9 Ways WWE Owes A Debt To UFC

Because MMA is legitimate fighting, certain of the more vicious or dangerous moves (like punches to the back of the head, groin attacks, eye gouging and more) are banned and can result in the match being stopped temporarily or permanently, points being deducted, or in a worst case scenario a disqualification and career ramifications for the fighter concerned.

WWE, like many other pro wrestling organisations, often makes a big deal out of banning certain moves. Some are legitimately outlawed - in WWE, wrestlers wanting to perform moves thought of as high-risk, like the piledriver or the shooting star press, have to prove that they can be trusted to perform it on a regular basis in order to get the green light. It’s just basic common sense, as with the banned moves in MMA.

Then there’s the storyline ‘illegal’ manoeuvres. Unfair positioning is censured, with the aforementioned five-count - if you have your opponent backed into the ropes or against the turnbuckle, you have a five-count to back off and allow them to move.

Similarly, Orton’s punt to the head was kayfabe banned, as was the Undertaker’s Hell’s Gate submission move, because they were supposedly too dangerous and could do far worse than end a match.

That’s the WWE using pro wrestling storytelling to sell a move as being legit and lethal, and to therefore sell the bout taking place as being as legitimate as a mixed martial arts bout.

The big one, of course, is the simple punch. For decades, the closed fist was supposedly banned by the WWWF/WWF/WWE, as well as many, many other wrestling promotions.

That’s the reason for replacement moves like the forearm smash. Throwing a punch usually mandated an official warning by the referee before any potential disqualification.

Around August 2008, about when the Big Show began using the KO punch as a finisher, it became apparent that WWE had quietly legalised punching with the closed fist.

With the massive rise in MMA’s popularity disallowing a punch seemed ridiculous, and hadn’t been cause for a disqualification for some time.