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Is American Wrestling staged? Do the wrestlers really beat each other to blood and break bones? Have they already decided the winner and all is the mess created during a match just a staged performance?

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    This needs a notable claim – user5341 Dec 19 '11 at 18:50
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    @DVK I've definitely heard this one several times from several sources, and I think it's notable. Just needs some links to notable claims added. – John Lyon Dec 20 '11 at 1:29
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    I always though this is a common knowledge, a question like: "Are action movies staged? Do the actors really beat other to blood ..."? – Suma Dec 20 '11 at 9:18
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    I've never heard anyone doubting if it's scripted. It is a common knowledge indeed. – user288 Dec 20 '11 at 20:38
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    I call wrestlers actors. – user unknown Dec 21 '11 at 18:33
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It's clearly a representation of a script and not a real fight at all.

This is what a WWE event is, according to WWE:

Live events and television programming are our principal creative content and production activities. Our creative team develops compelling and complex characters and weaves them into dynamic storylines that combine physical and emotional elements. Storylines are usually played out in the ring and unfold on our weekly television shows, and culminate in our monthly pay-per-view events.

In other words, a creative team scripts a storyline (including how the fight develops) which is then played out on the ring by "Superstars" and "Divas".

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  • Although it's a script being played out cooperatively, I think it's well-established that a surprising amount of the gore is real. – Larry OBrien Dec 18 '11 at 19:59
  • real pig gore? :) – jwenting Dec 19 '11 at 8:56
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    Can we now tag this question with "Gross" tag? – user5341 Dec 19 '11 at 18:51
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    @jwenting Wrestlers will poke themselves in the hairline with a thin sliver of a razor blade to induce bleeding. The documentary "Beyond the Mat" covers fairly extensively what's "real" and not. The storylines and outcomes of the fight are generally pre-arranged, and the wrestlers will often choreograph their fight beforehand, but the chair shots/ladders/thumb tacks/blood are all definitely real. Wrestlers are damn good athletes, whatever one thinks of the productions they take part in. – John Lyon Dec 20 '11 at 1:23
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    @jozzas: good athletes, yes. good actors, absolutely not. – Les Dec 4 '12 at 20:14

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