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As interesting as it would be if a match were truly fought in the dark with glow sticks or night-vision goggles, that is not what a dark match refers to in professional wrestling. A dark match refers to an event that is non-televised, assuming that the rest of the show is televised (i.e, Monday Night Raw). These matches are only for those in the arena who bought tickets to be at the taping, hence not being televised, or “dark”.
The dark match can be held before or after the main show. If its held before, it is typically used to warm the crowd up and possibly showcase new talent. If it is held after, it features main event talent to send the crowd home happy. And, though not common, titles have changed hands at non-televised events.
Does this ever differ?
So this is your traditional, “what do people mean when they say ‘dark’ match?” answer, however, I have been to some local venues that have a different take.
Since dark matches are typically done in a non-televised fashion when the rest of the event is televised, how can local companies hold a dark match if none of it is televised? Well the answer that I’ve seen first hand is to do exactly what I stated in the first sentence: hold the match in the dark. So, having the house lights dimmed is a way “house shows” can hold dark matches. Another example would be a masked competitor with an ending reveal.
Your other options are…
If one competitor comes out as a masked character and sets up to face off against a popular wrestler in the company, this can also be a dark match. The match continues and at the end, the masked competitor reveals who they are, typically advancing a storyline.
Dark matches – another item of intrigue to keep us tuning in and checking out wrestling news. Now, how does this differ from a house show?
[…] To read more about dark matches, see my post about them here. […]