Shoot
An unscripted event
Example
That promo last night had to be a shoot. I've never seen anyone get that visibly angry before
Related Slang
| Work | A scripted event |
| Worked shoot | A scripted event that contains unscripted elements |
| Mark | A fan who believes pro wrestling is real |
| Face | Hero |
| Heel | Villain |
| Kayfabe | Pretending something fake is real |
| Cut a promo | Stage a promotional interview |
| Put over | Make someone look good |
| Jobber | A character who loses fights to make others look good |
| WWE | World Wrestling Entertainment |
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In professional wrestling, any unscripted, improvised event can be referred to as a shoot. Because professional wrestling is highly scripted, shoots are rare. They tend to occur during emotional matches, when a wrestler encounters a reason to act off-script, and while wrestlers are ad-libbing promos.
What is the origin of shoot?
Shoot is derived from the term "straight shooting," which carnival workers use to refer to target shooting guns that are "honest" and do not have altered sights. As professional wrestling branched off from the carnival industry, it co-opted the shoot term and began using it to refer to unscripted events that occurred during a performance.
What is the opposite of a shoot?
The opposite of a shoot is a work, or scripted event. Because pro wrestling relies on wrestlers sticking to the script and maintaining kayfabe, most matches, friendships, and rivalries are works.
In some cases, an event that appears to be a shoot may actually be a work. These sorts of events are often referred to as worked shoots.