How do I become a Referee in Professional Wrestling?

Referees do not get the due credit that they deserve for the role they play in the ring. Professional wrestling is an entertainment sport in which the wrestlers follow a script and entertain effortlessly.

But little do people realize that the referees are an essential part of this play (Kayfabe).

In professional wrestling, a referee is responsible for more than just counting down and bringing the game to an end.

A referee is responsible for directing the flow of the match and passing information from higher management to the wrestlers while in the ring. 

A referee can use hand symbols and signals to tell wrestlers to pick up the pace when the fight has taken a slow pace. A professional Referee must know to protect himself and the people wrestling in front of him. 

And this brings us to the question,

How do I become a Professional Wrestling Referee?

To become a professional Referee, you must:

1.  Learn the fundamentals of pro-wrestling 

It means you must know the in and out of wrestling rules and tactics as though you were a wrestler. You have to know the rules that guide a match to coordinate it properly. 

When a referee gets cued in through the earpiece, they are mandated to wear it. You want to execute the order naturally without alerting the audience to the incoming plot twist.

2. Get trained

Whether it is a specific kind of training or not, a referee is mandated to get trained and be physically fit.

WHY?

As a referee, you need a lot of cardio and conditioning. 

The mere fact of being in a ring with two professional wrestlers is not an easy task. 

It requires lots of conditioning and stamina to protect yourself and not get mixed up in the fight. 

You are to keep yourself safe and keep an eye out for the wrestlers.

Many referees opt to go to a professional wrestling school where they are trained like wrestlers and learn the insights of the entertainment business.

A referee must learn how to take strikes and use moves like the break fold and the bump.

3. Learn the Psychology of Pro-wrestling

A good referee understands the psychology guiding this raw and intense sport. 

It means you need to know:

• Where to be at certain times as the match takes place. 
• when to insert authority and interfere in a match 
• When to back off and let a storyline run its course
• When to stop a match and when to let it continue

Where to apply

You become a referee by applying with your local state board and fulfilling their requirements. 

You can become a WWE Referee by applying on the company’s page. 

Click here to go on WWE’s page.

What Kind of Training Do WWE Referees go through?

The WWE Training is no different from what professional training schools offer. 

The aspiring referees get trained like wrestlers, which involves cardio. 

They are also trained on their entry, handiwork, selling the storyline, and taking bumps.

Here is a list of the best pro wrestling schools in the US and around the world where you can get the proper training to be a ref

• The Best pro wrestling schools in California
• The Best pro wrestling schools in Florida
• The Best pro wrestling schools in Virginia
• The Best pro wrestling schools in Michigan
• The Best pro wrestling schools in New York
• The Best pro wrestling schools in Ohio
• The Best pro wrestling schools in Canada
• The Best pro wrestling schools in the UK
• The Best pro wrestling schools in Australia

If you want to understand more about the role of a referee, here is a great article we wrote about that: here