WWE: 10 Wrestler Insider Terms Explained

2. Blading/Juicing/Getting Color

There are many different terms for it, but it all means the same thing. Blading is when a wrestler cuts himself and bleeds in order to put over how brutal the match is. This often occurs during gimmick matches such as the steel cage match and the hardcore match. Whenever a wrestler gets hit with a steel chair, a blunt weapon, or gets pummeled in the face with a closed fist, it's more than likely that the wrestler will blade in order to produce blood. A blade job, which is the actual act of blading, take time to master, but if pulled off successfully, it's a very effective method of gaining pathos from the fans in attendance. Ric Flair, Terry Funk, Mick Foley, New Jack, and Abdullah the Butcher were all well known for blading in the ring. Back in the day, the method of getting a wrestler to bleed was to punch at the eyebrow bone in an exact manner that would cut the flesh. Today, wrestlers will use a razor blade tip and tape it on them. Then, while knocked down after a vicious attack, the wrestler will take the razor and scrape the forehead in order to produce the most amount of blood. When mixed with sweat, the blood will be noticeable and even startling to the fans. While blading still occurs, it doesn't happen nearly as often as it used to, especially in WWE. Standards and practices have been put in place to ensure that the wrestlers are safe and don't wind up accidentally cutting an artery while blading. Also, due to WWE's PG rating, blood is frowned upon and now it tends to only happen accidentally (some people call it "juicing the hard way.") There are still other wrestling promotions that promote blading, and when it's done right, it's a great way to get the fans more interested in the match.