Question about calling spots in matches...

[Lintyfresh85]

Ok I was recently watching something on Hulk Hogan, may have been one of his dvd's... anyways he was talking about Randy Savage and how Savage always wanted to plan every spot of the match before going out and wrestling. Well I just finished watching Savage/Steamboat from WM 3 and I was wondering how in the world Savage could possible remember ever spot exactly as it was planned out for a 20 minute match... Was Hogan just bs'ing when he said every move had to be planned out with Savage or what? I find it very hard to believe that anyone could remember the exact sequence of such a long match, let alone Randy Savage... does anyone know if what Hogan said was true? And if it was, is there a trick to learning spots so that a wrestler can remember them easily? I know many call the match as they go, but it seems to me that it would take a genious to plan out the match to a T before hand and wrestle the entire match from memory.

[CaptainZombie]

Re: Question about calling spots in matches...

Ok I was recently watching something on Hulk Hogan, may have been one of his dvd's... anyways he was talking about Randy Savage and how Savage always wanted to plan every spot of the match before going out and wrestling. Well I just finished watching Savage/Steamboat from WM 3 and I was wondering how in the world Savage could possible remember ever spot exactly as it was planned out for a 20 minute match... Was Hogan just bs'ing when he said every move had to be planned out with Savage or what? I find it very hard to believe that anyone could remember the exact sequence of such a long match, let alone Randy Savage... does anyone know if what Hogan said was true? And if it was, is there a trick to learning spots so that a wrestler can remember them easily? I know many call the match as they go, but it seems to me that it would take a genious to plan out the match to a T before hand and wrestle the entire match from memory.

I don't know how true this is coming from Hogan and even if it were coming from Savage. One thing we need to remember is that this is their main job, and night in night out they do mainly the same type of spots. I guess they would remember their spots, but I don't think they could remember all unless their memory is that good.

I have read of wrestlers that have planned out matches in advance with their opponent(s) to make sure that all goes well on gameday. Figure, when a big show like WrestleMania or Royal Rumble or Summer Slam come around, I bet some guys spend more time with their opponent in the coming week to plan things out with the booking team and so forth just so this stuff comes out right. Again, in the 2000's we have booking on the fly.

[SPTO]

Re: Question about calling spots in matches...

It's true as it was stated by Steamboat. Let me see if I can find a link.....nope and i'm too lazy.

Anyways as I recall Savage bugged Steamboat to plan the entire match with him. They basically planned everything out and "practiced". So it was pretty much ingrained in their minds by the time of WM3.

Now as for most matches back in the olden days they didn't need to plan anything out. They worked by feel in the ring. The only thing that would be scripted is the opening sequence and the finish.

Nowadays it's pretty much boilerplate but spots are called verbally or with some of the more technical guys through feel. Chris Benoit is one of the last guys who can work a match that way.

[JiggidyJames]

Re: Question about calling spots in matches...

It's true as it was stated by Steamboat. Let me see if I can find a link.....nope and i'm too lazy.

Also stated by Ric Flair in his autobiography.

[goh]

Re: Question about calling spots in matches...

There was 3 or 4 people out there(Macho,Steamboat,Ref and Liz?) so even if one forgot I'm sure at least one of the others would remember.

[Lintyfresh85]

Re: Question about calling spots in matches...

and George the Animal Steele.

[CaptainZombie]

Re: Question about calling spots in matches...

and George the Animal Steele.

As much as Steele looked like a goofball, him against Savage was a decent match.

We had our George "The Animal" Steele in 2004/2005 with Eugene.

[CanuckJ]

Re: Question about calling spots in matches...

Reading the Rock's book, him and Austin would constantly go over the match for wm 15 before the event. By the time the show rolled around they had it down pat.

[CWood2]

Re: Question about calling spots in matches...

I've always been real curious about this also. How do you explain the indy talent that's wrestling in different promotions every night, or guys like Low Ki and Rocky Romero that wrestle all over the world and don't have the luxury of communicating in the ring? I'm sure both wrestlers know how to begin and end the match, but it's my opinion that the very best can ad lib the majority of that middle section barring a few spots that change momentum or tell the story they want to tell.

I'd like to hear what Millenium has to say on this topic...