The "Pinball" Bumping Style

[khawk20]

Had a discussion about this via e-mail and the question was posed to me about whether or not Ray Stevens was the primary influence of the "Pinball" style of bumping, taking such bumps as the upside-down-turnbuckle roll (ala Flair), or holding the ropes and getting your leg kicked so you go flying upwards (ala Hennig).

 

A lot of guys that worked in the late 70's and 80's that employed some form of the Pinball style as their styles developed (such as Adrian Adonis, or Curt Hennig) would have had exposure to Stevens in their formative years, so I can see them learning from him. Bobby Heenan would certainly have picked up a lot of how he bumped from watching and working with Stevens.

 

When you consider that the bumping style from the 50's seems a lot different than what it developed into in the next few decades, it would not surprise me if Stevens was the originator of a lot of that style.

 

Did Stevens originate a lot of those bumps? If not who were his influences?

[JerryvonKramer]

My immediate thought is that The Funks would have influenced how a lot of guys took bumps as well. I think there's a line of guys including Dick Murdoch, Ted DiBiase, Arn Anderson, and Dick Slater who whether directly or indirectly all took a lot from the way both Dory and Terry would take certain bumps. I don't know if you'd call any of those guys' bumping styles "pinball".

 

The other factor I wonder about in terms of influence is Harley Race, who was more or less a bumping machine. I see he had some time in Amarillo early in his career, but was trained by the Zybyskos.

 

Can you clarify exactly who qualifies as "pinballs"? Curt Hennig's bumping style is quite unique in that I've never seen a another guy bounce back 20 feet from a basic turnbuckle spot.

[khawk20]

I'd consider "Pinball" similar to "over-the-top", in terms of athletic actions in response to a move or hold. Hennig getting his legs licked out from under him while he was holding the ropes, for example, or the "Flair flip" (for lack of a better term) into the turnbuckles, or Adrian Adonis being punched over the ropes so he ende dup with his arm tied up in them, exposed to the whim of the face. Buddy Rose getting knocked out of the ring back-first (the one where he catches the ropes with his toes at the last second to avoid hitting his head on the concrete) might also apply.

[jdw]

I always thought of "pinball bumping" more along the lines of getting hit, bumping, getting back up, getting hit again, bumping, getting back up, getting hit again, bumping. Rapid fire bumping, in other words.

 

As far as who originated, don't know. Obviously Tully was one who did it quite a bit, while Shawn and Hennig got credit for it later. Of course Flair could eat a number of clotheslines from faces, pop back up only to eat another. Dusty loved heels bumping for him like that as well.

 

John

[Matt D]

I know Buddy Rogers was one of Stevens mentors but I can't remember him bumping like that from the few matches I saw, but they may have been the wrong ones to see it in.

[MJH]

Like John, I'd always thought of pinball-bumping as the bobo doll effect, rather than the big OTT stooge bumps.

 

The OTT bumps almost surely predate Stevens and are as old as guys were taking bumps; the bobo doll effect being more modern.

[khawk20]

Like John, I'd always thought of pinball-bumping as the bobo doll effect, rather than the big OTT stooge bumps.

If there is a better name for what I'm asking about, please suggest it. Pinball bumping was just what I called it, for lack of a better term that captured the spirit of what I was looking for.

[Jingus]

I always thought of "pinball bumping" more along the lines of getting hit, bumping, getting back up, getting hit again, bumping, getting back up, getting hit again, bumping. Rapid fire bumping, in other words.

Nah, that's just bumping and feeding, and doing so quickly. I've always associated "pinball" bumping with the Shawn Michaels style, where the guy acts like his body is made of flubber and he takes a bunch of big, showy, bouncy bumps. Like, how Rock always oversold for the Stunner, looking as if he were bumping on a trampoline.

[Mr Wrestling X]

As refreshing as it is to see somebody sell well in WWE, Dolph Ziggler got it colossally wrong here:

 

[goodhelmet]

It was over the top but I have no problem with that bump. I had A bigger problem with Rikishi doing a spinning bump off weak Kane clotheslines.

[Mr Wrestling X]

It was over the top but I have no problem with that bump.

I dunno, I guess it's OK to a point, since it's not like you see that kind of bumping on a regular basis. I would prefer it to be a response to a big move though, something like a monkey flip is trivial, and if that is the move which receives the biggest sell, it somewhat diminishes the big moves and finishers. I say somewhat, because finishing and signature moves will always be over when performed by a popular wrestler.

 

I'd have no problem with that sell, if it was performed during a Hurricanrana or Frankensteiner spot, since both are generally high spots in WWE style matches.

[MJH]

You'd be amazed how many wrestling trainees do that before they get it "right"... but, no, what I'd much rather see, as much as I love a good stooge, is a guy who bumps and feeds in one (ie, they use the force of their bump bouncing the ring to propel them on the way back up); I don't recall seeing anyone do it since Shawn was younger (and motivated).

[Mr Wrestling X]

but, no, what I'd much rather see, as much as I love a good stooge, is a guy who bumps and feeds in one (ie, they use the force of their bump bouncing the ring to propel them on the way back up); I don't recall seeing anyone do it since Shawn was younger (and motivated).

Isn't that what Rob Van Dam does when he performs the 5-star Frog Splash? You know, the bit where he bounces upwards and sells the impact on his midsection, before going for the cover?

[MJH]

Same basic principle/technique, yeah. The point being, it's less of a "I'm gonna get you this time" (heel getting back up of their own volition), and more "heel is slammed down with such force that they bounce back up" (not of their own doing), which, for me anyway, works better as the idea behind it

[Mr Wrestling X]

Same basic principle/technique, yeah. The point being, it's less of a "I'm gonna get you this time" (heel getting back up of their own volition), and more "heel is slammed down with such force that they bounce back up" (not of their own doing), which, for me anyway, works better as the idea behind it

So kind of like Shawn's selling in

?

[goodhelmet]

I thought Shawn's bumping was perfectly fine in that match.

[JerryvonKramer]

Reading around Blassie recently, it was mentioned that he was a bumper who worked from underneath in the Flair manner. With Stevens's West Coast connection, do you know how much of his style -- if anything -- he took from Blassie? Any thoughts?

[Superstar Sleeze]

As refreshing as it is to see somebody sell well in WWE, Dolph Ziggler got it colossally wrong here:

 

They busted that spot out at Superstars taping here in Boston and we loved it. I actually forgot that spot and I think he should bring it back especially as a face now. I have enjoyed his mid-90s Randy Savage-inspired matches as no one makes the heels look better on TV than Dolph.

 

I always thought those two had pretty good chemistry with each other. I think Kofi is useless with pretty much everyone else and I think Dolph never seems to reach his full potential, but together they always have enjoyable matches.

 

I always associated "pinball" bumping with the style mentioned by khawk (Hennig, HBK, Flair) that is over the top. But John and other make a good point that is not really how a pinball works. A pinball is rapid fire bouncing off the walls. I hardly think ths thread will change conventional naming, but I think "trampoline" bumping is more accurate description of what is going on as someone pointed out already. Flair, Hennig etc... all felt as if they coming off a trampoline more so than a pinball clanging all around.

[JerryvonKramer]

Not sure I agree with that Martin: if you look at a Flair match, he's here, there and everywhere like a pinball. Think of that spot: up on the turnbuckles, then literally he runs across to the other turnbuckle and comes crashing down into the middle. Another spot has him flipping over the turnbuckle. Another flopping forward. Another crashing outside the ring. Compare that to a static 70s mat-based match and Flair has a lot of MOTION: up, down, left, right, out on the floor.

 

I think the term is more fitting for him than it is for Hennig. It seems like Flair is the real heir of Stevens, rather than Hennig.

[Mad Dog]

Gorgeous George was a fairly exaggerated bumper from the handful of matches I've seen him in.

[tsurutaman]

Re: the pinball bumping. I see two common factors here. The fact that most of the workers listed (Stevens, Flair, Henning)

worked the majority of their careers as heels. By their nature they have to sell "bigger" than the faces. Also it appears to be a West Coast trademark from the people mentioned. One could argue they had a bigger "show biz" quotient than the strict Lou Thesz/St. Louis way of working back in the 50's and 60's.

 

I do remember something in Roddy Piper's book about him using this pinball style out west and when he went to Georgia (?) Ole Anderson had a meeting with him and told him it was total crap. Something like "what would you do in a real fight if a guy jumped up and tried all this fancy stuff". Piper said he'd knock him silly. Thereafter we got Hotrod's more realistic brawling style.

[Zenjo]

If you want the best example of this style go and watch one of Shawn Michaels Royal Rumble wins.

[Loss]

I think there's an interesting discussion to be had about why bumping isn't too emphasized in the Japanese style, and why Japanese crowds don't typically pop for bumps in Japan the way they do in the States.

[MikeCampbell]

I would imagine it's probably similar to the mentality of why you don't see Japanese wrestlers begging off like you see a lot in the states. It makes them seem weak.

[Childs]

I think there's an interesting discussion to be had about why bumping isn't too emphasized in the Japanese style, and why Japanese crowds don't typically pop for bumps in Japan the way they do in the States.

Is that really true, though? Taking head drops is a form of bumping, and that became a signature feature in All Japan, to a harmful degree.

 

Kikuchi got over largely because of the way he bumped and ate offense. Tanahashi uses big bumps to help get his main-event matches over.

 

I agree that Japan hasn't produced a lot of showy bumpers in the Flair/Henning/HBK sense. But I wouldn't go too far in saying it's not emphasized.