When WWE became a PG product in the summer of 2008, WWE had to change virtually everything about the presentation.

Curse words, blood and obscene violence were now strictly prohibited, and this change vastly altered the perception from fans towards the product.

Whilst for the most part, WWE are loyal and dedicated to their PG guidelines, from time-to-time, they like to deviate away, and re-introduce elements of a TV-14 product. This usually comes in the form of weapons, as classic weapons used in the Attitude and Ruthless Aggression Eras make a surprise re-appearance to the delight of the audience.

So, with that being said, let’s examine 10 non-PG weapons that have been used in the PG Era.

10: Steel Chain (Wrapped Around The Fist)

One of John Cena’s more signature spots during his early days in WWE, saw him wrap a steel chain around his fist, and hit his opponent in the face. The spot won Cena a number of high-profile matches, and it was a major part of his Doctor of Thuganomics persona. When Cena turned babyface, and years later became the face of WWE’s PG product, this spot was abandoned as it was seen as too graphic for younger fans.

In 2012, during Cena’s acclaimed Extreme Rules match with Brock Lesnar, Cena brought the spot back to try to put down Lesnar. It was presented as a big deal that the spot returned, and it received a noticeable pop from the Chicago crowd, who obviously recalled the spot from the Ruthless Aggression Era.

9: Urn

An urn being used as a weapon isn’t exactly the most family-friendly spot WWE could deliver, but they have used this exact spot several times since transitioning into a PG product.

The spot was used back in 2010, during Kane and The Undertaker’s buried alive match, and infamously, CM Punk used the spot during a match with Kane back in 2013, during the build to WrestleMania 29.

It goes without saying that WWE have to act with a degree of caution, as the symbolism of an urn is sacred to many and utilising it as a tool to get heat can be interpreted as offensive.  

Since The Undertaker retired in 2020, and with Kane being seemingly semi-retired, the spot appears to have been made obsolete, which is probably the right move if WWE want to avoid landing themselves in hot water.

8: Baseball Bat

When WWE finally signed Sting in 2014, one of the things fans were curious about was if WWE would allow Sting to use his trademark baseball bat. Sting’s baseball bat is one of the most important aspects of his presentation, and fans hoped that Sting would be allowed to use his weapon at least once.

Thankfully, WWE seemed okay with Sting using the weapon, as Sting was of course one of the most respected, and tenured wrestlers of all time, so he clearly knew what he was doing with the weapon.

The most memorable time Sting would use the weapon was in 2015. During the road to WrestleMania 31, Sting joined forces with Randy Orton, and whilst Orton used a steel chair to fend off The Authority, Sting would use his iconic bat to an enormous ovation from the live crowd.

7: Fireball

The fireball spot was used on several occasions during the Attitude Era, yet during the PG Era, WWE have been reluctant to use such a horrifying spot. One of the times they would use the spot was in early 2021, as Alexa Bliss would throw a fireball in the face of Randy Orton. This was during Orton’s feud with The Fiend Bray Wyatt, and WWE somewhat committed to the spot by having Orton briefly wear a mask to hide the burns.

It is believed that the moment the spot occurred was pre-taped. Due to WWE presenting the show in the Thunderdome, they had the ability to perform a spot of this nature, and if WWE weren’t in the midst of the COVID-19 Era, then it’s certainly up for debate as if WWE would have booked a spot of this extreme magnitude.

6: Gasoline

Speaking of fire being involved in the feud between Randy Orton and The Fiend, the two would collide in a Firefly Inferno match at TLC in 2020, and the finish of the match was like something from a horror movie.

Orton would win the unique match after The Fiend’s back caught on fire, and after Orton won, The Fiend who was still on fire, would chase Orton into the ring, only to be met with an RKO. Orton then proceeded to douse The Fiend in gasoline and set him ablaze.

Fans couldn’t believe that WWE booked something so dark during the PG Era, as they had in theory just booked a man to be burnt to death in the middle of the ring. Due to The Fiend being a supernatural character, they were able to get away with the spot without too many complaints, but there were some fans with families who expressed  concern that WWE had crossed a line.

5: Screwdriver

Modern-day WWE Hell in a Cell matches are usually formulaic in terms of spots and weapons used in the match. WWE aren’t allowed to incorporate blood, so often, the wrestlers involved have to get creative to make the match as exciting as possible.

In 2018, Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy settled their score inside Satan’s Structure, and Orton used a screwdriver as a weapon. In a rather creative yet gruesome spot, Orton would thread the screwdriver through Hardy’s earlobe, and twist until Hardy was in total agony.

The spot was completely unique and is arguably one of the most memorable weapon spots of the PG Era.

Hardy would discuss the notable spot during an interview with the 11th Hour, and this is what the former WWE Champion had to say:

"We did the first earlobe deal, you know, with just the fingers and actually one of the up and coming commentators ? I think he's from 205 Live ?... He was like, 'What if you use a screwdriver?' And then we kind of threw around ideas, and we both compromised on that certain screwdriver? to put it in, twist it, make it real tight and not rip it off!”

4: Pilers

WrestleMania 35 featured the final match for WWE legend, Batista. Batista would take on Triple H, and the match was a No Holds Barred match with various creative yet dangerous spots.

One of the spots in the match saw Triple H use a steel chain as a whip against the back of Batista. This was brutal, and this was definitely a spot which pushed the boundaries of the PG product. The likely inclusion of the chain was to act as a callback, as during their Hell in a Cell match at Vengeance in 2005, the steel chain acted as one of the primary weapons in the match.

Another infamous spot, saw Triple H use a set of pliers to remove Batista’s nose-ring. This spot received mainstream attention, as major media outlets discussed and highlighted the spot, with it being labelled as “disgusting” by many.

3: Barbed Wire Baseball Bat

One of the commonly used weapons during the Attitude and Ruthless Aggression Eras was the barbed wire baseball bat. Mick Foley was prone to use the weapon, and whenever the weapon was introduced into a match, it always received a thunderous response, as the crowd knew that the match was about to be taken to the next level.

During the PG Era, barbed wire has been a big no-go for WWE, as the nature of barbed wire means that wrestlers are likely to be cut open, and naturally, this means that the wrestlers will bleed.

However, during the 2023 NXT No Mercy event, the weapon was brought back for a one-time only appearance during the Becky Lynch vs. Tiffany Stratton Extreme Rules matchup. Lynch would bring out the dreaded bat from under the ring, and viciously attack Stratton with it. It was a huge surprise that WWE committed to having the weapon used in the match, as for a few seconds, it looked like WWE were going to pull a swerve, and the weapon wasn’t going to be used. We previously saw the weapon get introduced into a match at WrestleMania 32, but here, WWE refused to allow Dean Ambrose or Brock Lesnar to use the weapon, which led to severe disappointment from the audience.

WWE are unlikely to use barbed wire again, but it was appreciated that WWE brought it back for a one-off, as it was the talk of social media, and praise should be offered to Stratton for her willingness to potentially get hurt in favour of delivering a career-defining moment.

2: Flaming Table

The main event of the 2014 Extreme Rules PPV saw Daniel Bryan take on Kane in an Extreme Rules match. Going into the main event, fans expected there to be the traditional, PG-friendly weapons used, including tables, chairs, and kendo sticks. However, when Kane lit a table on fire, it was apparent that WWE were breaking away from their tired PG formula and were delivering something special.

As it looked like Kane was about to chokeslam his former tag-team partner through the table, Bryan smartly pulled on the ropes, meaning that Kane went crashing down into the burning wood.

It was a great moment, and it was wonderful to see that Kane was still willing to take dangerous bumps despite being in the latter stages of his career.

1: Thumbtacks

Since 2008, thumbtacks have been absent from WWE programming. However, at the 2016 Extreme Rules event, the sinister tacks made a return during the Asylum match between Dean Ambrose and Chris Jericho.

During the match, Jericho was slammed into the tacks, and based on the reaction, the audience evidently realised that this was a one-time deal, and they had experienced something that would likely never happen again in the PG Era.

According to Jericho during a 2016 edition of Talk is Jericho, he was shocked that Vince McMahon approved the incorporation of the tacks, and Jericho would go on to discuss the psychology of why he had to be the one to take the bump into the tacks:

“We were really surprised, Ambrose and I, because we came up with the idea for the Ambrose Asylum. We were surprised that Vince allowed us to use the tacks! It hasn't been done in 10 years. It has been that long between tack bumps. And when the finish came in and Ambrose is going over, I have to take the bump on the tacks. I have to. He can't take the bump on the tacks and then go on and win. It just doesn't make sense.”

Jericho continued:

“I think we have to protect this crazy bump because, in my opinion, no one really knows what a bodyslam feels like or a suplex. But everyone knows what it's like to get poked with a needle or get a thumbtack stuck in you. We've all had that happen, so people know when it happens, it hurts! And you can actually feel that and empathise with it, [or] relate to it, so I was like, 'you know what, man? We have to use these tacks and make it like it's a pit of fire, like it's the worst thing that could ever happen to you is that you fall into these tacks and you're done'.”