Photo Credit: Roman Reigns (Instagram)
Content Overview:
Professional Wrestling is a physical sport combined with entertainment. While wrestlers need to be athletic and sharp to perform at the highest level, appearance is also significant in the squared circle. Playing different gimmicks, each wrestler has different looks.
While some wrestlers keep short hair, some don’t have hair at all. However, seeing long-haired wrestlers is a more widespread occurrence than normal. In WWE, from the Golden Era to the modern era, several top wrestlers have had long hair, which is often soaked in water before entering the ring.
In old-school wrestling, promotions like NWA and WCW consisted of many wrestlers with long hair. Even today, the same pattern could be noted in AEW or TNA, besides WWE. The query remains unanswered on why the wrestlers have long and wet hair, notably before entering a match. Let’s explore the potential factors behind this decades-long trend of professional wrestlers.
5) The Long Hair Looks Good In The Ring
It is conventional for female wrestlers to keep long hair because it has been a thing for years. However, seeing male professional wrestlers with lengthy hair is an equally common sight just as seeing bald stars.
With captivating ring gear and an eye-catching good physique, long hair looks more fitting than short hair, which is the reason many muscular WWE Superstars have been maintaining the hair length for years, unlike combat sports like MMA and boxing, where long hair could be an obstacle.
For example, Edge, aka Adam Copeland, had blonde hair in his prime, which was a core trait of his character, but once he chopped the iconic hair, it didn’t feel the same. Before attempting his finisher Spear from the ring corner, Edge would pull up his hair with one hand, giving a menacing gaze to his opponents, and it became an iconic part of his matches.
4) Long Hair Doesn’t Hinder Performance In The Ring
In a physically full-contact sport like Boxing or Mixed Martial Arts, long hair does create an obstacle in the performance. In such cases, they tie the hair. However, wrestlers do not encounter the same problem while performing in the ring.
Performing flashy moves and keeping a great pace during matches is the main objective of professional wrestlers, as opposed to hitting real punches or kicks at opponents. Wrestling is choreographed, and the performers do not need to guess what is coming next.
While female wrestlers perform keeping their hair down, the male wrestlers with long hair take the same approach because it doesn’t negatively impact their performance in the squared circle. Two greatest in-ring technicians such as Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart kept long hair throughout their wrestling careers.
3) Long-Haired Wrestlers Can Experiment Different Hairstyles
With short hair, it is difficult to try new hairstyles in the ring. Whether during promos or matches, short-haired wrestlers usually keep the same look due to the limited opportunities for experimenting.
On the other hand, wrestlers with long hair can switch up their looks and hairstyles frequently, depending on segments. Along with different outfits, contrasting hairstyles are common.
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For instance, Seth Rollins has shoulder-length hair. While he wears his hair down during his bouts, he often ties his hair up during non-wrestling segments. Likewise, his former Shield brother, Roman Reigns, does the same effortlessly.
2) It Goes Well With Facial Hair
Seeing WWE Superstars or professional wrestlers with facial hair is a familiar sight. Moustaches or beards of wrestlers become iconic over time. Hulk Hogan’s striking blonde mustache in the 1980s and the blonde and black beard in the 1990s left a lasting impression. He complemented the look with long and thin hair and a bandana.
Similarly, wrestlers like Bray Wyatt, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Kevin Nash, The Undertaker, Mick Foley, and Daniel Bryan pulled off the combination of lengthy hair and a beard seamlessly.
Taking into account how well the facial stubble and long hair go well, it could be the primary reason behind the popular trend.
1) The Wet Long Hair Make Each Entrance Stand Out
Entrance plays a pivotal part in professional wrestling. Besides the captivating theme songs, wrestlers aim to present themselves in the best possible way under perfect lighting during the entrance. This is when long hair could be a game-changing factor.
Due to the good lighting, many long-haired wrestlers soak their hair with water, typically carrying a water bottle and pouring it on the head right before the entrance. Upon roaring and swinging head, which is common during the entrance, the overall physique and wet hair look impeccable.
Triple H was known for splashing water on his long hair before making his grand entrance. The Shield members, especially Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, emulated the same thing before their unconventional entrance from the audience section. Even today, Rollins and Reigns soak their hair with water before entering the squared circle before competing in a match.
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Avik Das is an English Literature graduate with an experience of over six years as a professional writer. He has written for renowned publications such as The Sportster, Sportskeeda, Pinkvilla, and The Things
