What are the rules of a pro wrestling match? How does it work?

As the build towards WWE's biggest event of the year gets hotter, for non-wrestling fans, WrestleMania is the time of year to tune in to see the industry's grandest stage of them all. 

The names you may already be aware of, some like Dwayne Johnson, are now more famous than their wrestling lineage, but do you know how a professional wrestling match actually works? 

Here's our simple guide to the rules of professional wrestling bouts. 

What are the rules of a pro wrestling match?

The simple premise behind a pro wrestling match is to pin your opponents to the mat for a referee count of three or have your opponent submit due to a submission manoeuvre - i.e. a move so painful the competitor can no longer continue. 

Only 'traditional' wrestling moves are generally permitted, and you could face a disqualification for things like eye-gouging, hair-pulling and low blows. A disqualification also hands a victory to your opponent. 

The final way to win is if your opponent is 'counted out'. This means if one competitor is outside of the ring at the end of a referee ten-count.

What about a tag team match?

The rules for a tag team bout are essentially the same but with teams of two. Only one member of each team can be in the ring at any point (unless otherwise stated under a tornado rule), and the only way the other member can enter the match is by receiving a tag from the competition in the ring. 

The two men in the ring are then considered 'legal' and the normal rules of a wrestling match then apply. 

Are there other match types that have different rules?

Wrestling has a number of other 'stipulation matches' where the simple rules of professional wrestling change. Some of the regularly used match gimmicks are...

• Triple threat - a match consisting of three opponents.
• Fatal-4-way - a match consisting of four opponents.
• Cage match - a match inside a steel cage where you can win by escaping the cage through the door or over the top of the structure.
• No DQ - a match with no disqualification therefore anything is permitted.
• Last Man Standing - a match where there is no disqualification but the only way to win is to stay standing for a count of ten.
• I Quit - a match where the only way to win is to make your opponent say the words 'I quit'. 

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