The Pro Wrestling Quiz

By: Gavin Thagard
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
The Pro Wrestling Quiz
Image: Aksonov / E+ / Getty Images

About This Quiz

It's said that you can tell a person's age by who their favorite wrestler is. If you grew up in the Golden Age of wrestling, you were probably a fan of Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair or Andre the Giant. If you came along a little later, then you probably clung to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin or The Undertaker, and if your favorite wrestler is just now making his run, then Daniel Bryan or A.J. Styles are at the top of your list.

No matter your favorite wrestler or your favorite era, one thing is certain about professional wrestling: it's entertaining. Between the incredible athleticism and all of the trash talk, there's plenty to enjoy from the performers going at it inside the squared circle.
How much do you actually know about the ins and outs of pro wrestling? Do you know all of the elements that go into making a match great? Can you define any of the wrestling terminology? Do you know which promotions are the most popular around the world? 

If you're a pro wrestling fan, take this quiz and see how much you really know about the sport. That's if you're up for the challenge, of course, because not everyone can score a victory on this quiz. 

What is it called when wrestlers keep up the illusion of their character in the ring and in public?
Costuming
Kayfabe
Illusionist
Working
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Montreal Screwjob was one of the most famous incidents of wrestlers breaking kayfabe. In the incident, Bret Hart lost the WWF Championship to Shawn Michaels when the bell rang without him actually tapping.

Who is the owner of World Wrestling Entertainment?
Paul Heyman
Harley Race
Vince McMahon
Fritz Von Erich
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Vince McMahon took on the kayfabe of Mr. McMahon and wrestled for his company in the late '90s. His feud with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin helped the WWE overcome the WCW as the most popular wrestling promotion in North America.

What is an unscripted event in wrestling called?
A shoot
A work
A job
A fake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Wrestling promoter Paul Heyman was never one to keep his opinion to himself. When he got his chance to go off on Vince McMahon in 2001, he did just that, calling McMahon out for ruining the wrestling business by overtaking competing territories.

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Wrestlers take on various personas in the ring. What are these called?
Personas
Talent
Style
Gimmick
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Undertaker has one of the most legendary gimmicks in the wrestling business. Mark Calaway has successfully portrayed The Dead Man since 1990.

Which of these is the biggest wrestling event in the WWE?
Starrcade
SummerSlam
Royal Rumble
WrestleMania
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

WrestleMania I was billed as "The Greatest Wrestling Event of All Time!" In the main event of the night, Hulk Hogan and Mr. T took on Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper.

Wrestlers sometimes take on partners in a match. What's this called?
Doubles match
Matchup​
Tag team match
Sides match
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

WrestleMania X-Seven featured one of the greatest tag team matches of all-time when Edge and Christian defeated the Hardy Boyz and the Dudley Boyz. The match became famous for its revolutionary use of tables, ladders and chairs.

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What do you call it when wrestlers stick to the script?
A work
A read
A call
A device​
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"The Macho Man" Randy Savage was well-known for scripting out an entire match. He wanted to know exactly how everything was going to happen and when it was going to happen.

What's the pin fall count in the WWE?
2
3
4
5
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Undertaker became famous for pinning an opponent by crossing their arms over their chest. This was typically done after he delivered a Tombstone Piledriver.

How can a match end besides a pinfall?
Submission
Count out
Disqualification
All of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bret Hart's signature submission move when he wrestled was the Sharpshooter. Sting used a variant of the Sharpshooter in the WCW which he called the Scorpion Deathlock.

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"Stone Cold" Steve Austin helped usher in which era in the WWE in 1997?
The Golden Era
The Attitude Era
The New Generation Era
PG Era
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Attitude Era helped the WWE overtake the WCW in ratings in the late '90s and early '00s. The era was defined by increased violence and adult-themed content.

What's the name of the biggest wrestling promotion in Japan?
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
Japan Wrestling Association
Battlarts
Fighting Network Rings
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Few wrestling matches are regarded as highly as the 1983 Dynamite Kid versus Tiger Mask match in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. The match was revolutionary at the time because of its pace and the display of athleticism.

How long is a count out in the WWE?
5 seconds
8 seconds
10 seconds
20 seconds
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1995, two of the largest wrestlers in the WWE, Yokozuna and Mabel, went at it at the In Your House event. Leaving much to be desired, the match ended with a double count out after both wrestlers were knocked out of the ring.

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Which promotion competed with the WWE in the Monday Night Wars in the late '90s?
WCW
NWA
Lucha Underground
Impact Wrestling
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The WCW stole major talent from the WWE throughout the '90s. Stars like Hulk Hogan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage found their way over to the rival promotion, which was willing to pay much more money for the acquired​ talent.

What needs to happen for a wrestling match to officially begin?
A handshake​
A buzzer sound
A whistle blow
A bell ring
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Some wrestlers will get the jump on their opponent before the match ever begins. Since it's entertainment, the match will continue as normal after the bell rings even though one wrestler has already been beaten down.

Who famously slammed Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III?
"Macho Man" Randy Savage
Hulk Hogan
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
Rick Rude
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Few wrestlers are regarded as highly as Andre the Giant. Andre had huge draw appeal as fans either loved the massive wrestler or hated him, in which case they sided with Hulk Hogan.

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Who is responsible for governing a wrestling match?
An official
An umpire
A referee
A judge
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Occasionally, guest referees will be used in a match. Mike Tyson once refereed a match between Shawn Michaels and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin for the WWF Championship.

What's one way to get out of a submission hold?
Wait for a 10 count
Get back to your feet
Grab the ropes
Call for a wait time
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chris Jericho popularized the submission move The Walls of Jericho. The submission is a real move used in MMA known as the Boston Crab.

What's a bad guy character referred to as?
Villian
Rogue
Con
Heel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There weren't many heels hated as much as Roddy Piper. Piper was known for his trash talk, which helped him earn an interview segment known as "Piper's Pit," which he mainly used to antagonize other wrestlers.

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Who famously said, "To be the man, you gotta beat the man"?
Ric Flair
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
Bret "The Hitman" Hart
HHH
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ric Flair was one of the first wrestlers to brag about his wealth and success. However, if any wrestler had a right to brag, it was Flair, who was capable of making anyone look good in the ring.

What must be touching the mat for a pinfall to be counted?
The back of the head
Both shoulders
The spine
The hips
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Most wrestlers achieve a pin after performing their signature move. However, some wrestlers are good at maneuver pins where they get their opponent in a position where both wrestlers' body weight is pinning the opponent's shoulders to the ground.

What do you call a good guy in the ring?
Hero
Knight
Face
Victor
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin was the ultimate anti-hero of the WWE. His foul mouth and willingness to stand up to his boss inspired WWE fans all around the world. Some were probably inspired a little too much, though.

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Two rivals will often wrestle multiple times throughout a storyline. What's this called?
A feud
A conflict
A fable
A clash
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Undertaker and Kane have a long-running feud in the WWE built around their history as brothers. The feud has taken turns at times when the brothers team up to take on various opponents, such as Shawn Michaels and HHH.

What determines how much heat someone is getting?
The promoters
The announcers
The writers
The audience
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Kurt Angle has gotten some of the greatest heat of any wrestler in the business. The famous "You Suck" chants helped launch his career as a heel.

Who ended The Undertaker's undefeated WrestleMania streak?
Shawn Michaels
Brock Lesnar
HHH
Kane
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Few wrestling storylines were promoted as heavily as The Undertaker's "Streak," which lasted from 1991 until 2013. During that span, the Undertaker went 21-0 before finally losing to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXX.

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Some moves or sequences are planned in the ring. What's this called?
A spot
A call
A scheme
A goal
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mankind was known for taking huge bumps throughout his career in the WWE. No spot was more perfectly planned or dangerous than when he was thrown off a cage by The Undertaker at the 1998 King of the Ring.

What's a group of wrestlers who team up for a common goal?
Company
Stable
Troupe
Lineup
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Four Horsemen was a stable that dominated the WCW in the late '80s and '90s. Holding multiple championships during their height, the original team included stars like Ric Flair, Ole Anderson, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard.

Who called himself "The Excellence of Execution"?
Shawn Michaels
Kurt Angle
Randy Orton
Bret Hart
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bret Hart was trained to wrestle by his father Stu Hart from the time he was young. In the ring, Bret always wrestled at his best and was known as one of the greatest technical wrestlers of all-time.

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What's a monologue by a wrestler in an interview called?
Shtick
Act
Promo
Segment
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Almost no one could cut a promo like Chris Jericho. With the voice of a rocker and hair of a movie star, Jericho humiliated opponents through pure pettiness, and it was great to watch.

What do wrestlers do to make their opponent's move seem painful?
Give
Fake
Hoax
Sell
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Early in his career, The Undertaker didn't sell the moves of his opponents. The decision to not sell made him seem like an actual dead man, which is what he was portraying.

What's the most heavily promoted match on a card?
Ace
Main event
High card
One card
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Billed as "The Mega-Powers Explode," WrestleMania V pitted "Macho Man" Randy Savage against Hulk Hogan in the main event. Hogan defeated Savage with a leg drop to win the WWF Championship.

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One of the most important aspects of wrestling, what does it mean to get over?
Win your first match
Win a championship
Become popular with the audience
Work hard
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Usually, popular wrestlers refuse to lose to unknown wrestlers because it hurts their brand. However, when the top wrestlers do lose to a lesser known, they are putting them over with the audience.

How do wrestlers refer to losing a match?
A job
A break
A low
Taking one
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Many wrestlers come into the top promotions like the WWE as job workers. They are simply supposed to lose to the top wrestlers in the company until they can make a name for themselves.

What do you call a wrestling event that's not televised?
Community show
House show
Fan show
Dead show
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 2017, A.J. Styles defeated Kevin Owens for the United States Championship. The match was a surprise for many who expected it to take place on a pay-per-view event.

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Some wrestlers cut themselves to cause bleeding during a match. What's this called?
Cutting
Marking
Blading
Going red
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Throughout the '70s and '80s, Bruiser Brody was one of the most well-known bladers in the business. Sadly, Brody was killed in Puerto Rico after being stabbed by another wrestler named Jose Gonzalez.

What happens when a heel and a face switch roles in a match?
A full flip
A circle
A wheel turn
A double turn
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1997, Bret Hart and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin wrestled in a submission match. Hart won the match when Austin passed out after refusing to tap from the Sharpshooter. After the match, both wrestlers turned when Bret Hart, a face at the time, attacked Austin while he was still unconscious​.

You Got:
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