AEW Organizes List of Banned Moves & Spots, Spots That Require Approval by Coaches & Medical Staff

– Fightful Select has a report that a document has been distributed with regard to wrestler and fan safety in the promotion. Multiple individuals have already confirmed the document is legitimate, but talents have also stated that they had not yet seen it.

The talent includes protocols that were reportedly developed by the AEW medical team, coaches, and referees in order to protect the talent, staff, crew, and the fans. The document noted the desire to minimize risk without compromising performances of the talent and their ability to be creative.

Moves that are outright banned per the document include chair shots to the head, shots to the back of the head, Turnbuckle Powerbombs, and blind moves backwards into the turnbuckle, fencing responses, seizure sells, spitting, bleeding in the crowd, weapons or projectiles in the crowd, taking drinks or foods from guests in the crowd, or physical contact with the crowd.

The report notes that “fencing positions” are an “unnatural position of arms following a concussion.” Additionally, Fightful noted that sources informed that nothing with blood on it should be thrown into the crowd either. Based on the document, it appears the only outright banned move is the Turnbuckle Powerbomb, or similar variations of that move.

The instance of a wrestler taking a drink from the crowd appears to be the result of MJF throwing a drink onto a young fan during his match at AEW Revolution. More recently, Bryan Danielson had an incident of selling a feigned seizure during a match.

The document also noted specific spots that are still permitted, but they will require approval by the medical officials and coaches who are assigned to the match. Fightful notes that the list was not comprehensive, and it could be adjusted by the medical, legal, and coaching staffs. After the spots are approved, they reportedly have to be performed in accordance with the aforementioned safety protocols that are in place.

The list noted the following moves that need to be approved by an AEW coach. So the following moves or instances are not prohibited, but they will require approval to be used in a match or in-ring setting:

“* 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 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 o 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”

It was also noted by the document that providing advance notice to the necessary parties for “creative stunts and spots” would be helpful, so they can plan to perform them as safely as possible. Talents are also reportedly encouraged to speak to coaches, talent relations, the medical team, or legal teams as early as possible for the planning of such spots.

One talent spoke to Fightful and said the new plan was a positive move since it could help streamline AEW programming and avoid the repetition of certain spots or moves in general, it could also encourage more of the athletic spots that talent are capable of. Additionally, it’s noted that the new restrictions could help instill the authority of AEW’s coaches and also help the production team prepare for big spots.

Fightul also notes that most of the talent agreed that this was necessary in the “tightening of the screws” of the company as it continues to grow.