Every Wrestling Secret WWE Tries (And Fails) To Hide

Exposing the tricks of the trade, and the times WWE did that all by themselves...

The New Day Chris Jericho
WWE

It is okay to enjoy pro wrestling despite understanding a little of how it works or - gasp - being fully aware that the action is predetermined.

This mindset fails to inform every single time somebody has asked "you know it's fake, right?", but then it would because those people simply don't get it. Nor do they have to. Paul Heyman has been attributed with the quote (and indeed concept) that those that don't never will, such is wrestling's uniqueness.

If you're reading this, you've found something about wrestling that has grabbed you, such is its dark art. Vince McMahon didn't massacre kayfabe when he admitted to some of its practices to dodge tax in 1989 because he knew it was already dead - he'd spotted that plenty of people were willing to invest in suspending their disbelief more than being asked to believe.

And that's the magic of the form.

Supposedly illicit revelations about how the sausage is made are never that. If anything, in the era of a far more sophisticated fanbase, it enhances the enjoyment of the show - there are multiple levels to appreciate the craft and skill of your favourite performer.

And they are performers, because this is a performance. As evidenced by the (attempted) concealment of several key crutches...

10. Turn The Tables...

The New Day Chris Jericho
WWE.com

...and there's a good chance there won't be much underneath them.

A welcome safety procedure considering how relentlessly popular table spots are and always have been, this bit of wizardry is simple prop prep that goes some way to protecting the performers that smash themselves through the wood for the good of the world.

Unlike most tables, wrestling ones have the supports underneath removed, and are sometimes (though not always) sawn slightly to ensure the required end result goes perfectly planned. As they should be - wrestlers aren't supposed to be in soul-crushing pain despite how hideous those old steel cages and Elimination Chamber structures used to look on the fragile human form.

Safety first here, but a vital one considering just how enduringly popular table bumps continue to be. An inch-perfect wrestling prop when done well, a table produces more in the way of audio/visual satisfaction that just about any other weapon, and the risk can be majorly minimised with these minor adjustments.

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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