I officially LOVE this thread... well done as usual, IC25.
Pro-wrestlers need to go out in front of a crowd and make an impact. When their job is finished, they need to be remembered by the crowd in which they just performed. Their performances can consist of many things: the match, the promo, the run-in, the managerial role, etc. But when they leave the spotlight, they better make sure they just left an impression on everyone.
Simply put, catchphrases allow wrestlers to be
memorable. This is extremely important in the growth of a pro-wrestler. Like I said, they need to go out in front of a crowd, make an impact, and leave an impression on everyone. One thing that most of the audience pays attention to is a promo. People are always curious about what's on a wrestler's mind before and after a match. If they can say a repetitive phrase or word during all of their promos that a crowd can relate to, this allows the wrestler a beter shot at being remembered by the crowd. Whether they choose to despise the phrase, laugh at it, or repeat it, it's important that they remember it afterwards.
But one misconception about a catchphrase that the pro-wrestling audience makes is that it needs to be repeated by the audience in order to be successful. This couldn't be further from the truth. Like I said earlier, its purpose is to make its speaker memorable to the audience. Granted, the more successful ones of our generation occurred during the Attitude Era, where every catch phrase in existence was repeated by the audience. However, it was never a requirement of a successful catchphrase.
In this thread folks, I am looking to answer the following three questions:
1. How important is the catch phrase in professional wrestling?
I believe it is as important as a wrestler makes it out to be. If their persona revolves around this catchphrase, it should be repeated during every promo. But this should be only if the people give a shit about it. A wrestler can't just start repeating words and phrases and expect the crowd to catch onto it. However, if it's used effectively and the wrestler can make the audience connect with them through the catchphrase, it could be one of the most important tools they could use to stay memorable and relevant to an audience.
2. What have been the most successful catch phrases in history?
Man, where do I begin here...
Being that I grew up and have been an audience member through five eras of pro-wrestling, I've seen TONS and TONS of catchphrases. In relation to what I was saying previously, funny enough, I remember most of the wrestlers in the past from their catchphrases. So, without listing anything said by The Rock (since that's too easy), my favorites and most memorable are:
Ted DiBiase
"Everybody's got a price for the Million Dollar Man."
This phrase completely defined who the Million Dollar Man was. He was a guy who's life and principles revolved around the all-mighty dollar.
Hulk Hogan
"Says your prayers and eat your vitamins."
The superhero phrase of the 80's. The Hulkster was a role model for children, and this phrase was his message to our youth.
"Well, you know somethin' Mean Gene..."
Hogan and Gene Okerlund always had a crazy chemistry with each other, ever since Hogan was interviewed after defeating the Iron Sheik for his first world title with the WWE. Hogan would always begin his interviews this way, and the people couldn't wait to hear him say it.
Whatcha gonna do, when Hulk Hogan and all his Hulkamaniacs run wild on you?!
Pretty much every one of Hogan's promos ended with this phrase. We were all expecting it every time and couldn't wait to hear it.
The Macho Man Randy Savage
"Oooooh yeah!"
When you hear this, you think of the Macho Man. There's nothing more to say. It defines who he is, and it means absolutely nothing. He took nothing and made it into something. That's impressive.
Jake Roberts
"Trust me."
When Jake Roberts turned heel after a short-term alignment with the Undertaker, he stated a phrase to the Ultimate Warrior that would change his character and prepare him for some incredibly psychological feuds to come... "Never trust a snake." This phrase evolved into "Trust me" and was constantly used to put himself over as a heel in his feud against the Macho Man in 1991.
Undertaker
"Rest in Peace."
I don't think I need to say much about this. As a matter of fact, I don't think there's ever been a catchphrase in the history of pro-wrestling that defines its speaker more than this one.
Degeneration X
"Suck it!"
For some reason, the sick minds of the pro-wrestling fans just seem to love this phrase. I never understood the appeal... but then again, it never stopped me from repeating it along with HBK and Triple H at live shows.
Kurt Angle
"It's true, it's true."
This is one of those accidental catchphrases. Kurt probably didn't realize how much he said it until the audience starting making countless signs at live shows with the phrase written on them. This phrase became so popular and synonamous with Angle that he had to re-vamp it going into TNA so the people would stop thinking of him as a WWE wrestler and begin relating him with TNA.
Ric Flair
"Wooooooo..."
This wasn't even a catch-PHRASE... more like catch-NOISE. As a matter of fact, it could be the first thing to ever be repeated by an audience at a wrestling show. I'm sure that LONG after Ric Flair is dead and buried, we're still going to hear traces of the Woooo's at live shows.
Bret Hart
"I'm the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be."
Honestly, I think it's the dumbest phrase ever. But who cares... the people love it. When they hear it, they think of Bret Hart. That's what makes it so popular.
"The excellence of execution."
Is there any better way to define Bret Hart? He thought up his own definition, and it stuck with the audience. He'll be remembered for it forever.
John Cena
"You can't see me!"
You can't deny that these words form the most popular catchphrase of the new milennium in professional wrestling. It began as a jibe that added to his "thug-life" gimmick and has grown to be a staple in his performances. Granted, with his current character, it fits him like pantyhose on an elephant... but it's still popular, nonetheless.
3. Have catch phrases enabled the under-talented to become successful?
Under-talented? No.
Under-CARD? Yes.
I only gave this short thought, so I'm going to go with my instinct. I think that a wrestler needs a lot more appeal than a few choice words in order to become successful in pro-wrestling. However, there were a few midcarders than rode the wave of success with some help from their catchphrases. To me, the most memorable was...
"The Road Dogg" Jesse James
"Oh, you didn't know? Your ass better call somebody!"
I remember that the New Age Outlaws were over as heels in the mid 1990's. I enjoyed their work as early tag team champions and feuds with the likes of Foley/Funk. But, I didn't begin LOVING them until they joined Degeneration X. Once they turned babyface and started spitting out this catchphrase during their ring entrance, the sky was the limit for them. I remember that there was a time where I wanted to see a WWE show for no other reason than to say this phrase with the audience as the Outlaws came down the ramp.
