After getting injured during a match on ‘AEW Dynamite’ last month, Jon Moxley has an idea for how to better protect pro wrestlers.
I love the idea of somebody or a group of people watching the match from a completely blind perspective to look for concussion signs. I think hitting the red button and just stopping the match would get all kinds of odd just because we aren’t used to it, but in UFC they have a doctor that can stop matches for injuries.
and just stopping the match would get all kinds of odd just because we aren’t used to it
And on this point: I would not mind getting used to it. In a world where the fights are, in kayfabe, 100% legit, things like TKO’s and ref stoppages really happen incredibly infrequently compared to combat sports.
Seeing Wardlow basically knock out opponents lately and fucking off looks so weird and offputting to me since we don’t see it happen much in wrestling, but it works well cause…well it should happen. Punch the majority of people in the face one time and they go down, after all.
They just gotta make sure they’re 100% with having their camera work and prerecords on the mark, cause while handling the injury properly is the primary concern at all times, I also don’t want them sitting there with the camera lingering on the poor injured sob in the ring for 10 mins while their being attended to. Announce the match is over, winner does their taunt, cut to Renee interviewing Daddy Magic and let the medics do their thing off camera so the show can continue somewhat (barring anything too serious of course).
All for it. Match stoppages for legit injuries would protect the injured wrestlers more rather than risking getting hurt even more to try and do the scheduled finish.
The “Boom, this is over. No matter how much time is left. It’s just over” is a very important part I think. Thankfully it doesn’t happen as often nowadays, but it used to be that if a worker got hurt, guys were expected to get to the finish and hit it to put an end to the match, which has always been a ridiculous concept. I’m reminded of Orton breaking his collarbone in a match… and still getting up to get to the appropriate finish of Triple H hitting him with the sledgehammer… that kind of thing has happened countless times. You probably came up with like three examples while you were reading this. That has to stop.
Wrestling needs to get more comfortable with the idea that we all know that these are performers performing an act and there is nothing to protect anymore, and just like how if a theater performer broke their leg during a play, they wouldn’t be expected to quickly hit their remaining lines before going to the back, a wrestling performer shouldn’t be expected to hit a finish to protect kayfabe if an injury happens. The industry needs to normalize that an actual injury is a possible finish to any type of match and to have backup plans if such a thing happens.
I like the addition of having a wrestler nearby to explain if something is normal.
It’s gotta be easier for a place like Impact, because they tape their shows. I suppose for live tv the answer might be to have an extra match on deck if an injury happens early in the show. If all goes to plan, then that match happens the next show. If something happens in the main event and there’s tv time remaining, send out a good talker. Was it when Hangman got concussed that MJF came out with a mic to talk to Mox? I thought that was a good way to handle that.
Mox is right that wrestlers are weird about it though. So many want to try and finish matches no matter what. It’d be a huge change for wrestlers with that mentality. Some fans would struggle with it too. But something has to change, for sure.
i’d love to see aew and tony lead the push for unionisation and benefits in wrestling tbh
