If you know anything about the world of sports, then you know that superstitions and rituals are an important part of them. Athletes have a specific way of doing specific things, and they’re never going to change them for fear of breaking their lucky charms. It’s very similar in the world of sports entertainment for professional wrestlers.
There are a number of pre-match rituals which WWE superstars follow in order to ensure they have a great – and more importantly, safe – match in front of thousands of people in the audience and the millions of people watching at home.
Some of these rituals may be confined to a particular superstar or group of superstars, but today we are here to explore some of the more common practices that are used by those competing in Vince McMahon’s promotion.
So, without any further ado, here are 5 common pre-match rituals followed by WWE superstars:
#5 Isolating themselves
Coming in at number five on our list is WWE superstars isolating themselves. While this may not be typical for tag teams and stables, a lot of singles wrestlers decide to get away from the rest of the locker room in order to prepare themselves for their upcoming physical contest mentally.
This makes sense as some men and women need to be alone with their thoughts in order to build concentration, focus on the matter at hand, and get into the battle zone. If your head’s not on right, you could end up seriously hurting yourself or your opponent.
Superstars like John Cena, The Miz, and WWE Hall of Famer Booker T are some notable examples of people who are big fans of isolation and getting away from all the hustle and bustle of the backstage area during a big show.
#4 Push-ups
Getting your body warmed up and ready for the upcoming rigours of in-ring action is one of the most important aspects of match preparation in the world of professional wrestling and especially in the WWE. After all, your body is your greatest weapon when you’re a professional wrestler.
One of the most popular ways to get the body ready is a variety of push ups. Be it normal push-ups, Hindu push ups, push up planks or any other variety of push ups, it’s the exercise of choice for many superstars.
Popular wrestlers who swear by the push up include the likes of Cesaro – who does them with extra weights – Big E from The New Day, and more.
#3 Praying and meditating
A lot of professional wrestlers are spiritual people who have a firm belief in the almighty and his influence upon their lives and careers. Regardless of your faith, you have to respect those who swear by their own and use it as a way to improve themselves.
WWE Superstars can be seen sending out a prayer to the almighty for good luck just before walking out to wrestle. This is mainly to help them perform their job safely and to put on a good show.
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Another popular spiritual technique used is meditation which helps calm the mind, relax the body and is an ideal method of prepping for a frantic match in front of a pumped up live audience.
Legends such as Rey Mysterio and Shawn Michaels – devout Christians, the both of them – are famous for their pre-match prayers.
#2 Listening to music
Music is one of the greatest art forms in the world. For time untold, from civilised society to tribes in the jungle, music is the one thing that has found its place. So, why wouldn’t it be an important part of professional wrestling?
Just like a superstars entrance theme is of great importance in getting his gimmick over with the crowd (looking at you Bray Wyatt), the art of sound also has a revered place in the pre-match rituals of WWE superstars.
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A majority of superstars plug in their headphones in the locker room area in preparation for a big match. There is music for every occasion, after all. If you need to focus, to get angry, to get serious, to get into the mood for some fun, it doesn’t matter. Just play a tune and let it work its magic.
Almost all superstars like to use music to set the stage for their upcoming performance.
#1 Stretching
This one is pretty simple. If you don’t want to get injured, you better stretch before you start. This is true for almost all physically strenuous activity and obviously holds true for professional wrestling as well.
Everyone stretches before a match in order to get the blood flowing, the muscles ready for the upcoming exertions and the body ready for the bumps they are undoubtedly about to receive.
Stretching as a pre-match ritual is a pretty standard thing across the board. Man or woman. WWE or New Japan Pro Wrestling. Main event or undercard. Everyone stretches.
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