Highlights
- Professional wrestling has a tradition where talent is expected to shake the hand of every one of their peers, a sign of respect and a way to determine someone's character.
- Not shaking everyone's hand can lead to consequences, like not fitting in with the locker room or being outed from the company, as seen with Daniel Puder and The Young Bucks.
- While not everyone agrees with the handshake rule, it represents a code of honor and is an important tradition in the professional wrestling business.
The professional wrestling business is arguably one of the most fascinating industries one could learn about, especially considering that professional wrestling is a unique form of entertainment. And as exciting as it is inside the squared-circle, the behind-the-scenes aspect of the professional wrestling business can be just as fascinating. Learning about certain traditions that go on backstage is something worth knowing about, as it's a known tradition in professional wrestling that talent shake the hand of every one of their peers, whether in WWE or any other promotion. Because of this, some may ask themselves what's the deal with the unspoken rule of handshaking in professional wrestling and why it's somewhat of a taboo concept in the business.
Strange Traditions In Professional Wrestling
Whether it's professional wrestling or any other sports and entertainment genre, there's usually a desire to fit in with the rest of the talent. Professional wrestling is no different, as one doesn't have to be in the industry to know these initiatives have taken place behind the scenes.
Some fans might hear other professional wrestlers discuss in interviews the importance of paying dues, especially for talent just starting out. And it's understandable, considering the industry itself is a tough grind for talent to succeed in, as every professional wrestler knows the sacrifices they make to put it all on the line in the squared-circle ring.
However, in some aspects, certain criteria that talent have to go through to get accepted by their peers may come off as strange or even, in some cases, condemnable to an outsider. For instance, one of the most controversial moments aired on WWE's Tough Enough series was the incident between the late Matt Cappotelli and Bob Holly, where Holly beat Cappotelli until he was bruised up during a training session. Though many were against what Bob Holly did, many of Bob Holly's peers defended his actions, even if they were against the situation in the first place.
What's The Deal With Handshakes In Professional Wrestling And Why Is It Taboo?
Regarding certain traditions that may come off as strange to some, fans may be familiar with the notion that professional wrestlers are supposed to shake the hand of their talented peers. Some fans may not know this, but WWE.com ran an article in October 2013 discussing this tradition in the company. The article went into great detail about why shaking hands is an essential unspoken rule in the professional wrestling industry, as WWE superstars would go out of their way to shake everyone's hand out of respect.
Many WWE superstars got interviewed for the article discussing the unspoken rule of shaking everyone's hands. For instance, JBL explained in the interview that even though it may be strange to an outsider, handshakes were an indication to determine the type of person one's dealing with. Cody Rhodes would also say a similar thing when interviewed for the article, where a specific handshake was a good way to determine the type of respect one has.
There have been stories of WWE superstars getting heat for not shaking everyone's hand. For instance, former WWE superstar Bob Holly explained in an interview with The Solomonster about Tough Enough winner Daniel Puder getting heat for not shaking everyone's hands, causing him not to fit in with the locker room and be outed from the company. There have also been stories of The Young Bucks having heat for not shaking everyone's hands during their WWE tryouts in 2011, specifically with Booker T.
It's worth noting that not everyone in the professional wrestling business had positive things to say about the unspoken handshake rule. In his Death Clutch: My Story of Determination, Domination, and Survival book, Brock Lesnar criticized the handshake rule he had to do in his first WWE run during the Ruthless Aggression Era, describing it as phony and insecure.
Nonetheless, it's understandable why shaking hands with everyone is an important tradition among the talent behind the scenes. Whether some think it's silly or unnecessary, handshaking represents a code of honor in the professional wrestling business, which is something an outsider can respect.
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