10 Wrestling Matches So Brutal They Hurt To Watch
8. TLC (WWF SummerSlam 2000)
As aforementioned, blood isn't a strict requirement for matches to come across as brutal wars. The very first 'Tables, Ladders & Chairs' bout didn't really focus on slicing the competitors open, it was much more about huge bumps and eye-watering impact with metal ladders, chairs and wooden tables.
The Dudley Boys, Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian deserve a lot of credit for raising the bar with what fans could expect from such matches. SummerSlam 2000 may have featured the first TLC bout in history, but people had witnessed matches involving the items on display before. It was the interesting ways the performers used them that really opened eyes.
It's almost impossible not to wince when re-watching Jeff Hardy's glaring miss as he attempts a Swanton Bomb from the top of the ladder. The fall seems huge, and Hardy smashes through the prone table after Bubba Ray manages to move out of the way.
Jim Ross on commentary often referred to these matches as a 'human demolition derby', and there's a grim fascination which comes from watching them time and time again. If anything, they get more painful each time!