New protocols have been put in place to protect talent and staff in All Elite Wrestling.
As AEW continues to grow and expand, so does its rule book in order to protect the talents and the fans attending the shows.
According to Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp (via Fightful Select), a new document has been sent out by AEW that states, “while there is always risk in pro wrestling, they wanted to minimize the risk without compromising the quality of the talent’s performances and ability to be creative.”
The following moves and actions have been banned in All Elite Wrestling:
Banned Moves
- Unprotected chair shots to the head
- Shots to the back of the head
- Buckle bombs
- Blind moves backward into the turnbuckle
- Fencing responses (unnatural position of arms following a concussion)
- Seizure sells
- Spitting
- Bleeding in the crowd
- Weapons or projectiles in the crowd
- Taking drinks or food from guests in the crowd
- Physical contact with the crowd.
There will also be moves and weapon spots that need to be approved ahead of time. However, these actions must be approved by an AEW coach or a member of the medical staff.
The list includes:
Needs Approval
- Spots and bumps on the ring apron and outside
- Table/ladder/chair spots in and out of the ring (only allowed with padding)
- Any elevated spots outside of the barricades (dives and ladder spots on stage, around the arena, and other places outside of the ring)
- All piledriver/tombstone variations (including sit-down drivers, inverted/poison hurricaranas, and vertebreakers)
- High-risk dives or top rope moves (450, 630, double moonsaults, SSP, etc.)
- Intentional bleeding (of any sort, not just blading)
- Throwing people into/through/over ring steps, commentary table, bell table, or guardrails/barricades
- Chairs, pipes, kendo sticks, hammers, ring bells, bats, chains, etc. Title belts
- Thumbtacks, skewers, barbed wire, and other sharp/puncturing objects or Powders, aerosol sprays, or liquids
- Throwing any weapons or objects- chairs, etc.
- Choking/strangling with hands or a weapon or hanging spots
- Injury spots or angles, whether or not medical is involved/called to the ring
- Any physicality in the crowd or crowd brawling
- Any physicality involving referees, managers, extras, celebrities, or special guests
Most talents Sapp has heard from regarding the document believe it was necessary and will help the company “tighten the screws” in the weeks ahead.
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What do you make of these new rules for All Elite Wrestling? Do you agree this is something that the company needs to implement? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.
