10 Wrestling Messages Hidden In Plain Sight

9. The Hand Grip

Brock Lesnar Undertaker
WWE

A non-verbal "are you okay?" has always been vital for the safety of wrestlers, especially before the days of proper standby medical attention and sophisticated headset technology between referees, announcers and those behind the curtain. Not least as bumps and spots have continually escalated over the years.

The gesture is simple enough to spot if you know what to look for and/or you even want to see it. A referee or opponent depending on proximity lightly grazes the hand of a downed foe and awaits a brief squeeze, if indeed they've not felt one already.

This simple acknowledgement is the hidden message that they're not hurt from whatever exactly has just happened, without going far enough to blow the confines of kayfabe completely. It's one of several in this list that serves as a reminder of how appreciative we should all be of wrestlers in general, in spite of the way they're presented. Bell-to-bell, they do something that requires measures such as the above, all in the interest of preserving a myth that has been wilfully exposed for decades.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 30 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz", Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 50,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett