WWE has been charged with nine violations of state law in Kentucky over the use of blood and blading during the recent Backlash PPV. Blading during wrestling matches is prohibited in Kentucky, and even in the case of accidental blood a match must go straight to the finish. OVW has always used fake blood during any such angles, which usually take place backstage and not in the ring anyway.
Prior to the show the WWE’s Kentucky promoter of record, Rich Hering, contacted the Kentucky Boxing & Wrestling Authority numerous times over the use of blood. He tried to obtain a special dispensation because the show was on PPV but was refused by head wrestling inspector Tim Gonterman, who did not want to make any waivers for WWE that would then be picked up on by local independent shows.
Gonterman has written up nine violations during Backlash. They cover blading by Shawn Michaels during his match with Vince and Shane McMahon, neither of whom went straight to the finish, blading by Triple H during his match with John Cena and Edge, neither of whom went straight to the finish, Edge fighting outside the barricaded area, the fact that the main event was allowed to take place with substantial blood on the canvas, and Hering’s blatant violations of the law despite being recently reminded of it several times.
Similar controversy has stemmed from two other recent WWE PPVs. The match between Vince and Stephanie McMahon at No Mercy 2003 violated a state regulation barring male vs. female matches, while the use of barbed wire in the JBL/Big Show cage match at No Way Out 2005 was against Pennsylvanian legislation at the time. In the first instance WWE gladly paid a fine, while in the latter a compromise was reached that kept the barbed wire from being used during the match.
Gotterman will hold a hearing in Frankfort, Kentucky on the 20th June to decide on a punishment, which could range from a $5,000 fine per violation or WWE’s promotional license being revoked by the state (highly unlikely due to the money they bring in).
***
The History of the WWE Championship DVD will be released on the 5th September, including the following matches:
Disc One…
– Bruno Sammartino vs. Ivan Koloff
– Bruno Sammartino vs. George Steele (cage match)
– Bruno Sammartino vs. Stan Hansen
– Bruno Sammartino vs. Ken Patera
– Bob Backlund vs. Superstar Billy Graham
– Bruno Sammartino vs. Superstar Billy Graham
– Bob Backlund vs. Pat Patterson (cage match)
– Bruno Sammartino vs. Greg Valentine
Disc Two…
– Bob Backlund vs. Harley Race (WWF title vs. NWA title)
– The Iron Shiek vs. Hulk Hogan
– Hulk Hogan vs. King Kong Bundy (cage match, WrestleMania II)
– Hulk Hogan vs. Paul Orndorff (cage match, SNME)
– Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant (WrestleMania III and SNME)
– Randy Savage vs. Ted Dibiase (WrestleMania IV)
– Randy Savage vs. Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania V)
Disc Three…
– Hulk Hogan vs. Ultimate Warrior (WrestleMania VI)
– Sgt. Slaughter vs. Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania VII)
– Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage (WrestleMania VIII)
– Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (cage match, SummerSlam ’94)
– Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog (In Your House 5)
– Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (iron man, WrestleMania XII)
– Shawn Michaels vs. Diesel (Good Friends, Better Enemies)
– Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind (Mind Games)
– Shawn Michaels vs. Steve Austin (WrestleMania XIV)
– Steve Austin vs. Dude Love (street fight, Over The Edge)
– Mankind vs. The Rock (I Quit, Royal Rumble ’99)
– The Rock vs. Mankind (empty arena match)
Disc Four…
– Triple H vs. Cactus Jack (street fight, Royal Rumble ’00)
– The Rock vs. Kurt Angle (No Mercy ’00)
– Steve Austin vs. The Rock (WrestleMania XVII)
– Steve Austin vs. Chris Jericho (unification match, Vengeance ’01)
– The Rock vs. The Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle (Vengeance ’02)
– The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar (SummerSlam ’02)
– Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit (Royal Rumble ’03)
– Brock Lesnar vs. Eddie Guerrero (No Way Out ’04)
– John Cena vs. Chris Jericho vs. Christian (Vengeance ’05)
– John Cena vs. Edge (Royal Rumble ’06)
Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter (click here for subscription information)
