10 Wrestling Secrets Hiding In Plain Sight
7. The Giveaway
Referees have a tough old time of it.
They occupy a dual role; they exist to maintain order in the narrative, and in reality, they must hide in plain sight so as to not detract from the in-ring action. This is especially difficult in the modern era, as the overarching in-ring style yields content overload. Which is the more difficult task: not getting in Ricochet's way, or guessing where Alicia Fox might end up?
Their job is made all the more difficult by virtue of their being as thick as pig sh*t; one legendary wrestler literally walked to the ring as the words "I lie, I cheat, I steal" rang out over the arena PA, and the men clad in black and white were still none the wiser about his cheeky, boot-removing antics.
It is a challenging role in and out of kayfabe, and the all-important finish is in their klutzy, dumbf*ck hands. A referee, in kayfabe, is supposed to concentrate on a wrestler's shoulders, in order to determine whether or not they have been pinned to the mat for the duration of the pin count. In reality, they maintain eye contact with the performer as part of a crucial visual code. If the wrestler stares back at the referee, this signals the continuation of the match; when their eyes stare off into the distance, there's your finish.
If processing all of this seems difficult enough, what did they do when Shawn Michaels was doing a job?