10 Worst Bladers In Wrestling History

You wouldn't know it from today's WWE, but blood used to be an integral part of the professional wrestling industry. Even before the deathmatch craze of the 90s (which still continues to this day in promotions like Combat Zone Wrestling), as far back as the 1950s 'getting colour'has been a popular method of 'enriching the in-ring storytelling.'

After all, to maintain kayfabe, how can two men hit each other in the face for twenty minutes and leave no marks? Also, blood looks cool.

Wrestlers can make themselves bleed a number of different ways. They can 'hardway', which means smack their head against something so that it legitimate tears them open. This is not recommended. Alternatively, the wrestlers of old would swig a few beers - it thins the blood, making it flow freer - and tenderise their forehead with forks before their match, softening the skin, leaving it vulnerable to a well-placed knuckle.

However, by far the most prolificmethod that wrestlers use tobleed is 'blading', i.e. using a concealed razorblade to cut a small gash in their forehead.

There's a lot that can go wrong; the act could be picked up on camera, the cut could be too deep, or the blade could go missing. The act of blading off-camera while the other wrestler draws attention, then safety disposing of the blade, has become a mini-artform of itself.

Like any art form, there are some that excel at it, and others ... not so much.

(WARNING: grisly images/video to follow)