8 Ways To Avoid Being Blocked By Wrestlers

8. Don't Call Them By Their Real Name

Arcane wrestling etiquette says that, when you meet or talk to a wrestler, you show respect for the business and for the wrestler concerned by calling them by the name they currently use in the ring. It gives them the option to play that character with you if they choose, or to decide to step out of character and be themselves: or, especially in the case of WWE performers, simply decide to present an amalgamation of the two. More importantly, it stops you winding them up immediately. Despite the long-ago death of kayfabe, professional wrestling is still an insider industry. If you€™re not a part of the business, then the theory goes that you should respect that and call them by their character€™s name. That means that you don€™t use the name they were born with unless they specifically say it€™s okay - and equally, don€™t get all up yourself and try to display your knowledge of wrestling history by referring to them by a name they haven€™t used for years. No, it doesn€™t make much sense in 2016 - especially given the preponderance of shoot interviews, autobiographical books and DVDs there are out there - but it€™s the way they prefer it. It€™s different when you€™re talking about someone online: in articles about the wrestling, people will often use the real name of the performer concerned, especially if it's biographical stuff or if they€™ve used more than one in-ring name. It would make no sense for a wrestling writer to use the name €˜Wade Barrett€™ when writing about Stu Bennett€™s childhood or university days: and he called himself €˜Stu Sanders€™ in the UK, and €˜Lawrence Knight€™ for months in developmental. You can always avoid the issue by avoiding using their name at all, of course. That€™s why barmen, potheads and Hulk Hogan call people €˜bro€™, €˜mate€™, or €˜brother€™... to avoid getting someone€™s name wrong.