Glossary of Professional Wrestling Terms - B

B

B-Show

A wrestling event featuring the middle and lower-level talent of a wrestling promotion. Can sometimes include well-known wrestlers making a comeback or finishing up their career.

B-Team

The group of wrestlers on a B-Show. Frequently, the B-Team will compete at a different venue the same night wrestlers on the A-Team are competing in a different event, although a promotion will sometimes schedule an event with B-Team wrestlers to test a new market.

Beat down

A situation in which a wrestler or other performer is the recipient of a beating, usually by a group of wrestlers.

Blind tag

A tag made in a tag team match where the wrestler on the apron tags his partner unbeknownst to him or without his consent. It can also refer to such a tag where the tagger's opponent is unaware a tag has occurred, leaving him open to a blindside attack. Most often occurs when the partner in the ring is thrown against the ropes or backed into his own corner.

Blow off

The final match in a feud. While the involved wrestlers often move onto new feuds, sometimes it is the final match in the promotion for one or more of the wrestlers.

Blow Up

To become cardiovascularly exhausted during a match.

Blue-Eye

see Babyface

Book

To determine and schedule the events of a wrestling card. The person in charge of setting up matches and writing angles is "the booker." It is the wrestling equivalent of a screenwriter. A booker can also be described as someone who recruits and/or hires talent to work in a particular promotion. The United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa defined a booker in 1956 as "...any person who, for a fee or commission, arranges with a promoter or promoters for the performance of wrestlers in professional wrestling exhibitions." Booking is also the term a wrestler uses to describe a scheduled match or appearance on a wrestling show.

Broadway

A time limit draw.

Burial

The worked lowering (relegation) of a popular wrestler's status in the eyes of the fans. It is the act of a promoter or booker causing a wrestler to lose popularity by forcing him to lose in squash matches, continuously, and/or participate in unentertaining or degrading storylines. It can be a form of punishment for real-life backstage disagreements or feuds between the wrestler and the booker, the wrestler falling out of favor with the company, or the wrestler receiving an unpopular gimmick that causes him to lose credibility regardless of win-loss record. It is also a result of a company seeing a wrestler as having no potential or charisma.

Bump

To fall on the mat or ground. A flat back bump is a bump in which a wrestler lands solidly on his back with high impact, spread over as much surface as possible. A phantom bump occurs when a wrestler or referee takes a bump even though the move they are selling was visibly botched or otherwise not present. Phantom bumps are most commonly performed when the offensive wrestler is new.

Bury

To punish a wrestler for infractions backstage or for a failure to have gotten over. Other times, it is simply a result of a bad gimmick or a wrestler not being used very much on television.

Business

Professional wrestling; instead of "profession" or "sport".

Bust open

To start to bleed, typically from the head after being hit with something like a chair, and typically after blading. The commentators will usually refer to the bleeding wrestler as being "busted (wide) open".