If you were ever called a “Jabroni,” you probably asked yourself: “What is a ‘Jabroni’? Where could that have possibly come from? Who even made up that word?”
You’d be surprised to find out that a lot of the things you hear got their start from professional wrestling. Yes, that’s right. Pro wrestling has a litany of popular catchphrases that infiltrate our every day lives and you didn’t even realize it. So if you hear any of these phrases or words, just know that they got their humble beginnings in the ring.
1. “To be the man, you gotta beat the man.”
share
Ric Flair was one of the more popular characters to come from pro wrestling and he is considered a legend in the industry. His mic skills and cocky exclamations made this guy memorable.
2. “Stompin’ a Mud Hole and Walkin It Dry.”
share
Jim Ross is a legendary announcer for the WWE and he had his share of great one-liners. This one is used whenever someone is kicking someone a lot.
3. “Jabroni.”
share
Jabroni is a term that was actually made up by The Rock. He used this phrase on people who get beat in matches and lost all the time. It means someone whose only job is to make the superstars look good by getting beaten by them.
4. “If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying.”
share
Los Guerreros made their presence known in the WWE by cheating, and cheating a lot. They used this phrase to let everyone know that when they fought, it wasn’t going to be a fair fight.
5. “Can you dig it, sucka?”
share
Booker T’s catchphrase transcends wrestling and has entered mainstream culture. I can totally dig that, sucka!
6. “Can I get a hell yeah?!”
share
If you’ve ever gone outside, I’m sure you’ve seen an “Austin 3:16” shirt or sign somewhere. Stone Cold Steve Austin was one of the most popular wrestlers ever, and his catchphrases helped propel him to superstardom. Whenever he wanted to do something, he’d ask the audience for permission first. For example, he’d say, “If you want to see me kick his ass, give me a hell yeah!” The crowd would cheer “Hell yeah!” and Stone Cold would proceed to kick some ass.
7. “YES! YES! YES!”
share
Daniel Bryan made this a very popular catchphrase. He gets crowds chanting “YES!” anytime he is in the ring. The chant has moved outside of the wrestling arena and can be heard at many other sporting events.
8. “If you smell what The Rock is cookin’.”
share
This catchphrase was so popular, it actually made it into The Rock’s theme song. We all smelled what he was cooking, and some people to this day still use this phrase outside of the context of wrestling.
9. “Whatcha gonna do?”
share
The classic wrestler and classic catchphrase were quoted so many times by so many people, it seems like we’ll never escape Hulkamania. Just make sure it doesn’t run wild on you.
10. “Woo!”
share
“The Dirtiest Player In The Game” Ric Flair had this catchphrase gain steam after his numerous interviews. He would punctuate his sentences with a “Woo!” when he was super excited. Even one of his signature moves were named the “Woo chops,” where he would slap his opponent’s chest and the whole crowd would cheer, “Woo!”
11. “That’s the bottom line.”
share
Another Stone Cold catchphrase. He would use to punctuate his interviews with “That’s the bottom line because Stone Cold said so.” There’s no refuting that, I suppose.
12. “Suck it.”
share
One of the more vulgar catchphrases and physical movements became so huge that parents were a little offended when their kids started saying it. D-Generation X were the geniuses behind this. But if you’ve ever seen the X over the crotch, you know that person was probably a wrestling fan in the 90s Attitude Era.
13. “Know your role and shut your hole.”
share
The Rock had a litany of catchphrases, and this was one of his more popular sayings. He’d get the crowd behind him to finish this sentence, simply exclaiming, “Know your role.” While the crowd screamed, “And shut your hole!” Simply put, it means you are not an important person, so you shouldn’t be running your mouth.
The next time someone tries to lay the smack down on you, just remember these phrases. You’ll be sure to impress everyone in your office. Or at least the secret WWE fans. And remember: whatever you do, don’t be a Jabroni.
