The Top 10 Ways a Fan Favorite Can Get over with a Pro Wrestling Crowd

Back on May 26, I wrote a column entitled "12 Ways a Heel can Get Heat From a Pro Wrestling Crowd."  

Shameless plug time.

The piece did fairly well, so I decided to revisit the idea, only this time, from the perspective of a babyface.

That's right.  It's a sequel.

Many fans feel that the face has a much harder time getting over than a heel does, and I have to say that I am inclined to agree with that view.

After all, a fan favorite has to get the crowd to like him.  Not an easy task, when you consider the fact that everyone in the building is in on the gag.  

Everyone knows the reality of the business, and everyone understands that what they are seeing is predetermined sports entertainment.  This knowledge, combined with some very vocal opinions, typically means that the end result is a cynical, somewhat jaded, crowd of fans.

Try making friends with those people.

Yes, we can be tough to please, but when a guy does certain things, and does them often enough, then he will usually find himself receiving the love and admiration of countless throngs of supporting fans.

In other words, make us happy, and you're in.

How does a worker go about doing that?  Glad you asked.

10: Mention the Town

"And, I'm glad to be back, right here, in Charlotte, North Carolina!"

The cheap pop has existed long before Mick Foley got a hold of it, but, make no mistake, he perfected it.

The truth is, it's called a cheap pop for a reason.  You just do not have to do much to get the crowd to respond.  But, therein lies the beauty of it, and why it's effective every time it's used.

Mentioning the city is a quick, easy way to pull the fans in, to get their attention, and make them feel like they're part of the event.  

After all, if a pro wrestler is happy to be in the town he's working in, then that is a true reflection of the people who live in that town, right?

Sounds crazy, I know.  Yet, it works every time.

9: Thank the Fans

Everyone wants to feel appreciated.

Much like No. 10, this one is so simple, that it seems as though that at some point, it would no longer work.

But, that's just not the case, as fans never tire of getting some heartfelt words of gratitude from a wrestler they have supported, and paid their hard-earned money to see.

Just a quick thank you, something to let the fans know that their love has not gone unnoticed, does wonders for a babyface who is looking to seize the moment, and get over in a big way.

Often times, the wall between fans and the Superstars they follow seems incredibly thick, too thick perhaps, for any real connection to be made other than that of performer and audience.

But, a sincere promo, done in a very real way, with eye contact between the worker and the fans watching, followed by a simple thank you, almost always guarantees a positive reaction every time.

8: Pay Respect to the Veterans

Legendary stars have a definite place in the minds and hearts of fans, and anytime they are booked on a match card, it's always a treat for those who grew up watching them.

While the heels could care less, the fact is that the faces are all about showing respect, and remembering who paved the way for them to have a career.

Blending the new with the old is a time-honored tradition, a great way to get a positive reaction for the face that the particular moment is being built around.

It brings the older fans to the table, and when they get there, they see the recognition being showed by the younger Superstar.  More often than not, the fans tend to gravitate toward that worker, and they end up lending their support.

It has worked for years, not only for this generation, but for the veterans who came before.

7: Stand Up for Another Worker

There's nothing better than helping your fellow man in a time of need.

No, this one is not about a babyface joining the Red Cross, more like sliding in to make the save.

Fans obviously expect heels to be out for themselves, to do whatever it takes to win, and so it's not often that two heels will cooperate long enough to really help each other, unless it's in a tag team situation.

But, the same cannot be said for babyfaces, who fans fully expect to not only get along, but to help each other whenever the need arises.

These fan favorites are not out for money, or titles, necessarily.  They are cheered because they do the right thing.  And, doing the right thing means sticking together against a locker room of heels who are out for blood.

One worker lending a hand to another in support is all it takes to elevate that face's standing with fans, giving him more attention, and more pop, than he possibly had before.

6: Be Accessible

Stone Cold Steve Austin was over in so many ways.

He was great in the ring, he had a cutting-edge personality, and a gimmick that fans could not get enough of.  But, the best thing about Austin?

Very easily accessible.

Stone Cold was presented as a regular guy.  He wore plain black boots and trunks, and came out to simple music with no pyro and no lighting effects.

And, the major selling point of Austin's character was that he had a huge problem with authority. Basically, he said and did everything to his boss that all of us working stiffs wish we could say and do.

Austin was a normal guy who worked hard, and then set out do it his way, without being controlled by anyone.  He never put himself on a pedestal above anyone else, and fans loved him for that.

5: Be Fearless

I have been a fan for thirty plus years, and I do not recall, in all that time, ever hearing another fan say "That guy's my favorite, he's very careful in the ring."

Let's face it, it's the crazy moves, and over-the-top action, that causes so many fans to be fans in the first place.  We like the high-impact moves, and we like the drama that is created by those matches.

The truth is, a Superstar does not necessarily have to be a high flyer, or a risk taker, to be considered fearless.  Sometimes, it's all in the attitude.

Normal people know that when outnumbered in a fight five to one, that the right thing to do is back down, walk away, and live to fight another day.

But, for a pro wrestling babyface, he not only does not back down, he goes in with guns blazing.

And, it's that moment, like Wyatt Earp running through the river, charging the cowboy gang in Tombstone, that fans are immediately drawn in.

Suddenly, that wrestler is not only loved, he is well loved. Fans want their favorites to have guts, be a man, and take on every challenge, and when he delivers?

You guessed it.  He gets over like crazy.

4: Be Funny

Go ahead, say it.  This one's Santino Marella.

I have to admit, it fits.  And, like many other items on this list, it's easy, if you know how to do it.

Comedic timing is the key, and the truth is, not everyone has it.  But, knowing when to deliver a line, and in what way to deliver it, can be the difference between a decent pop, and a pop that gets everyone laughing, and keeps fans talking the next day.

It's all about being entertained, and the ability to be funny is part of that.  A lot of Superstars have used it over the years, and the best know when and how to incorporate it.

Fans hated Santino at first, no doubt.  But, eventually, he began to make them laugh, and he became huge, bigger than anyone had ever expected.

There's no denying it, WWE knew they had something.  And, how could they not?  It's been done for years.

3: Cut a Great Promo

If someone had never watched Dusty Rhodes wrestle a match, but only listened to one promo, then he would surely be the first fan to buy a front-row ticket to see the American Dream bring home the gold.

Being able to talk is a big deal in the business, and only the best workers get that certain foothold with fans that just cannot be denied, or taken, by anyone else.

Dusty, Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Jake Roberts, Steve Austin, Triple H, CM Punk, Mick Foley, The Rock, all of these men have the ability to hold the crowd in the palms of their hands.  The fans' emotions rise and fall with the drama of the promo, and causes their support for the face to become very strong very quickly.

Fans have to care about a match in order to want to see it.  And, the biggest way to sell that match to them is for the workers involved to hype it as much as possible.

Fans should want to see the face win, and it's his job to be sure that happens.

2: Get Beat Down

Only in professional wrestling can you get beat down and end up better for it having been done.

Seeing a babyface get pounded into submission, especially at the hands of a sneak attack, does wonders for that face, and his popularity level.

If that sneak attack comes from more than one heel, it's even better.

Outnumbering a face with excessive force puts him or her at an extreme disadvantage.  The face instantly becomes a very sympathetic figure, and puts the crowd on his side like never before.

And whenever this happens, you can be sure that a great bit of the time, that face will have the opportunity, at some point in the near future, to gain a measure of revenge.

When that happens, he usually has more support from the crowd than he ever had.

A beatdown, though likely making some fans happy if they personally do not like the face in question, hello John Cena, is ultimately not what they should want to see.  The beatdown gives John more attention, more focus, and guarantees that he will always rise up to become bigger, better, and more in control than he ever has been before.

So, if you're not much of a Cena fan, then you should not want to see him get laid out, you should probably want him to just never get touched again.  

As crazy as that may sound, if a face never has any possibility of getting beaten, on any level, then he will lose his edge, and the crowd will eventually tune out, considering him to be a character who has reached a standstill.

The key to all of this is that the beatdown has to come from a viable heel, so the crowd believes it in the first place.  And, the moment actually does some good for both sides of the equation, as it also elevates the heel because he has bragging rights from that point on.

1: Just Win

This is the big one, the one that makes all the difference in the world.

You can have the most popular babyface in the history of the business, a guy who every fan in attendance, and every fan at home, rallies behind and supports 100 percent.  

But, if that guy never wins, then who cares?  If Ricky Steamboat had never won any of his matches against Ric Flair, if he could not buy a victory, no matter how hard he tried, then he would have faded away very quickly.

If Stone Cold was just an anti-authority figure who talked trash, flipped off Vince McMahon, drank beer and never won a match, then he would not be Stone Cold.

He would be that crazy neighbor who gets arrested every weekend.

Winning fixes everything.  Despite how big, or how small the match, the face has to win his fair share or fans will simply not care about him.

Fans want to see a face's hard work and dedication to his craft pay off in the end.  It satisfies their need to see their favorites win, and it does great things for the guy getting his arm raised at the end of the match.

We all know it's predetermined, but let's face it.  At the end of the day, the wins and losses do matter. Especially for the babyface.