Behind the scenes tales in professional wrestling are usually the most interesting – and Wrestler’s Court is no different.
Tales of ass-kissing superstars, annoying habits and some funny ways to make “the boys” laugh, Wrestler’s Court is one of the most infamous rituals in pro-wrestling.
While you may have heard the stories about The Undertaker presiding over court proceedings, you may not understand exactly what wrestler’s court is, and who invented the concept.
In this article, we’ll explain everything.
What Is Wrestler’s Court?
Wrestler’s Court was a way of wrestlers policing the behavior in their locker room, most famously during the 1990s and 2000s in the WWE.
It was a Kangaroo Court – an unofficial courtroom held by a group of people in order to try someone for unwanted behavior.
The idea was to keep the locker room in check, making sure undesirable behavior was stopped, in a fun, humorous way – although it did not always go that way.
Often times it was an incredibly hostile and distressing environment – some wrestlers were turned to tears over their experiences, while others were almost pushed out of the business.
While in theory Wrestler’s Court was a good thing, in practice it was just another way to bully people that the biggest guys in the locker room did not like.
Who Invented Wrestler’s Court?
Former WWE manager Zeb Coulter (also known as Dutch Mantel) is said to have invented Wrestler’s Court.
Wrestler’s Court was first introduced by Mantell in the 1970s, used in various promotions during this time – most notably in Memphis, the territory run by Jerry Jarrett.
It was first thought up by Mantell as a way to help settle locker room disputes, as well as keeping moral high in a difficult business.
The idea was taken a lot more seriously following the death of Bruiser Brody in 1988, and became a fixture of many places after the fact.
Dutch Mantell himself joined the WWE in 1994, bring the concept with him and appointing The Undertaker as the main judge in the WWE’s Wrestler’s Court.
The concept has now taken on a mind of its own, and went on to be a part of multiple promotions, including the WWE and TNA.
Famous Wrestler’s Court Stories
Some of the most famous “Wrestler’s Court” stories involve the likes of Edge, Christian Cage, Teddy Long and even Grado!
Is Wrestler’s Court Still A Thing?
It looks as though Wrestler’s Court is no longer a thing, at least in the WWE.
With the retirement of stars like Undertaker and Triple H, the concept was largely rejected by the new generation of WWE Superstars.
However, there is still the idea of a locker room leader, dishing out punishments to wrestlers who go against the agreed upon behavior of the rest of the wrestlers.
For example, Roman Reigns is said to have kicked Enzo Amore of a WWE tour bus following some unruly behavior, although this did not follow a session of Wrestler’s Court to come to that decision.
TNA (now Impact Wrestling) also had their own version of Wrestler’s Court. Kurt Angle served as the judge, although it is unknown how this compared to the WWE’s version.