10 Bloodiest Wrestling Matches Ever Broadcast
1. IWA Japan King Of The Deathmatches Final: Mick Foley & Terry Funk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFI3gG_POCk The short-lived International Wrestling Association of Japan pretty much defines the term flash in the pan - incredibly popular for a little while, the promotion would only actually last for two and a half years, folding in late 1996 following the departure of most of its name talent. But it did one thing that would cement its legacy in the business - at a huge show at the Kawasaki Baseball Stadium called the Kawasaki Dream, IWA Japan ran an eight man single elimination deathmatch tournament called King Of The Deathmatches featuring one Cactus Jack, aka Mick Foley. Foley would compete in two matches on the card to reach the final against his mentor, friend and hero, the legendary Terry Funk. First, he bested Terry Gordy in a heated Barbed Wire Baseball Bat & Thumbtacks match. Gordy was past his best and, worried that his offense would look weak and ruin the match, Cactus invited him to forgo the worked punches and simply hit him as hard as he could. Gordy still had hands like hammers, and busted Cactus open at the eyebrow without even meaning to. Thumbtacks also came into play, but nothing much will ever come of a little prick like that, as the actress said to the bishop. Second, Cactus took out Shoji Danger Man Nakamaki, in a Barbed Wire Board & Spike Nail match. As you can imagine, that wasnt the safest place to work: but aside from a little laceration to the left shoulder and some small holes poked in him, Cactus came out on top without too much claret spilled. It was Nakamaki who hurt the most, having taken Cactus Jacks trademark grim flying elbow off the apron onto the concrete - with a bed of nails propped up against his prone body. The final, however the final was brutal. Funk was already exhausted and cut up from his previous match against Tiger Jeet Singh, whod thrown him through plate glass. The bouts gimmick? Oh, nothing much. Just a Barbed Wire Rope & Exploding C4 & Time Bomb match. The ring ropes were heavily tightened barbed wire, and four boards covered in C4 lay about the ring explosives that would detonate upon impact. There was also the matter of the time limit: ten minutes into the match, massive concussions would go off on each side of the ring, giant fireworks going off all around the two men. The force and the heat were said to be incredible, and the sight itself would be enough to end the match. Unfortunately, the concussions turned out to be damp squibs almost literally. With everything suddenly to lose, Cactus and Funk were forced to improvise a completely different finale. Ripped by barbed wire, Funk performed a ragged looking side slam directly onto the last C4 board, causing both men to severely burn their arms. Cactus bounded back up again with the pain, a cut under his hairline leaving a thick sheet of blood across his face, and brought a ladder into the ring, climbing it to drop an elbow on Funk from six feet up. Trying to repeat the feat, Cactus was countered when Funk staggered to his feet to crash into the ladder, causing the younger man to fall into the barbed wire ropes from above, lacerating himself still further. That was all she wrote for Terry Funk, however that final move had taken all he had left, and it would be Cactus who eventually stirred to drape an arm over his opponent for the pin and the tournament victory. The infamous picture of Mick Foley holding aloft the trophy, covered in blood, the thousand yard stare of the war veteran on his face, would haunt the dirt sheets and wrestling magazines for years to come. CZW would run garbage matches with more nihilistic glee in front of a comparative handful of people in years to come, but with no real application of psychology, and no story being told now, Im not saying that Funk/Foley is up there with Steamboat/Savage, but its captivating stuff nonetheless. Go on, then give us your pick of the bloodiest match shown on television in the comments, and include a link to the video if you can find it. The best of the best gets 500 Internet Points and a toaster (may not contain actual toaster).