10 Times Wrestling Matches Got Weapons Wrong

5. CINDER BLOCK - Dean Ambrose Vs. Seth Rollins, WWE RAW, August 18 2014

Triple H Randy Orton
WWE.com

They butchered Dean Ambrose, Christ almighty.

Used variously by WWE, dating back to the Attitude Era, the cinder block was a terrible weapon deployed terribly. Even if gimmicked correctly, it's a terrible idea, on every conceivable level, for a prop. It doesn't produce a viscerally satisfying noise that echoes around the upper bowl. It is cumbersome, or should be sold as cumbersome, so there is no wild, dramatic swing in the event that it doesn't connect.

And they can't gimmick it correctly because a cinder block in reality is meant to withstand 100 years' worth of elemental damage, which is drastically more powerful than, say, a f*cking Seth Rollins Curb Stomp. It's compressed sand, like a table is compressed sawdust, but tables are meant to break, and a table bump isn't sold, in hushed tones, as if it is a concussive shot. We need help out here, guys.

The sand is coarse, and it gets everywhere.

A very promising series, before it was ruined by - what was it again? Oh yes, a ghost, this was an unnecessary WWE enhancement to a believable blood feud that excelled when it was a nasty and human tale of bitter ambition, stripped back to its bleeding heart.

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!