Mike Chioda Says Audible Calls To Change Match Finishes Have Happened “Maybe A Few Times”

Speaking recently on an episode of Monday Mailbag, referee Mike Chioda addressed the idea of audibles being called backstage to alter the conclusion of an active match, saying that it’s an infrequent occurrence at best (per Wrestling Inc). While such changes can happen on the fly, usually as a result of injury or unforeseen audience reactions, Chioda explained that things are executed according to plan the majority of the time. Chioda did reference a few exceptions to the rule where he thinks he should have halted a bout, including a match between Beth Phoenix & Candice Michelle as well as one involving Goldberg and The Undertaker in 2019 where Goldberg knocked himself unconscious. You can read a highlight from Chioda on the subject below.

On the relative rarity of calling an audible before a match finish: “That doesn’t happen too often. It’s happened like, maybe a few times in my career and I remember last time it was a women’s match that I did. But that doesn’t happen usually, unless somebody gets hurt and they want to go home or they change the finish or just something screws up and the finish is just fucked up.”