Austin delivering his Stone Cold Stunner to the boss on countless occasions.

Which WCW faction did Scott Hall and Kevin Nash launch, with a shocking third member joining at Bash at the Beach 1996?

The New World Order (nWo) formed when Hulk Hogan turned heel to join Scott Hall and Kevin Nash at Bash at the Beach 1996; the takeover angle powered Nitro to 83 straight weekly ratings wins over Raw.

What is the name of the annual WWE event where teams of 4-5 wrestlers compete in elimination tag matches?

Survivor Series, held since 1987, is WWE's second-oldest pay-per-view after WrestleMania; its signature match pits teams of four or five in elimination tag bouts.

What was the name of the WWE stable featuring Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose?

The Shield debuted at Survivor Series in November 2012 with Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose, entering through the crowd in tactical gear before dominating WWE.

What was the 1995–2001 weekly ratings battle between WWF's Raw and WCW's Nitro called?

Raw was even renamed Raw Is War during the Monday Night Wars, which ran from September 4, 1995 to March 26, 2001, with the two shows broadcast opposite each other.

Edge & Christian beat the Hardy Boyz and the Dudley Boyz at SummerSlam 2000 in the first-ever match of which type?

TLC stands for tables, ladders and chairs; that SummerSlam 2000 bout was the first, and the stipulation later got its own annual pay-per-view.

Who broke The Undertaker's WrestleMania undefeated streak at WrestleMania XXX?

Lesnar's win in New Orleans in 2014 left the crowd in stunned silence and remains one of the most debated booking calls in WWE history.

Which double underhook facebuster is the signature finisher of the wrestler nicknamed 'The Game'?

The Pedigree, a double underhook facebuster, has been Triple H's finishing move throughout his career and became one of the most protected finishers in WWE history.

Which commentator's catchphrase was "Good God Almighty!" and "Bah Gawd!"?

Jim Ross ("J.R.") is considered the greatest wrestling commentator of all time. His passionate calls like "Bah Gawd!" and "Good God Almighty!" defined the Attitude Era's biggest moments.

Which wrestler "finished the story" by winning the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 40?

Roman Reigns had held both championships concurrently until Cody Rhodes took the Undisputed title from him at WrestleMania XL in April 2024, ending a multi-year 'finish the story' arc.

What was the name of the tag team formed by storyline half-siblings The Undertaker and Kane?

The Brothers of Destruction, The Undertaker and Kane, first teamed in 1998 and held the WWF Tag Team Championship together, adding the WCW tag titles in a 2001 cage match.

Which tag team, known for their high-flying style, performed the "Swanton Bomb" and "Twist of Fate"?

The Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff Hardy) were one of the most popular tag teams of the Attitude Era. Jeff's Swanton Bomb and Matt's Twist of Fate became signature moves in their legendary career.

Which faction, formed in 1997 with Chyna and Rick Rude, began as a foil to the Hart Foundation?

D-Generation X launched in October 1997 with Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Chyna and Rick Rude; X-Pac and the New Age Outlaws joined in 1998, and the group disbanded in 2000 before later reunions.

Who won WrestleMania's first women's main event in 2019, taking both the Raw and SmackDown Women's titles?

Becky Lynch beat two champions in one match: the Winner Takes All triple threat against Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair closed WrestleMania 35 and capped her 'The Man' run.

How many days did Roman Reigns' record-setting Universal Championship reign last, from 2020 to 2024?

Roman Reigns held the Universal Championship for 1,316 days, from Payback on August 30, 2020 until he lost at WrestleMania XL on April 7, 2024, the longest WWE world title reign since 1988.

Which WWE match uses a steel structure with pods that release wrestlers at timed intervals?

The Elimination Chamber, first introduced in 2002, features six wrestlers: four locked in glass/Plexiglas pods, with two starting in the ring. Pods open at intervals until one wrestler remains.

Which of Mick Foley's three WWF personas was a tie-dyed, jive-talking hippie?

Foley debuted the character in 1997, a year after Mankind, and the three characters became known as the 'Three Faces of Foley'.

Which longtime WWE composer wrote 'No Chance in Hell', the tyrant boss's entrance theme?

Jim Johnston, WWE's in-house composer from 1985 to 2017, wrote 'No Chance in Hell' in 1999 for Vince McMahon's Corporation-era boss character.

Who did Mankind defeat to win his first WWF Championship on the January 4, 1999 episode of Raw?

Mankind pinned The Rock after Stone Cold Steve Austin ran in; the taped January 4, 1999 Raw won the night after WCW spoiled the result live on Nitro.

Which wrestler was known as "The Cerebral Assassin" and married into the McMahon family?

Triple H, Paul Levesque, married Stephanie McMahon on October 25, 2003, and was named WWE's chief content officer in 2022.

Which pay-per-view featured the infamous Hell in a Cell match where Mankind was thrown off the cage?

At King of the Ring on June 28, 1998, The Undertaker threw Mankind off the 16-foot cell through the Spanish announce table, then chokeslammed him through the roof.

What was the name of the stable led by Bray Wyatt that debuted on the main roster in 2013?

The Wyatt Family consisted of Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper (Brodie Lee), Erick Rowan, and later Braun Strowman. Their swamp cult gimmick and lantern entrance made them one of WWE's most memorable factions.

Which legendary manager was known as "The Brain" and managed wrestlers like Andre the Giant?

Bobby "The Brain" Heenan was considered the greatest manager and one of the best commentators in wrestling history. He managed Andre the Giant, among many others, and was known for his quick wit.

In the infamous 1997 Montreal Screwjob, which wrestler was the victim of the controversial finish?

The referee was ordered to call for the bell during Hart's match against Shawn Michaels, awarding Michaels the title without a legitimate finish; Hart left for WCW days later.

Who won the inaugural women's edition of WWE's 30-entrant January over-the-top-rope match in 2018?

Asuka last eliminated Nikki Bella in the main event and earned her choice of title match at WrestleMania 34.

Which WCW announcer infamously revealed Mick Foley's WWF title win on Nitro, driving viewers to Raw?

Schiavone sneered that the result would 'put some butts in the seats', and roughly 600,000 households immediately switched from Nitro to Raw.

Which WCW executive vice president came up with the 1996 nWo storyline, a 'hostile takeover' by outsiders?

Eric Bischoff wanted WCW to look sabotaged by an outside group, hinted at first to be the WWF, since the invaders had just arrived from there.

Kenny Omega's finishing move, a one-armed electric chair driver, is called what?

Kenny Omega's One-Winged Angel, a one-armed electric chair driver, takes its name from Sephiroth's theme in Final Fantasy VII; he used it as his finisher in DDT, NJPW and AEW.

Which wrestler's 2,803-day WWF Championship reign is the title's longest ever?

Bruno Sammartino's first WWWF Championship reign lasted from May 17, 1963 to January 18, 1971 — 2,803 consecutive days — a record that will almost certainly never be broken.

At which 1997 WCW pay-per-view did Sting finally face Hollywood Hogan for the World Championship?

Starrcade 1997, held December 28 in Washington, D.C., drew WCW's biggest pay-per-view buyrate, yet the botched fast-count finish of Sting vs Hogan is widely cited as the start of the company's decline.

What was the name of the finishing move used by Kazuchika Okada in NJPW, a short-arm lariat?

The Rainmaker is Kazuchika Okada's devastating short-arm lariat finisher in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He pulls the opponent back by the wrist into a brutal clothesline, a move as iconic in Japan as any WWE finisher.

Which wrestler alone has won the WCW World Heavyweight, WWF/WWE, World Heavyweight and WWE-era ECW titles?

Big Show (Paul Wight) debuted in WCW in 1995 as The Giant, winning its World Heavyweight title that year, then added the WWF Championship in 1999, the ECW Championship in 2006 and the World Heavyweight Championship in 2011.

Who became the inaugural AEW World Champion by defeating Hangman Adam Page at All Out in August 2019?

Jericho earned the shot by beating Kenny Omega at Double or Nothing; Jon Moxley took the title from him at Revolution in February 2020.

In which Japanese joshi promotion was Aja Kong trained and made a star?

Kong graduated from AJW's class of 1986 and later founded her own promotion, Arsion, in 1997.