Keeping Your Head: The Exclusion of Chair Shots to the Head

12:21 pm October 29, 2015

Keeping Your Head: The Exclusion of ChairВ Shots to the Head

As a professional wrestler, I get asked many questions about what I do and how I earn a living. Many questions I'm asked frequently are about chair shots to the head.

"Have you ever been hit in the head with a chair?"

"Does it hurt?"

"Why do wrestlers put their hands up to block the shot? They're pussies!"

I'll answer those questions now for you. Yes, I've been hit in the head with a chair before. Yes, it hurt like hell. And no, I'm not a pussy for putting my hand up to cushion the blow. This week, I'm going to discuss chair shots, why they are banned, and the benefits of their removal.

In 2010, the WWE formally put an end to chair shots being used in matches as an update to their Talent Wellness Program. The policy reads "the WWE has modified their training program to emphasize techniques and timing of maneuvers to prevent unnecessary blows to the head." The policy further states "the WWE has eliminated using folding metal chairs to strike an opponent in the head. The WWE penalizes through fine and/or suspension." Two years ago, Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan were fined by the WWE when Orton hit Bryan over the head with a chair on an episode of WWE Raw. In the WWE.com report, Triple H (as WWE Chief Operating Officer, not as an on-screen talent), stated "We understand it was in the heat of the moment but we take this [action] very seriously." It's crazy, but not even ten years ago, a WWE viewer would be able to see chair shots being used in matches regularly. Now, it's taboo. Why is this?

The unfortunate events of the Chris Benoit double murder-suicide in 2007 led the way for change in how concussions and head trauma were evaluated by the WWE. According to Science Daily, it was found that Benoit "suffered from a type of brain damage called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), which was found in all regions of his brain." The CTE found in Benoit's brain was found due to undiagnosed (or under-diagnosed) concussions over the span of Benoit's over 20 year career. The WWE, as a result, now partners with the Sports Legacy Institute to oversee concussion testing as part of their ImPACT program. Now, if one gets a concussion in the ring, the talent must undergo a CAT scan as part of their ImPACT testing. If a wrestler tests positive, they are barred from competing until medically cleared from their concussion. It's an awesome system, and a welcome change from the mentality of working through a concussion.

On the independent scene, I've noticed a sharp decline in the use of chair shots to the head. I think that is one element that the wrestling world is in agreement upon; that chair shots aren't necessary for a match. It's not worth the potential head trauma, especially with the pay that guys receive on the independent scene. I don't allow chair shots to be used in my matches for the reason of protecting and preserving our brains. The only time that I've taken a chair to the head was because it was spur of the moment. I put up a hand to cushion the blow, but it still hurt. Say whatever you like about me, but I can't imagine taking chairs shots to the head on a nightly basis. We only get one brain, and we need it for our everyday life.

The match that made me think of this article was the 1999 Royal Rumble WWF Championship "I Quit" match with The Rock and Mankind. This match was infamously showcased in the 1999 documentary Beyond the Mat. For those who have never seen the film or the match itself, it's perhaps one of the most brutal and cringe-worthy matches ever in pro wrestling. There is a point in the match where Mankind is handcuffed by The Rock, with his hands behind his back. The Rock proceeds to hit Mankind with a chair over the head eleven(!) times. In Beyond the Mat, Mick Foley's wife and children are shown visibly upset and crying as the onslaught of chair shots continue by The Rock. The scene and the match are personally hard for me to watch these days. It's not like there was CGI or any special effects to enhance the imagery of the chair shots, or dubbing in sound of the chair hitting Foley's skull with great force. Mick Foley was getting his cranium smashed on live Pay-Per-View in front of his family. It made me uncomfortable watching it live as a teenager, and makes me cringe to watch as an adult. I'm personally glad that we don't have matches like that in WWE anymore.

With that said, concussions will still happen as a pro wrestler. Injuries are a high probability in any athletic/competitive sport and entertainment ventures. Yet, I am glad that we have better scientific and cultural awareness of concussions, and the first step was to eliminate chair shots to the head. Do you think that those chair shots Mick Foley took in that Royal Rumble match affected his memory and cognitive abilities in the long run? I do. Am I glad to see chair shots to the head to be devoid in the independent scene? You bet I am. Making it to the next level of professional wrestling in a grueling process that has astronomical odds. Perhaps I am from a different era, but it saddens me when I see legends struggling to remember what city they're in, or having difficulty recalling names of their loved ones. It's my hope that when I hang up the boots, my mind will still be intact for everyday conversation with my family and friends. We compromise our bodies enough in what we do. There's no need to damage our brains to mush in the process.

Thanks for reading! I hope you all have a safe and happy Halloween! I got some sweet Halloween style shirts up at ProWrestlingTees.com/BenjaminBoone ! Check them out!