Universo Paralelo

Existem diversos estilo e enfoques aplicados na apresentação da luta livre profissional, variando de pais para pais e de região para região, aonde normalmente as empresas tendem a se especializar em um unico genero ou estilo:

• Esporte de Entretenimento: combina lutadores coloridos com estórias dramaticas, apresentando um foco menor no esporte. Esse é o estilo usado pela World Wrestling Entertainment e pela Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, sendo sem sombra de duvidas a mais popular forma de luta livre profissional. Apesar disso, é descrito pelos criticos como luta livre barata, devido a uso frequente de violencia gratuita e de piadas chulas.

• Estilo do Sul: coloca a mesma enfase no teatro e esporte, tendendo a favorecer os papeis de heroi e vilão. É sem sombra de dúvidas famoso na América do Sul e era praticado pela National Wrestling Alliance, Jim Crockett Promotions e a finada World Championship Wrestling. Esse era o estilo praticado no Brasil

Lutador Brasileiro Fantomas sendo imobilizado

Puroresu -- Another type, finding new popularity in North America, is strong style wrestling, which forgoes elaborate characterizations in favor of athletic prowess. This is very popular in Japan as the fighters use martial arts strikes and dangerous submission holds similar to mixed martial arts. Promotions of this style include New Japan Pro Wrestling and Universal Wrestling Federation.

King's Road -- is a variant of Japanese puroresu which features long matches filled with dramatic tension built up from the physical struggles. This style was pioneered by All Japan Pro Wrestling. Pro Wrestling Noah, which was founded by All Japan wrestlers, uses a modified form of the style.

Hardcore -- is a style which emphasizes high levels of brutality, focusing on use of weapons and unusual environment elements for heightened violence, it is also known as extreme, garbage or ultra-violent wrestling. The most famous promotion to use this style was Extreme Championship Wrestling. Other promotions known for the hardcore style are IWA Mid-South and Combat Zone Wrestling in the United States and FMW and Big Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan.

Lucha libre -- (Spanish for "free fight") is a Mexican style that is characterized by rapid sequences of holds and moves as well as spectacular aerial techniques and colorful theatrics (most notably Masks). Lucha libre has elements of sports entertainment (masks and midget wrestlers) but also emphasizes on a wrestler's athletic prowess and matches can often have dire results. Match stipulations include loss of hair or masks for the losing opponent. Lucha libre enjoyed a surge of popularity and critical acclaim internationally during the 1990s, and has greatly influenced wrestlers from other countries such as the United States, Japan and Canada. Rey Mysterio, Jr. and Último Dragón are notable foreign born lucha-style wrestlers who have found much success in their home countries.

While some promotions specialize in one specific style, others produce events with a more diverse array that appeals to varied tastes. Extreme Championship Wrestling, for instance, is commonly known as a pioneer of the hardcore style, but its product is best described as Southern style with less emphasis on the hero/villain dichotomy.