Pop In wrestling , a pop refers to the reaction of the crowd , often integrated into the show . It is measured by the amount of cheers or boos a wrestler gets during his entrance , interviews , and in - ring performance ( especially when a trademark spot is performed by the wrestler ) . There are many kinds of pops . Original Meaning of Pop . Al Snow described that " pop " really mean when the crowd gets so excited or so into an emotional moment , is like ( Comparing it to an orgasm ) is when the cum , or " Pop a Nut " . . This is where the term " pop " came from . He says the meaning has been bastardized into what it is today . . Name pop . Pops involving the mentioning of a very popular or very unlikable wrestler is known as a " name pop " . Booker T in World Wrestling Entertainment used the names of Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart to get a crowd reaction when he was promoting the King of the Ring Tournament . Wrestlers often bring up legendary wrestlers for name pops to hype a title ' s lineage . Hometown pop . When a wrestler makes an appearance in his " real " or " billed " hometown , he or she more often than not gets a huge crowd reaction . This is referred to as the " hometown pop " . This can also happen if a wrestler from a country other than the U . S . A . or Canada makes an appearance anywhere in their home country to wrestle . World Wrestling Entertainment commentator Jim Ross always gets a huge reaction anytime their WWE Monday Night RAW television program stops in Oklahoma City . William Regal gets a " hometown pop " anywhere in England on a WWE tour , which even resulted in a one night face turn the last time this occurred . Cheap pop . Wrestlers will get a cheap pop when they either use the name of the city or something it is famous for to get cheers . Heel s often follow the same principle but in reverse : insulting the city or bringing up something it is famous for to get booed . Mick Foley turned getting cheap pops into something of a catchphrase . He would call attention to what he was doing , giving what he described as a " big , cheesy thumbs - up " as he declared that he was thrilled to be " right here in ( the local hometown ) ! " . The Rock would wear his Miami Hurricanes jersey and namedrop the team in his in - ring interviews in order to get both a " Hometown " and a " Cheap " pop . He would also feed off the local fans by beginning his promos with , " Finally , the Rock has come back to ( the local hometown ) ! " Spot pop . This is when the crowd gives a large reaction in anticipation of a trademark move by the wrestler . A signal from the wrestler that the move will be attempted will initiate the pop . Examples of " Spot Pops " include : When Hulk Hogan " Hulks Up " , which is a signal of his " take home " series of moves . When Stone Cold Steve Austin flips his opponent off shortly before performing the Stone Cold Stunner . When Kurt Angle removes his suspenders before performing the Ankle Lock . When The Rock removes his elbowpad to perform the People ' s Elbow . When Shawn Michaels " tunes up the band " to perform Sweet Chin Music . When The Undertaker wrenches his opponent ' s extended arm in an armbar as a setup for Old School . When DDP raises his hands in the Diamond Cutter symbol before his finishing move of the same name . When John Cena raises his hand in the air as a signal for the Five - Knuckle Shuffle . When Chris Benoit makes a cut throat gesture before doing the Crippler Crossface or The Diving Headbutt . When Batista shakes the ropes and gives the thumbs up - thumbs down gesture in preparation for the Batista Bomb . When Scotty 2 Hotty looks at the spectators and begins stomping excitedly in preparation for his finisher , The Worm . Haas pop . This is a reference to World Wrestling Entertainment performer Charlie Haas . It is when a wrestler receives little or no pop at all . A good example of this is Haas ' entrance in the 2005 Royal Rumble , and Jim Ross ' subsequent inability to discern Haas from René Duprée . This is also known as the Conway Pop . This phenomenon has been known to happen when a wrestler is made to lose for a long stretch and then is inexplicably pushed afterwards .