AEW Introduces New Safety Protocols, Including a List of Banned Moves and Actions

By Connor Casey

AEW sent out new safety protocols this week to its wrestlers, declaring what moves and actions will now be banned from AEW matches as well as what needs to be cleared with a backstage coach ahead of time. Fightful Select got its hands on the document first, stating that the new rules were created by the AEW medical team, coaches and referees in order to protect everyone involved, including the fans in the crowd. 

Sean Ross Sapp wrote, "The document said that while there is always risk in pro wrestling, they wanted to minimize the risk without compromising the quality of the talent's performances and ability to be creative." Check out the list of banned moves and actions that require coach's pre-approval in the lists below!

AEW's New List of Banned Moves & Actions

  • Chair Shots to the Head
  • Chair Shots to the Back of the Head
  • Buckle Bombs
  • Moves Where a Wrestler Falls Backward into a turnbuckle
  • Imitating Concussion or Seizure Symptoms While Selling a Move
  • Spitting
  • Bleeding While In The Crowd
  • Using Weapons or Projectiles in The Crowd
  • Throwing Anything With Blood On It Into The Crowd
  • Taking Food & Drinks From Fans In The Crowd
  • Making Contact With Fans In The Crowd

How extensive these rules will remain to be seen and certain wrestlers will obviously be more affected by the rules than others. Sapp's report specifically mentions MJF often interacting with fans in the crowd (usually by throwing drinks at them) and Bryan Danielson pretending to have a seizure during his match with Kazuchika Okada at Forbidden Door. It's unclear what this will mean for wrestlers like Jon Moxley who consistently enters the ring through the crowd or matches like Anarchy in The Arena that actively encourage violence in the stands. Stay tuned for more updates as they become available!

AEW's New List of Moves & Actions That Require Pre-Approval

  • "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"
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