Since 2019, All Elite Wrestling has built up a brand as being a more violent professional wrestling promotion. This originally helped them stand out when placed next to WWE, but now in 2023 – Tony Khan has started to take steps to make things a bit more safe.
Following Forbidden Door 2023, there is a new list of restrictions on wrestlers, and which can be petitioned as needed.
Banned Actions Going Forward In AEW
As reported by Fightful, the following will be banned from AEW going forward.
- Unprotected chair shots to the head
- Shots to the back of the head
- Blind moves that are backwards into the turnbuckle
- Fencing responses & 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
- Throwing bloody objects into crowd
The most interesting one here is the ‘seizure sells’, which is a rule mainly for Bryan Danielson – who’s history with concussion related injuries had fans concerned when he did this during his match with Kazuchika Okada. Few will argue with most of these rules – with many likely well overdue for AEW.
Certain Spots Will Need Approval Before Being Done Going Forward
Meanwhile, there is a new list of moves and actions that need to be pre-approved by a coach backstage – with the following list being shared backstage in AEW.
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- Spots and bumps on the ring apron and outside
- Table/ladder/chair spots in and out of the ring (Only allowed with padding)
- All piledriver/tombstone variations, including: sit down drivers, inverted/poison hurricarana 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 Weapon usage:
- Chairs, pipes, kendo sticks, hammers, ring bells, bats, chains, etc. Title belts
- Thumbtacks, skewers, barbed wire, and other sharp/puncturing objects, 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
Again, these are things that simply need to be approved before a wrestler hits the ring. This will help AEW space out exciting spots along the card, and prevent matches from feeling the same – while keeping talent and the crowd a bit more safe.
None of these are banned, like the previous list. Safe talent doing things their comfortable doing will have no issue getting these approved. But if this keeps Wardlow from jumping off more ladders? It will be a positive change.
Do you think these restrictions will help or hinder AEW? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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