With the addition of the new "Fighting Style" section in the sign-up sheet (which, if you have not added to your application, please do or pm an admin on what to add), I thought it would be relative to actually write out the various styles of this sport that we all know and love, and I'll be seperating them by the region they are best known for. This will hopefully aid our writers in giving us the best possible matches with the most realistic results. Now granted I'm not the best person in the world to be writing this, but I'd like to think I know enough, so without further ado, let's begin:
United States of America
The Good Ol' US of A has brought us a golden age in the sport.......then procedded to stomp all over it, BUT there's a great chance that if you're an average fan of Professional Wrestling, this is the style you know best.
Hooker: The Grand Daddy of 'em all! The style brought to us by legends like the great Lou Thez and Killer Kowalski. As you've probably seen (if you've watch any of these matches) is that wrestlers who utilize the Hooker style have a great deal fo respect for it, and that leads to a large amount of self-confidence. Hookers work in explosions with many submissions and take-down manuevers, and rarely strike. Their main goal is to weaken or "work over" a limb to make their submission or pin attempts easier.
"Old School" Pro: Ah, how we miss this golden age. Branching from the 1970's to the 1980's, this style brought us greats like Andre the Giant, The Ultimate Warrior, "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair (WOOOO!!!), and yes, the immortal Hulk Hogan. There's a strong focus on simple submission holds in this style as big moves don't show up as often as they do now (and when they do, they tend to end the match). There's plenty of brawling to go around as well, don't forget that!
"Sports Entertainment": The drama, the stories, the gimmicks! This is pretty much the answer you'll get to the question "What is Pro Wrestling?" to someone who doesn't watch it. "Sports Entertainment" has very thick focus on a small set of signature and finishing manuevers that will all be hit at one point or another during the match and are often the match enders. Those who run this style (and in this e-fed, chances are you have some "Sports Entertainment" influence) tend to wrestle a slow-paced match with A LOT of theatrics and taunting. While technical wrestling is there, it's often overshadowed by plenty of straight showing off. Unlike it's ancestors, "Sports Entertainment" utilizes a good amount of big moves during the match. In terms of character, those who use this style tend to be either really, really good (follow rules, fan-friendly, etc.) or really, really evil (Cheating, insulting fans, ignoring the referee).
American Independent: Some of the hardest workers in the business, these are the stars of tomorrow and today who get recognition by the truest of Pro-Wrestling fans. Heavily influenced by many of the styles you'll see in this list, American "Indy" matches are always fast-paced, hard-hitting, and feature some of the biggest spots you'll see anywhere. American Indy performers bring in the flash and glammour of the "Sports Entertainment" universe, while lessening it to a believeable level (though not always). While matches normal end with one or more finishing manuevers, a combination of signature moves or just a well placed manuever can end a match.
Europe
The Technique Mecca that is Europe has brought us some of the greatest submission and technical styles. There is a heavy emphasis on mental power and skill over the typical American brute force and strength. While many styles have originated in Europe, some great, some not so much (Carny Wrestling, Anyone?), the European style is what many would consider how wrestling should be contended, deep in tradition.
British Style: A personal favorite of mine, the British style of professional wrestling is essentially the first thing you think of when you hear "European Wrestling". This is the basic intelligentce style, showing that smarts and skill can overcome a brute strength every time. This is less of a fighting style and more of a long game, the goal being to manipulate an opponent into your victory. Users of this style will work over a limb with as many variations on simple holds possible, ranging from the simplest of moves tot he most elaborate. British-style wrestlers NEVER strike with a closed fist (European uppercut uses the upper arm), and will mix in a pin every now and then to work all bases.
Greco-Roman Style: The wrestling you've come to associate with olympic events, the Greco-Roman style tends to be an exhibition sport, but commonly ends in pinfall or submission. No striking or leg grappling is allowed, which leaves open a vast array of suplex manuevers......as long as you avoid the legs. The pro-wrestling rules do take out the exception to this styles allowing of tight hooking for pins, though for suplexes it is perfectly fine.
JAPAN
The land of the rising sun and the birthplace of some of the most exciting wrestling you'll see anywhere in the world. The Japanese Puroresu may infact be my personal favorite style of the sport. The fans have great appreciation and respect for the craft, as well as the wrestlers. While the entertainment aspects are there, Puroresu focuses tightly on the action in-ring, and really, isn't that how it should be?
Strong-Style: The forefather to the King's Road style. Strong-Style is essentially MMA translated to the professional wrestling ring, and can be commonly scene used by Martial Artists entering the Pro-Wrestling world. Strikes in this style are very stiff, frequently hit, and aren't anything fancy. The whole point is to crack jaws, not drop them. Throws and grapples in Strong-Style are heavily influenced by Judo and Greco-Roman styles, and even incoporate freestyle throws into the mix. A favorite match-ending move is commonly a submission, so MMA transitionees will adapt to the Strong-Style easily.
King's Road: The most commonly used style in Japanese Puroresu and what you probably think when hearing the phrase "Japanese Professional Wrestling". King's Road style is all about the fighting spirit within and the strength one can have when they can get the crowd behind them. Some of the greatest of all time have utilized this tyle, from the legendary Mitsuharu Misawa to Kenta Kobashi to Takeshi Morishima. Hundreds of variations of kicks, drivers, you name it are from the King's Road style. There are plenty of pin kick-outs and submission escapes, since the style has great emphasis on the never-dying spirit within. Wrestler's have a large amount of signature moves which can all potentially end a match, as well as many variations of the signatures that form a good part of their offense. King's Road is one of the most hard-hitting, dangerous styles in the game today.
Junior / J-Style: The Japanese variation of Lucha Libre. Based on the Mexican roots, it brings in pieces from other Japanese styles to make J-Style one of the most exciting types of matches to watch. J-style users will break out a lot of cradle pins and basic takedowns to form their offense. Just like Strong-Style, strikes are everywhere and very hard, but they'll be done with more specialty (flips, spins, you know, that shit). Variations on signature and finishing moves, as well as headscissors, arm drags, etc. form the base of the offense. Just like in Mexican Lucha Libre, Heels bring greater force and power than Faces, while the Faces focus on outsmarting their opponent for victory.
Deathmatch Specialist: Commonly known in English as a "Hardcore" wrestler, those who follow the Deathmatch path sacrifice their life and limb for victory and play by no rules but their own. They'll take a chair shot to give one, and break glass over their heads to do the same to you. While they are not the greatest pure wrestlers in the world, their brawling ability makes them lethal in specialty matches.
Mexico
The home of masks and Lucha Libre, Mexico embraces the concept of high-impact, high-reward with great tradition and respect for their craft. Wrestling here is not a sport, not a form of entertainment, but a lifestyle that is to be respected just as much as any other professional athelete, if not more.
Technico: The Lucha Libre answer to a Face. They focus on outwitting their opponent while utilizing great athleticism to gain victory. they utilize many a takedown, such as armdrags, headscissors, body scissors, etc. Technicos love to display their athletecism through the use of acrobatics (to the slower few, lots of flips!). They have great respect for the rules, and in that they will never cheat. I repeat, never cheat. NEVER! the submissions, pins, and usual manuevers of a Technico are made to be just as embarassing as they are lethal, putting their skill and athleticism over everything else.
Rudo: The Lucha Libre answer to a Heel. They are usually lacking in athleticism, but make up for it in brute force and power. Rudos are cheats, plain and simple, and will break rules all the time. If a Rudo locks you in a submission or drops you with a slam, it's meant to hurt, period. The rotten attitudes Rudos have make up for their unatheletic in-ring pressence, and in most cases is needed.
So there you go, a good list of styles to tie you over. Are there more? Yeah. am I adding them? No. This is a broad list meant to guide you on your way. I tried to avoid the basic "High-Flyer" or "Brawler" categories because everyone knows them. Now these styles aren't just what you can choose from, but they're some of the best. Hope it helps you out.
Cheers!
xShanex
