Continuing its transition from the so-called “PG Era” to an edgier, adult-themed television product, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) announced today that its superstars will do battle amid barbed wire, fluorescent light tubes and other flesh-ripping weaponry.

WWE inaugural GoreFest of Death tournament, to be held August 11 in the backyard behind the company’s Orlando Performance Center, promises to be the “sickest, bloodiest cavalcade of blood” in wrestling history.

According to WWE executive Hunter H. Helmsley, the tournament will include the following matches, featuring a number of new WWE signees from the independent deathmatch scene:

  • No-Rope-Electrified-Barbed-Wire-Panes-of-Glass Deathmatch: The Usos vs. Nick Gage & Matt Tremont
  • 10,000-Thumbtack-Exploding-Bomb-Triple-Threat Deathmatch: Masada vs. John Cena vs. Mad Man Pondo
  • Barbed-Wire-Spidernet-Scaffold Deathmatch: Seth Rollins vs. New Jack
  • Razor-Board-Gusset-Plate-Bed-of-Scissors-Barefoot Deathmatch: Ruby Riott vs. Mickey Knuckles
  • 10-Man-Triple-Hell-Flaming-Rope-No-Canvas-Fans-Bring-the-Weapons Death Scramble: Braun Strowman vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Necro Butcher vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Warhed vs. Ricochet vs. Rickey Shane Page vs. R-Truth vs. John Zandig vs. Dominick Mysterio

While many fans are excited about the chance to watch emotionally damaged men cut themselves, longtime wrestling personality Jim Cornette argues that the event is “an insult to traditional deathmatch wrestling pioneered by Big Japan Pro Wrestling, Combat Zone Wrestling, and the wonderful IWA Mid-South.”

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