WWE Bill of Rights: Amendment II

WWE superstars haven't always had the rights like we did in the Bill of Rights, but they sure did fight for these rights, introducing the next Amendment...

Amendment II - The Right To Bear Arms

Never in WWE has this Amendment been accepted. By bear arms I don't mean guns, but foreign objects.

\Yup..."The Man" has held us down again. We can't really put the blame on Vince, since foreign objects is an ancient rule that results in automatic disqualification.

WWE superstars had disdain for one another and wanted nothing more than to punish their adversary with anything they could get their hands on. In 1995, the first crack to the barrier was made.

On April 2, 1995 Wrestlemania XI, in Hartford, CT featured Bret Hart versus Bob Backlund in the first-ever "I Quit" match. This match enabled superstars to defeat their opponent through any means necessary. No rules? No problem.

The Attitude era, which paved the way for many Amendments, paved the way for this one. WWE had began to host a slew of matches that ranged from a buried alive match, boiler room brawl, hardcore matches, street fights, no holds barred, and much more.

Who were the pioneers? We would have to look at all the faces of Foley. Mankind had participated in both dumpster and boiler room matches. We also saw Foley as Mankind face off against the Undertaker in an Hell in a Cell match at the 1998 King Of The King. Then we saw Foley as Cactus Jack face Triple H at No Way Out in 2001 in another Hell in a Cell match.

In 2001 during the Invasion, ECW invaded bringing more foreign weapons and extreme elements to the world of WWE. The push for the right to bear arms didn't stop there, the creation of tables, ladders, and chairs also known as the TLC match was created.

At Wrestlemania 2000, Summerslam 2000, and Wrestlemania 17 all three of those foreign weapons were viciously used in a way never seen to man by the hands of Edge and Christian, The Dudleys, and The Hardy Boyz. Nearly 30 tables were destroyed across those three showdowns.

Crash Holly's 24/7 hardcore title rule brought more extreme pain as well as foreign objects use. Shane McMahon brought us an ambulance match, and we've seen stretcher matches.

Mick Foley would once gain pioneer for the WWE when he took it to the limits at Backlash 2004, where he faced IC champion Randy Orton, in a Hardcore match that included trash cans, barbed wire 2x4's, and thumbtacks. Foley didn't stop there nope, he faced Edge at Wrestlemania 22, which involved a flaming table.

ECW would become part of the WWE's expansion and WWE had gained a "land of extreme" to their arsenal. ECW would deliver tons of hardcore matches with foreign weapons such as the Singapore cane.

In 2006, we saw 2004's Elimination Chamber re-created...with a twist. An Extreme Elimination Chamber took place. Not only were six superstars trapped inside of unforgiving steel, but there were foreign objects such as tables, canes, trash cans, stop signs, and so on.

The Texas bullrope match was also created, as well as the "ladder-friendly" Money In The Bank match. Finlay loved to fight so much, he brought a Belfast brawl, and how can we forget about the Last Man Standing Match?

William Regal used his brass knuckles, Al Snow used "Head," Triple H has his trusty Sledgehammer ..etc. Cage matches were great, but kicked up a notch when JBL faced Big Show in the first ever "Barbed Wire Steel Cage" match.

Of Course WWE isn't the old ECW, so foreign weapons won't always be acceptable. Mick Foley (All 3 faces), Edge and Christian, The Hardy Boyz, The Dudleys, RVD, and the Attitude era, helped pass this Amendment.

-There won't always be hardcore/no holds barred matches, so the right to bear arms (Foreign objects) is limited to an extent. The PG rating is sure enforce limitations. Triple H had been part of Last Man Standing match a few weeks back on Smackdown, Jeff Hardy defended (and lost) his WWE title against Edge in a No DQ match at The 2009 Royal Rumble.

Randy Orton will be facing Shane McMahon in a No Holds Barred match at No Way Out 2009, and we'll also see two elimination chambers that night.

Amendment II Milestones/Progress

Edge & Christian, Hardy Boyz, Dudley Boyz - TLC Saga (Attitude Era/Invasion Era)

Mick Foley, Dude Love, Cactus Jack, Mankind - Every hardcore match he's been in

Angle, Rikishi, Austin, Taker, Rock, HHH - Armageddon 2000 Hell in a Cell (Attitude Era)

Undertaker - Hell in a Cell Matches (Attitude Era/Invasion Era/New Generation Era)

Shane McMahon - Street Fights, Ambulance match (Attitude Era/Invasion Era)

Eric Bischoff - Survivor Series 2004 Elimination Chamber (New Generation)

Last Man Standing, 3 stages of Hell, Money In The Bank (Attitude Era/New Generation)

ECW Expansion Brand - Paul Heyman/WWE (New Generation)

Extreme Elimination Chamber - ECW's "December to Dismember" (New Generation)