10 Things Wrestling Needs To Ban RIGHT NOW

3. Deliberate Attempts To Draw Blood The Hard Way

ilya dragunov carmello hayes
WWE.com

Blood enhances the drama of a professional wrestling match. Blood sells tickets for wrestling matches.

Blood - subjectively - rules.

If a wrestler is intent on drawing blood, there is one objectively good way to facilitate it: with the use of a blade.

It is not a failsafe device. There are risks; a wrestler can cut too deep and strike an artery, or, if they rely up on it too heavily, they can permanently scar themselves. Using the two preeminent blading enthusiasts of the day, however - Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson - they haven't disfigured their foreheads, and in the case of the latter, he is 100% more likely to injure himself by bumping rather than blading.

In wrestling, and this is wild, the illusion of violence is often far more effective than real violence.

Brock Lesnar busted his face open at Backlash last year with no repercussions, since he's Brock Lesnar. He also (under instruction) laid elbows into Randy Orton at SummerSlam 2016. Despite Orton suffering a concussion in that bizarre scene, Roman Reigns was carved open at WrestleMania 34.

While it's very unlikely that you'll see Lesnar again, at least for years and years, WWE still allows versions of this on its programming. Ilja Dragunov is asking for trouble with what seem like obvious attempts to get around the ban on blading.

Head injuries are much too serious to piss about with the "optics" of being wrasslin'.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!