Last night, presumably the final battle between The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar occurred, culminating in WWE’s most historically violent match, Hell In A Cell.
The Hell In A Cell bout didn’t disappoint. The two warriors tore each other apart, as well as tearing the ring apart– literally. Near the closing moments of the contest, Lesnar reached down and tore the canvas open, threw the padding off from underneath it, revealing wooden boards below. After Brock delivered an F5, Brock scored the pinfall victory, as both man laid in the ring covered in blood, sweat, and tears.
In the PG era of WWE, blood is a no-no, especially when it’s self inflicted.
Word on the street is that controversy ensued behind the scenes during last night’s main event, both Lesnar and The Undertaker may have bladed– the act in which a wrestler takes a razor blade to their forehead and draws blood– an act that hasn’t occurred in WWE since 2008, last being seen in a cage match with former WWE star Batista.
Up until nearly a decade ago, self inflicted bloodshed, while usually undetected as such by fans, was commonplace. However, with the worldwide organization switching gears, targeting a younger demographic, appeasing larger corporate sponsors and stockholders with a less violent product, and with the growing knowledge of the dangers of transferring diseases through bloodshed, WWE decided to ban the longstanding trick of the trade.
So, no, it was never ketchup. The blood has always been real.
I understand why blading has been labeled passé by WWE, but I also understand why Brock and Taker may or may not have taken it upon themselves to do it anyways (something that younger guys on the roster probably couldn’t get away with without getting pink slip immediately after).
I talked about it a couple years back on WrestleZone.com’s Chair Shot Reality program, but felt like it was topical enough to bring it up again. What does blood add to a wrestling match, if anything? Should guys still be blading in 2015?
For decades in wrestling, when used correctly, blood has been a tool used in wrestling for decades to amplify emotions to the highest of levels. It can deepen the sympathy on the good guy, it can reveal signs of vulnerability in the monster that was thought to have no weakness, and it can make you believe that the dastardly bad guy is finally getting the beating that he’s had coming to him.
Think about some of the most memorable feuds in history, and the role that the crimson mask played in it: Roddy Piper vs. Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, in a Dog Collar Match, at the very first Starrcade. Tully Blanchard vs. Magnum T.A. in a Steel Cage at Starrcade 85. The Rockers vs. Playboy Buddy Rose and Doug Somers at WrestleRock 86, pretty much any match involving Shawn Michaels and Triple H in 2002 through 2004, and Eddie Guerrero vs. JBL from Judgment Day 2004.
In the case of the matches I listed in the NWA and AWA, the blood that was lost help bring those bitter rivalries to a close, or damn near close to the end. In the case of The Game and The Heartbreak Kid, it showed us just how far two former best friends would go to prove that they were the best in the industry. In Bradshaw’s case, Judgment Day 2004 was the first major match on tv for his new JBL character, and his first time main eventing a WWE pay per view. The bloodbath that he had with Latino Heat over the WWE Championship on that night immediately established his character, and gave him instant credibility in the main event picture.
Now think of all the first time, big matches that have been launched over the years. The War Games match in 87, the Hell In A Cell match in 97, and the Elimination Chamber in 2002. Those matches were hyped as being the most violent, vicious, brutal, satanic structures ever created in their respected periods. Every one of those matches had bloodshed. The matches exceeded expectations, and it can be argued that the blood helped cement those matches from their start.
What about defining moments in which blood spewed out of the forehead of a hated villian, in an effort to quickly make them a beloved babyface? In Mid South Wrestling, Ted DiBiase had been the top heel for a long period. But on one night in 1985, when Dick Murdock cracked DiBiase’s skull open before an NWA Title bout with Ric Flair, things changed for Ted. Refusing to miss out on an opportunity at the NWA World Championship, DiBiase returned to the ring to battle the “Nature Boy” anyway, earning the respect of the fans everywhere.
Finally, we can’t talk blood in wrestling without talking WrestleMania 13: Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin. The goal of the match was to turn Bret into a villian, and Austin into the ultimate anti-hero. Everybody always sites Stone Cold’s infamous “Austin 3:16” promo from The King of the Ring on June 23rd, 1996 as the moment that launched Steve’s career into super stardom. If that was the moment, then this was the match. The image of Austin locked in the dreaded Sharpshooter submission hold, with blood streaming down his forehead, into his eyes, and onto his teeth, while he screamed in agony, is one that is unforgettable, and iconic in professional wrestling. That match, like so many others, are hard to imagine without the memories of the blood involved.
Am I calling for blood weekly? No. Do I think blading is necessary in 2015? I’m undecided, but I see both sides of the coin. Last night at Hell In A Cell, no matter the circumstances, the blood that was shed in the bout between The Phenom and The Beast added to the drama of the match, and the final contest between the two exceeded the hype.
What’s your stance on blood in wrestling? I’d love your feedback.
-Greg
