by Tom the Actuary

So which is it?

Do wrestling promotions get wrestlers over by making them look good?  Or does being over with the fans determine who will be booked to look good?

Well, yes to both, obviously.

Let's start with a list of things that will cause a promoter to "put over" a wrestler.  Being "put over" in this context means being booked to win matches or, at least, look strong in losing matches.

P1.         Popularity (or heat) with fans
P2.         Potential popularity (or heat) with fans
P3.         Political or family connections
P4.         Company loyalty

Now, a list of things that get a wrestler "over" with fans.  "Getting over", as used here, means being either popular or hated, as appropriate:

F1.         Great matches
F2.         Great promos
F3.         Charisma
F4.         Appearing to be a winner

If you look back at the development of the Rock, he was initially booked to win as a face due to what the WWF saw as potential (P2), then de-pushed for being heatless - or, more accurately, drawing the wrong kind of heat.  When he returned as a heel, he was given a second IC title run and a feud with Steve Austin, during which he started to draw tremendous heat (P1) due to great promos and charisma (F2 and F3).  He maintained this for a while, then received a tremendous boost by being put cleanly over the Undertaker and Mankind, so now he is drawing incredible heat (P1) and appears a formidable wrestler (F1) as well as having awesome promo skills and charisma (F2 and F3).  Finally, upon once again becoming a face, he steadily has improved his match performance, to the point that, over the last 7 months or so, he has been the WWF's top actual match performer (F4).  So, the guy is hitting on all cylinders, and you have the top face in the company, and one of the top-three all-time.

Many people who read columns like this one seem to have a problem with ANYONE being put over for reasons P2, P3 and P4, i.e., due to perceived potential or because of who they know or because the company wants to reward them for loyalty.  For example: Albert is put over because Vince loves (sees potential in) the big guys.  X-Pac is supposedly put over (as much as he is) because he's a friend the H-meister.  UT is put over to reward the guy for years of dedicated service - you know, instead of getting a gold watch, a pen, and a plaque, like he would anywhere else.

Recent wrestling history is full of wrestlers "put over" by promoters who never "get over" with fans.   This is a fairly common phenomenon in the WWF, as they give almost every wrestler some kind of push (i.e., title) to see how over they can get with it.  They all do to some degree, but only a few get OVER.  A few examples: IC title runs by The Godfather and Billy Gunn, KOTR victories by Gunn and Ken Shamrock, title runs by Perry Saturn, the Hollys, and so on.  Gunn was over in the New Age Outlaws, and as a reward for loyalty, they kept trying to strike gold again with him through various personas, but they have apparently given up, as indicated by the fact he no longer rates his formerly weekly mention in the Ross Report.  He is pretty much doing the Dennis Knight Memorial Jobbing Tour these days.

On the other hand, there are also many examples of wrestlers "getting over" who were never "put over" - Chris Jericho in WCW being the classic case.  The Hardyz got themselves over without benefit of promos (the fastest way) through great match work and slowly developing charisma.  And they continue to improve.

So we have four categories:

C1.        Wrestlers who are put over by promoters and get over with the fans.  (Top tier performers)
C2.        Wrestlers who are put over by promoters but don't get over with the fans.  (On the way down the card OR over overpushed)
C3.        Wrestlers who are not put over by promoters but get over with the fans.  (On the way up the card OR pointlessly underutilized)
C4.        Wrestlers who are neither put over by promoters nor get over with the fans.  (Jobbers or characters change candidates)

Running a wrestling promotion is a complicated business I wouldn't even begin to understand.  If promotions knew a sure-fire way to get wrestlers over with the public, they would do it, but there is no such way.  Every performance starts the process of getting characters over again.  What worked yesterday might not work today, and what works in one city won't work in another.

Still, second-guessing the bookers provides people's favorite entertainment in these parts, and for good reason: we can't possibly be proven wrong or right.  The basic premise of such discussions is "I think I know how to book better than the bookers, and try and PROVE ME WRONG."  I can't prove anyone wrong, but I do know this: there is only one wrestling promotion of any size left in the United States, and this promotion can be pardoned for having a lot of confidence in their own booking ability.

But remember, for the best in independent booking ideas, available, free, and on the web - "S" Marks the spot.