Work
A scripted event
Example
The rivalry between John Cena and AJ Styles is obviously a work. I'm pretty sure I saw them smile at each other last night
Related Slang
| Shoot | An unscripted 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 |
Baseball Slang Quiz: Can you bat 1.000?
In professional wrestling, any pre-scripted event can be referred to as a work. Because professional wrestling is highly scripted, most matches, friendships, and rivalries are works - though wrestlers and audiences tend to pretend they're real.
What is the opposite of a work?
The opposite of a work is a shoot, or unscripted event. Because pro wrestling relies on wrestlers sticking to the script and maintaining kayfabe, shoots are uncommon. However, during particularly emotional performances, wrestlers may be enticed to act off-script, transforming a work into a shoot.
In some instances, wrestlers (and their writers) attempt to make works seem like they are shoots. These sorts of events are often referred to as worked shoots.