Halloween Gorefest II

I started a tradition last Halloween (if two years in a row can be called a “tradition”) of featuring the gory, lurid, bloody, violent, frightening side of pro wrestling in honor of our scariest holiday (outside of Sweetest Day perhaps…)

So sit back and enjoy another round of images depicting crimson masks, blood-soaked trunks, and unabashed brutality.  I’m sure I can’t be the only wrestling fan who gets into sick scenes like this (or the wrestling promotions wouldn’t feature this savage violence so frequently…)

One of my favorite wrestling holds (I have about 73 favorites…) is the good old Iron Claw.  And my favorite type of Iron Claw is when the victim’s face begins to bleed under the relentless crushing power of the dominant man’s grip.

The commentators will explain to us that the power of the squeeze has busted open the victim’s forehead, causing his blood to spill down over the attacker’s hand and dripping down onto his arms and chest.

There is something suggestive in this scene — the punishing power of the clawing man, the penetration of his fingers into the other man’s face, the helplessness of the crushed victim.  I suppose a good psycho-analyst could earn a fortune explaining to me why I enjoy seeing the Iron Claw…

Nobody took more violent, sadistic, blood-baths than the Original Sheik, and when it comes to crazy, out-of-control mayhem in the ring, he is the best there is, best there was, and best there ever will be.

I have no doubt that The Sheik is the man most responsible for my love of blood in a pro wrestling match (when done tastefully and discreetly, if that makes any sense.)  I grew up on this sadistic bastard’s “Foreign Objects,” fire-balls, face-biting, and all around ferocity, so images like the blood-letting seen here still get me in the mood to watch some Rasslin’.

Happy Halloween, wrestling fans!