Glossary

Battle Royal

A match with many competitors in the ring simultaneously, eliminated by being thrown over the top rope with both feet touching the floor, until one wrestler remains.

Blood and Guts

AEW's signature multi-team, two-ring cage match inspired by WCW's War Games, contested inside a double-ring steel cage structure until one team surrenders.

Bunkhouse Brawl

A no-disqualification brawl stipulation with roots in territory-era wrestling, allowing weapons and interference throughout the venue.

Casino Battle Royale

AEW's Battle Royal variant themed around a deck of cards: wrestlers enter in "suits" of five at timed intervals, with the final entrant determined by a drawn card; standard over-the-top-rope elimination rules apply.

Casino Gauntlet

An AEW gimmick match where entrants join at random intervals starting with two wrestlers; entry order is announced only as it happens, and it becomes a standard gauntlet — eliminated by pinfall or submission — until one wrestler remains.

Contendership

A match that determines the next official challenger for a title, rather than defending the title itself — the champion is not required to be involved, and the title cannot change hands in this match.

Continental Challenge Cup

A tournament run to crown a new AEW Continental Champion or determine the next challenger, culminating in a Continental Challenge Cup Final Match.

Continental Classic

An annual AEW round-robin tournament split into blocks, with standings determined by a points system (3 for a win, 1 for a draw/time-limit draw, 0 for a loss) before a final match between the top finishers.

Dog Collar Match

A match where both competitors wear a collar connected by a chain, similar to a Chain Match, historically also used as a Falls Count Anywhere-style hardcore stipulation.

Double Chain Tag Team Match

A tag team match where each competitor is connected to their own partner by a chain, restricting how far apart they can be and adding the chain itself as a potential weapon.

Face of the Revolution Ladder Match

AEW's annual Ladder Match held at Revolution, with the winner earning a future opportunity (historically a title shot) rather than a title itself.

Falls Count Anywhere

A match with no disqualifications where a pinfall or submission counts anywhere in the venue, not just inside the ring — the action routinely spills into the crowd, backstage, or the parking lot.

Fatal Four Way

A match with four individual competitors all competing for themselves at once — anyone can be pinned or submitted to lose.

Fight Without Honor

ROH's no-disqualification brawl stipulation, typically booked between wrestlers whose issue is framed as too personal for a standard, rules-bound match.

I Quit Match

A no-disqualification match won only when the opponent verbally says "I quit" — pinfalls and submissions don't end it.

Iron Man Match

A match fought for a fixed time limit, won by whoever scores the most falls (pinfalls/submissions) before time expires.

Ladder Match

A match where the prize (a title belt, a contract, or the right to a title shot) is suspended above the ring; a competitor must climb a ladder and retrieve it to win. Ladders themselves are also legal weapons.

Last Man Standing Match

A no-disqualification match won only when the opponent fails to answer a referee's ten-count while down — pinfalls and submissions don't end it.

Lights Out Match

AEW's branding for an extreme, no-disqualification hardcore match with weapons and few restrictions, in the tradition of a Death Match.

Lumberjack Match

A match surrounded ringside by other wrestlers ("lumberjacks") whose job is to immediately throw back in anyone who tries to leave the ring area.

No Holds Barred

A match with no disqualifications and no rules restricting weapons or interference — functionally identical to a Street Fight or Anything Goes match.

Owen Hart Foundation Cup

An annual AEW single-elimination tournament (men's and women's brackets) held in partnership with the Owen Hart Foundation, honoring the late Owen Hart.

Proving Ground Match

An ROH stipulation giving a title challenger a qualifying match against a ranked contender; winning earns (or keeps) a spot in line for a title opportunity.

Six Way

A match with six individual competitors all competing for themselves at once, most commonly seen as a Six Way Ladder Match to determine a title's next challenger.

Steel Cage Match

A match contested inside a steel cage surrounding the ring, traditionally won by pinfall, submission, or by escaping the cage over the top or through the door.

Street Fight

A no-disqualification brawl explicitly framed as a fight rather than a contested athletic match — weapons and interference are expected.

TLC Match

Short for Tables, Ladders and Chairs — a Ladder Match where tables and chairs are also explicitly legal, expected weapons in addition to ladders.

Tag Team Match

A standard two-on-two match where only one wrestler per team is legal in the ring at a time; a teammate is tagged in to become the new legal competitor.

Texas Death Match

A no-disqualification match won by knockout/ten-count similar to a Last Man Standing Match, traditionally with the loser required to be pinned AND unable to answer a count.

Three Way

A match with three individual competitors (or teams) all competing for themselves, rather than two opposing sides — anyone can be pinned or submitted to lose.

Trios Match

A three-on-three tag team match — AEW's standard format for three-person team competition, most notably for the AEW World Trios Championship.

Unsanctioned Match

A match booked outside official title/ranking consequences — typically with no disqualifications and few rules, since it doesn't officially "count" on record.

Dark Match

A match held before or after a televised broadcast that isn't aired as part of the show — attended by the live crowd only.

Enhancement Talent

A wrestler booked primarily to lose to established talent, helping build the credibility of the wrestler who defeats them.

Face

Short for "babyface" — a wrestler portrayed as a hero, playing for the crowd's sympathy.

Faction

A storyline alliance or group of wrestlers with shared goals — used interchangeably with stable.

Finisher

A wrestler's signature, usually match-ending maneuver, established over time as their most dangerous or decisive move.

Gimmick

A wrestler's in-character persona, name, or theme — distinct from their real identity (see Competitor aliases on this site).

Heel

A wrestler portrayed as a villain, playing against the crowd's sympathy.

House Show

A live event that isn't televised or streamed — results are typically treated as exhibition and don't affect title lineage.

Interim Champion

A temporary titleholder recognized while the reigning champion is unable to defend the title (e.g. due to injury), until the two eventually unify the title.

Kayfabe

The industry convention of portraying staged wrestling storylines, rivalries, and characters as genuine and unscripted within the presentation.

Main Event

The final, top-billed match of a card, typically the most significant match of the show.

Manager

A non-wrestling on-screen character who represents and advocates for a competitor or team, often speaking on their behalf and getting involved at ringside.

Pay-Per-View

A promotion's marquee, ticketed event, historically sold via cable pay-per-view purchase and now typically streamed — AEW's PPVs are its biggest cards of the year.

Promo

A scripted or semi-scripted in-character speech or interview segment used to advance a storyline.

Run-In

An unscheduled appearance by a wrestler not booked in the match, interfering to affect its outcome or angle.

Screwjob

A match result achieved through an unexpected, non-standard finish (e.g. outside interference or a referee's ruling) rather than a clean pinfall or submission — often deliberately controversial.

Shoot

Wrestling insider term for something genuine or unscripted, breaking from the planned storyline — the opposite of a work.

Signature Move

A maneuver strongly associated with a specific wrestler, used often but not necessarily as the match-ending finisher.

Squash Match

A one-sided match, usually brief, where an established wrestler dominates and defeats a clearly overmatched opponent.

Stable

A group of wrestlers (and often non-wrestling members) united as a faction with a shared storyline identity, distinct from a simple tag team.

Title Defense

A match in which the reigning champion puts their championship on the line against a challenger.

Title Reign

The continuous period a wrestler (or team) holds a championship, from winning it until losing it.

Turn

A storyline shift in a wrestler's alignment — a face turning heel, or a heel turning face.

Tweener

A wrestler whose portrayal sits between heel and face — cheered or booed inconsistently depending on the storyline or opponent.

Undercard

The matches on a card below the main event, generally featuring lower-profile storylines.

Unified Championship

A single championship formed by combining two previously separate titles, typically decided in a unification match.

Vacant Title

A championship with no current holder, usually because the previous champion was stripped of it or unable to continue defending it.

Valet

A non-wrestling on-screen character who accompanies a competitor to the ring, without a managerial or coaching role.

Work

Wrestling insider term for something that is a scripted, staged part of the show — the opposite of a shoot.