WWE Hall of Famer and pro wrestling legend "The Enforcer" Arn Anderson recently took to an episode of his “The Arn Show” podcast, where he discussed a variety of topics such as how if you sell everything the way it should be then the pro wrestling business will be easy to follow.
Arn Anderson said:
“I have a theory; this is just a theory. If we’re sitting on the bench talking, Paul. We’re chatting back and forth, we’re yukking it up, whatever we’re doing… and just out of the blue, I thump you in the nose? I’m going to get a ‘what the hell’s the matter with you’ reaction? It’s a real reaction. If you take everything offensively that is done to you and sell it the way it should be — not more, not less — our business becomes so easy to follow. A match becomes so easy to follow.”
Arn Anderson also discussed the difference between taking bumps and selling.
Arn Anderson said:
“It’s where guys don’t sell at all. Let’s don’t mistake selling for taking bumps. You can come screaming off those ropes and if I stick an elbow in your mouth, and you take a textbook flat back bump; but you can come off the deck and never feel for those teeth that you think are missing? You missed the boat. That’s not selling, that’s just taking bumps. It’s a real simple theory. Just sell everything that is done to you to the degree that it should be. Not more; not less. And it’s a piece of cake.”
Arn Anderson then discussed selling in the match to the point that the audience pays attention.
Arn Anderson said:
“If it’s a kick in the knee, reach down, grab your knee, and sell it! Let your facial match it. Take the audience’s eyes with you into the sell. Got ’em right where you want them to be paying attention. If you don’t, if you get kicked in your knee and never grab your knee and just move onto something else, it might as well have never happened.”
You can check out Arn Anderson's full comments at this link. H/T to 411Mania.com for transcribing the above quotes.
