30 Greatest Gimmick Match Types in WWE History
- First Blood Match
Blood. It was a staple of the WWE history throughout the Attitude and Ruthless Aggression eras. It was used so much that it is painful at times to go back on the WWE Network to watch some of these matches. Despite that, it defined the era and put the WWE back on the map, which is why it appears at number 22 on our list.
The WWE was known for its use of blood as a storytelling mechanism. Two guys put it all on the line in the ring; some even willing to bleed in order to earn a victory. That use of blood is summarized during the First Blood match. The concept is very simple: make your opponent bleed first, you win.
A rather sadistic concept for a match, but during the Attitude Era anything was possible. And that is where the First Blood match was born. This match took the elements of a street fight and added to them. No pinfalls. No submissions. Just make your opponent bleed. The first one of these took place in 1998, and we haven’t seen one since 2008. It’s because of that absence that this match isn’t higher on the list, but still a match that was used to settle some real personal scores.
Notable Match: Kane vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin for the WWF Championship at King of the Ring 1998
Next: No. 21