Specialty wrestling matches: The Table Match and its variants
Professional wrestling, although fake, has a number of very interesting and hardcore matches for its fans to enjoy. These range from thumbtack matches, to tube light matches to table matches and many others.
However, the table match is the most popular in the world of professional wrestling. From its debut as a match in the late 1990’s to becoming a main stay in the sport, table matches have progressively become more and more interesting, creative and violent as time has gone by.
It was invented by the Dudley Boyz which consisted of Buh Buh Ray and D-Von - professional wrestlers who had a fetish for tables. This duo would often pull out a table and slam an opponent through it. As this tradition continued, its sparked the start of the table match phenomenon and it soon became a speciality match of its own.
The objective of this type of match is to put your opponent through a table in order to win. There are no disqualifications and no pin falls or submissions. The only way to win is to make your rival go crashing through a table. The Dudley Boyz became an instant hit for their use of tables during matches and they were on a new path with an undiscovered niche. The table match then spawned numerous variants such as the very violent flaming table match, the stacked table match, the three-in-one table match, the thumbtack flaming table match and the barbwire flaming table match.
The flaming table match is an extreme version. It consists of a table set up in the ring that is set on fire using lighter fluid. Then a wrestler is slammed into the table on fire and the match is won. The first time this sort of a match took place was in 1999 during an ECW event when the Dudley Boyz were teamed up against the tag team of Balls Mahoney and Spike Dudley. The wrestlers had discussed the match beforehand and it was decided that Balls Mahoney would be slammed through the flaming table. This type of match is very interesting because as soon as the wrestler hits the table, the fire is extinguished on impact. So in essence, no wrestler has been seriously injured or burned in this version.
With the introduction of table matches, a new violent genre of wrestling matches was born which was further developed by Extreme Championship Wrestling or ECW. This wrestling company was a lot more violent and extreme than the others out there and they developed a strong following. The Dudley Boyz were a product of ECW. As time has gone by, violence in wrestling has increased many times over. Table matches, flaming table matches and all its variants including tables, chairs and ladders matches - all prove the same point.
These sorts of matches opened the door to many different and very extreme types of contests in professional wrestling today. The extreme matches have been diversified to include things such as broken glass, thumbtacks, tube lights, barbed wire and even syringes, cinder blocks and saws. Professional entertainment wrestling seems to be heading towards gladiatorial matches of Ancient Rome where fighters would battle until one would die. Someone is going to die in an extreme match as the levels of violence keep on increasing. Wresting companies will have to show some restraint.
Even though table matches and its many variants out there are very interesting and entertaining to watch, they are leading wrestling down a dark and sinister path. That path will just get darker and more violent until someone puts a stop to it. Until that time though, the table match will continue in all its wood shattering glory.
Tags: