Are head-impacting moves really necessary in WWE?

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

Sometimes the WWE's "safe-style" approach bothers me, but much of the time I've always winced if a piledriver or brainbuster didn't look right to me.

Does anyone else feel like that?

[Rorschach]

I could live without seeing a Foley-esque unprotected chairshot to the head ever again. That being said, I can take or leave the piledrivers, powerbombs, ect.

[The Curmudgeon]

Unprotected chair shots and the like I could live without, but what's wrong with a power bomb? You're landing on your back that time.

[Rorschach]

Your back, and many times the back of your head, which nine out of ten brain experts agree is a very bad thing.

Not to mention the whiplash to your neck/spine.

[Dynamite Kid]

That's a badly done powerbomb. It's like a back body drop. You should take it flat if it's done right by both people.

[Rorschach]

May 15, 2008 10:50:36 GMT -5 Dynamite Kid said:

That's a badly done powerbomb. It's like a back body drop. You should take it flat if it's done right by both people.

Yeah, but my thing about it is, it's a move with a whole HELLUVA lot of potential to go wrong, BADLY wrong.

Just ask Droz.

And again, that's just MY opinion on powerbombs.

[Dynamite Kid]

Well yeah, but if wrestlers only ever used the safe moves, or hell, if wrestlers only ever used safe knees, almost all the matches we saw would be utterly worthless.

[Loki]

A good wrestler should be able to perform an "high impact" move without putting too much stress on the opponent's body while keeping the impression of having killed him...

Considering many WWE Superstars are far from being that good, I'd rather NOT have impact moves performed in an half-assed way, just because those are needed to get an "oohhhh" from the fans.

[Jake, The Jake, Jake]

I think the dangerous moves (piledrivers, brainbusters, ssp's, etc.) should just be used sparingly so that they actually mean something when they are used. They should really just be used in big matches when the wrestlers have nothing else they can win with.

[Big Daddy Bad Booking]

All I have to say is that if the wrestler does a move that affects the head, make sure two things happen:

1. DO NOT BOTCH!
2. and make it real convincing. Sell it like a mo fo.

[VeggieOverlord]

I enjoy more of a realistic hard hitting style in the pureasou vein, but if wrestlers end up getting hurt, I don't think it's worth it. If I want headbumps I'll play FPR.

[acressl]

Yes. They should do all that is possible to prevent the risk of injury but what is professional wrestling if not guys slamming each other around onto their heads? It's risky, but why don't we get rid of turnbuckles because guys might fall and rails and steps because they might hurt themselves too while we're at it? Theirs is not a safe profession. They knew that going in. It doesn't mean matches should be piledriver after piledriver after piledriver but a good head bump on occasion is a good thing imo. Just don't use them unecessarily and don't let stupid and/or green guys perform them if at all possible.

[SBYM (Heel Turn)]

May 15, 2008 16:39:21 GMT -5 Big Daddy Bad Booking said:

DO NOT BOTCH!

Wow. Sage advice there. How come nobody ever thought to tell the wrestlers that before they walk through the curtain? I mean, it's so simple. All the have to do is never botch potentialy dangerous moves! It's so easy!

[Killah Ray]

I don't mind it as much in the WWE as there isn't much of it but the big head drops in Puro wrestling I could do without...

[derrtaysouth95]

Foley has taken tons of direct head shots....I don't see him going crazy.

People need to quit implying it's WWE's fault about the Benoit brain issue.....that dude was f***ed up and it's not WWE's fault.

[-Lithium-]

Do it at big shows, like PPVs. Maybe once and a while at a big match on a weekly show. Dont do them at house shows unless you need to practice for some reason...

[Captain Wonderful]

May 15, 2008 10:58:35 GMT -5 Rorschach said:

Yeah, but my thing about it is, it's a move with a whole HELLUVA lot of potential to go wrong, BADLY wrong.

Just ask Droz.

Any move has the potential to go wrong when you're slipping on a goddamn soda in the ring.

[Red 'n' Black Reggie]

if you're a good wrestler then no type of move should be "essential", you should be able to make the crowd go just as mental for a shooting star psycho driver through a tank of sharks as you can for a punch to the face. therefore i say try to limit the things that take years of lives, please.

[SWH - Shane Hero]

How many of you commenting on this have ever wrestled?

The entire idea of wrestling is to make it look real and not injure your opponent. There is risk of things going wrong in even the simplest of moves, and the more spectacular looking moves are no more dangerous if done properly by trained professionals.

Then you have to make sure the match is exciting, and has plenty of action. 'Big' moves are a part of that. If it's a bunch of guys just falling over and landing safely, who would believe in the tension, the possibility that the match could be over, or that someone could actually be hurt. You have to believe that moves could hurt. And plenty of head impacting moves are able to be done safely, yet look very, very dangerous. That's the whole idea.

There is no need to ban moves, unless the move is impossible to do safely. Since moves like power bombs are basically just a simple back bump, they're not dangerous.

This sort of topic is typical of our stupid overly-cautious society these days. Where we have to put warning labels on even a cup of coffee to prevent the possibility that one imbecile out there might be too stupid to realize they will get burnt if they pour hot coffee on their crotch. Wrestling carries with it certain risks, and those involved are aware of that from the outset. If they aren't prepared for the risk, they shouldn't be in the business.

And I hate this mentality, even amongst wrestling fans who should know better, that this sport is killing wrestlers, because of a few unproven theories to come from the Benoit case. When even those who are fans are sucked in to believing that, no wonder the media can brainwash the general public into believing it.

[Frank Zappa]

I don't think they are needed at all.