10 Fascinating WWE SummerSlam 2016 Facts
2. Orton Was Told Lesnar Could Safely Bust Him Open
The practice of blading went away as WWE moved toward a family-friendly product in 2008. Few wrestlers have bladed since, because the idea of wrestlers slicing their own skin with a razor (at the behest of the boss) might sound heinous to sponsors and network executives. In truth, blading is actually way safer than what transpired in the SummerSlam 2016 main event.
According to Dave Meltzer, Orton was told earlier on that Sunday that Lesnar knew how to split Orton's skin with a carefully-placed elbow strike, which would prevent the need for a blade. That way, any blood spillage could be attributed to a mere accident, in case a sponsor complained. Just a bit too swift of a would-be-pulled shot, the company can say.
If only it were that simple. By now, you know that Orton's forehead looked like the elevator at the Overlook Lodge by the time Lesnar was done shredding him. Not only did Orton bleed like a stuck pig, but the scripted beating also gave Orton a concussion, which WWE (in the midst of a class action lawsuit) worked to cover up.