Ricky Morton: Difference between revisions

In [[Professional Wrestling]], most tag-team matches follow a similar formula: one member of the [[Face]] team gets the snot beaten out of him for most of the match by the [[Heel]] team, then - with his last ounce of energy - makes it back to his corner and tags in his partner, who (having spent the match thus far standing around) is fresh and ready to kick some ass. The wrestler who takes the majority of the beating is said to be "playing [[Ricky Morton]]". The trope is named after Ricky Morton, one half of the legendary Rock 'n Roll Express tag team, who raised this formula to an art form.

Usually, members of a team will take turns playing [['''Ricky Morton]]''' in different matches; however, if one partner is noticeably larger than the other, the smaller one will usually be in the [['''Ricky Morton]]''' role. This is done for three main reasons:

The climactic tag of a [['''Ricky Morton]]''' to his partner (also known as the "hot tag") is usually teased several times before it comes to pass in what is known as a [[Hope Spot]]; sometimes, the tag will even be made, but it will be negated by an [[Easily-Distracted Referee]] who did not see the tag and forces the [['''Ricky Morton]]''' back into the ring as the legal man.

You might see heels get to play Ricky Morton too, which sets up a story where the face beats the heel around to make the fans happy, the heel tags in his fresh partner (who creams the tired face), and the face finally tags in his partner (who creams the heels and wins the match). This has a pretty good narrative flow to it. Another twist is for both sides to play Ricky Morton ''at once'' -- the—the match eventually becomes about whether the face or the heel will tag their partner in first, getting the advantage.