Dark match
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In professional wrestling, a dark match is a match that is part of a televised card, but is not itself televised. Most dark matches are held at the beginning of wrestling cards; usually, one or two dark matches are used to "warm up" the live crowd for the upcoming televised event. A dark match may also be held at the end of a card, after TV cameras have gone black. This is most prominent on WWE's SmackDown! brand which often features a bonus match after taping for the event has concluded.
Dark matches at the beginning of a card typically feature either local talent, or talent from developmental territories for a larger promotion. Televised WWE cards will often feature talent from its main developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling, in their dark matches. Dark matches at the end of a card generally feature main event-level wrestlers, and are often used to sell more tickets to the live event and also to send the crowd home happy.
Dark matches are almost never acknowledged (in kayfabe), but are sometimes used to gauge fan reaction to developmental talent that a promotion is considering elevating to their main show.
Recently, matches before a Pay-Per-View event are also considered dark matches in the WWE after the indefinite suspension of the webcast of Sunday Night Heat. [citation needed]
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