WWE News: Former WWE Referee Marty Elias talks about the importance of a crowd during a match

On a recent episode of the Pancakes and Powerslams Show, Former WWE referee Marty Elias gave some interesting information on certain nuances that a referee must have in order to be successful.

Elias compared the difference between working with a heel, compared to a babyface.

"For example, let's say a heel has a babyface in the corner. And, more times than not, referees start their count. You're killing that heel's heat because you're not giving him time, and you're not giving the fans enough time to absorb what he's doing. So when you're giving that fast count, you're not giving the heels enough time to communicate with the audience."

He also explained the importance of the crowd in a match.

"The crowd is very important. The crowd can dictate where the match is gonna go, because a lot of the old school guys, they call it in the ring. More times than not, they would have a finish, and everything else was about feel. For me personally, I'm able to gauge a crowd.

One of the most important things that Shawn Michaels told me as a referee was to know the audience, because if you have somebody sitting in the front row, and their sitting back in their chair and leaning, that means you don't have them. But if they're leaning forward, and their really looking in it, that means you've got em."

Referees for many decades have been grossly unrecognised and overlooked. Being an integral part of the match, they are responsible for not only maintaining the pace but also making a two count look like someone’s life has flashed before their eyes.

For former WWE and current Lucha Underground referee Marty Elias, his 20 years of experience has shown that the thrill of wearing the striped shirt has given him a career of being a very successful one.

Proof of this is what professional wrestling viewers experienced on April 5, 2009. At WrestleMania XXV, one of the greatest matches in the history of the sport occurred, as Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker competed against each other in a 30-minute classic. The third man in that match? None other than Marty Elias.

Elias continues to be a successful referee for the Lucha Underground promotion. Even with 20 years of experience, Elias still says that he is living a dream, and enjoys it just as much as when he began.