Notes from the Ring

Published December 28, 2007

Whether you're educating the unworthy on the finer points of Thugonomics as John Cena in WWE® SmackDown vs. RAW® 2008, or smacking down the competition with your own created character, proper ring tactics are required learning if you want to reach Wrestlemania and claim victory on WWE's biggest stage.

Poor Cena.

Mix it Up

Repetition in the ring is a quick road to embarrassing defeat. You've got to mix it up between strikes and grapples, and with a wide variety of both. Your momentum meter builds quickly when you utilize your entire repertoire of moves, but repeat them too often and the crowd will bore swiftly, causing your momentum to stagnate.

Variety is equally important for avoiding enemy reversals. Keep grappling after a kick to the gut and your opponent will catch on quickly, turning your aggression to their advantage as they plant you on the mat or twist you into a submission move.

The Quick Kill

It may seem entertaining to humiliate a roughed up opponent by continuing to beat on them, but remember, pro wrestling is a game of momentum. Give an embarrassed opponent enough chances and a once certain victory can turn to defeat in the blink of an eye. When you've got your opponent on the ropes, finish it.

Nothing like a Hardcore battle to wake you up in the morning.

Drag them Free

There's nothing like a rope break to send your spirits plummeting. If an opponent can reach the ropes when you lock in a submission move or go for a pin, they'll be freed automatically. Thwart this tactic by clicking and holding down on the right stick. This will allow you to grab hold of your opponent and drag them well free from the ropes and away from a cheap second chance.

Turtle Taunting

When you're beat up and in danger of losing a match, it's time to turtle. Back away from your opponent, dodge their attacks, slink out of the ring, and generally do whatever you can to avoid them.

While you're flustering your opponent, take the opportunity to taunt (any direction on the d-pad) if you've got a few free seconds. Once you've gained a bit of momentum from your taunts and reduced your injured body parts from red to at least orange, it's time to go back on the attack.

Interrupted Flow

In addition to unleashing the full suite of violence on your opponent, interrupt your timing to avoid any reversals. For example, instead of tapping X repeatedly for strike attacks, tap it once, wait a second, and then hit it again. Never let them get a bead on your timing.

I think barbed wire wins that one. That's just me though.

Class Familiarity

With WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2008, each wrestler's designated class plays a much, much larger role than in past games. Powerhouses can hulk up and shrug off any strike attacks, Technical fighters can trigger brief bouts of instant reversals on all attacks, Dirty fighters can unleash a powerful, wince-worthy attack, and so on and so forth. Consult your manual each time you switch classes, and make certain you're familiar with all the tactics.

Core Strengths

A balanced wrestler may seem a fine idea, but when you're building a wrestler in the 24/7 Mode, it's important to prioritize certain abilities. For example, the Undertaker isn't much of a Submission wrestler, but he's got Strength and Power for days. Focus on your wrestler's natural or chosen strengths above all else. Excellence in one or two categories is a good deal better than average ability in several.

What you lookin' at? Wanna be next?

Work the Weakness

Once you've inflicted enough pain and torment on any one of your opponent's body parts, it's time to focus in on that injured part to the exclusion of all else. All you really need for an early pin is just a single body part flashing in the red, so really go to work on their weakness when it presents itself.

Weak to Power

Tempting though it may be to start throwing down with power grapples, it just doesn't work that way. Whittle away at your opponent's defenses and stamina with strikes and weak grapples in the early going. Then, when you've dished out a healthy bit of damage, start mixing in the strong and ultimate control grapples.

The bell has rung, and the crowd is near hysterical. It's your turn to enter the squared circle and smack down!

Article by Ryan Treit