Have you ever seen a wrestler bite the ring ropes? It is pretty rare (and pretty un-hygienic). The act of chewing on the ropes is usually performed by the Beast type wrestlers — the savage “Manimals” who are less evolved and civilized than us and our Baby-Face heroes. (See my “Man vs. Wild” article for more info on the sort of monster I’m referring to.)
This magazine cover features Abdullah the Butcher gnawing the middle rope while clawing into the throat of his bloodied victim. The caption promises that, inside the magazine, we will find more details about “his favorite torture techniques!” Hopefully the author remembered to mention biting the ropes as a favorite technique…
This is another of those Subtle Little Things seen in a wrestling match that really ignites our enjoyment — an in-ring oddity that fires up the viewer more than it perhaps should. Gnawing the ring rope somehow sexualizes the scene, playing off the eroticism of clenching and biting something in one’s mouth. It references a Ball Gag, which many BDSM enthusiasts find very inspirational (actually, it’s more of a Cleave Gag if you know your gag fetishes…)
It is also a transgression, a crossing over the line of decency, which can always be exciting in a naughty way. The rules forbid a wrestler from grabbing the ropes for leverage, and nobody is supposed to put random objects in their mouth, so biting the ropes crosses several lines.
Be careful Sheamus — you don’t know what other mouths have chewed on that rope!
Opening wide to sink one’s teeth into the ropes also implies the wrestler is out of control, thereby adding drama and realism to the battle.
Certainly, no sane person would want to wrap their lips around a dirty old rope that hundreds of sweaty bodies had bounced against. So the biting of the ropes implies that this beast is so frustrated, so heated, so mutha-fuckin HORNY that he just has to grind his jaws on something to relieve the tension. The look of ferocity on the creature’s face as he sinks his teeth into that thick cable is priceless — like a rat with rabies trying desperately to chew through the bars of his cage or something.
Alex Shelley is in so much pain and agony from whatever his cruel opponent did to fuck up his shoulder that he needs to clench his teeth on the bottom rope to endure his suffering. If this stud is not truly injured, then that is fuckin’ HOT — like he is a Pillow Biter or something.
I saw a fun little clip on YouTube where CM Punk struggled to escape some heavy brute’s crushing hold. Unable to free his arms in order to reach the ropes, clever Punk opens wide and bites down, using his mouth to force his opponent to break the hold. That’s both sexy and smart! The fans gave it a round of applause.