Report: AEW Issue Banned Moves List To Talent

All Elite Wrestling have been known to push the envelope on TV, with a number of dangerous and nasty looking moves and spots having been performed in AEW rings, dividing fan and critical opinion alike.

It seems though that AEW is taking steps to tone down some of the action, with Fightful Select learning of a recently published list banning certain moves and spots going forward.

The list is reported to have been created by AEW medial staff, coaches, trainers, and referees in order to minimise risk to wrestlers, performers, and fans alike. The report was at lengths to suggest that whilst this list is said to be legit, some talents within AEW were seemingly unaware of it, and it is believed that these new protocols will be rolled out soon.

The list of banned moves and spots features the following:

• No unprotected chair shots to the head
• No shots to the back of the head - unclear whether chairshots or just shots in general
• No bucklebombs or ‘blind moves’ into the turnbuckles
• No fencing responses - mimicking unnatural position of arms following concussions
• No seizure sells - as seen by Bryan Danielson at Forbidden Door II
• No spitting or bleeding in the crowd
• No weapons or projectiles in the crowd
• No taking food or drinks from the crowd
• No physical contact with the crowd
• Nothing with blood on should be thrown into the crowd

Alongside this list of outright banned spots, there are said to be certain moves and spots that can still be done but only with the outright approval of medical staff, coaches, and/or trainers. If approved, these moves/spots must be performed with safety protocols in place, whilst the list itself is not said to be exhaustive and is open to be adjusted.

Moves and spots to only be performed following approval from medical, coaching, and training staff:

• 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 hurricanrana and vertebreakers
• High-risk dives or top rope moves - such as 450 splash, 630 splash, double moonsaults, Shooting Star Press, 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

AEW talent were allegedly encouraged to speak to coaches, talent relations, medical team, or representatives from legal as early as possible in order to plan ‘creative stunts and spots’. In the past AEW have faced criticism for the unnecessary risk of certain spots, such as Matt Hardy’s infamous cherry picker bump at All Out 2020.

One talent that Fightful spoke to believed this was a good move, and it is hoped such protocols and guidelines will help streamline AEW shows, as well as avoid repeated spots and moves. It is also expected that these guidelines will help instil some authority into the coaches and trainers, and will adequately help production prepare for spots.

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