In the professional wrestling, the kayfabe (KAY-fayb delivery; IPA: ) refers to the fact of giving the illusion which wrestling is real and is not arranged. An all-in wrestler who would break the kayfabe during a show would be as an actor who breaks his character in front of the camera.

The kayfabe is often seen as a voluntary Suspension of incredulity which is used for hiding aspects of wrestling like the competitions, the storylines, and the gimmicks, in a similar way compared to a television serial or a film. In the past, the kayfabe was strongly applied to preserve the illusion which wrestling is not arranged. With the advent of Internet and its communities of fans, and movement of the sporting entertainment, the secrecies of wrestling became more difficult to preserve compared to the preceding decades. Today, the kayfabe is sometimes broken to advance in the storylines, to explain the prolongation of an absence because of a legitimate wound, or for a homage to an all-in wrestler, or even for a comic effect.

Origins of the term

Terms of wrestling take their source for some at the origins of this one which was present in fairs or carnivals, in particular the " term; kayfabe" who was a slogan of carnavalier to indicate " the protection of the secrecies of the business". The " term; kayfabe" in itself undoubtedly its origins of the Latin Pig, the old form of " finds; fake" (" ake-fay") or " Be fake" (to be false).

Kayfabe can also derive from another trick used by the carnavaliers. With the lack of money, a carnavalier was going to call another and ask for " Kay Fabian". It was the code leaving with those the insurance of going in another city without having to pay the cost of a phone call.

The " term; kayfabe" was adopted (and even employed wrongly) by the elements external with industry (fans and some journalists) with popularization of the news bulletins and later various short available on Internet. The regular use of " kayfabe" can refer to a narrative convention like not " to break the personnage" , which is current in the theater. The " kayfabe" remained however strictly maintained for the interest of wrestling, and thus not to reveal the predetermined organization of the matches and its aspects. In practice, this requirement prohibited to the all-in wrestlers, to the promoters and with their families of speaking frankly about their work to the fans or the press.

Famous examples

• the Montreal Screwjob.

• Incidental MSG in 1996 during which Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall have famous unit the departure of these two last to WCW whereas the kayfabe implied Michaels and Hall in a role of faces and in Nash and Triple H in a role of heels.
• the promotion of Paul Heyman at the time of ECW One Night Stand 2005.
• Vince McMahon seeing itself obliging to announce on television the stop of the history putting in scene its characteristic died, follows to the real death of Chris Benoit.

Certain actual facts, although not being directly produced with television, also inspired by the stories/feuds. It is the case of:

• the feud between David Batista and King Booker, started from a true dispute enters both.

• bad relations between Ric Sense of smell and Mick Foley, which was used at the great day in order to create a competition with RAW.
• problems of couples between Matt Hardy, Lita and Edge.
• Dustin Runnels refusing to play a character whom it found full ridiculous into WCW Nitro. The stop of its character had been in fact quite front decided, and all was only put in scene.

Simple: Kayfabe

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