A couple of independent wrestlers changed the definition of “getting heat” over the weekend.
Independent wrestling is still the wild west of the grappling scene, with plenty of promotions across the country continuously pushing the envelope between extreme and stupidity.
The latest example: indy wrestler and veteran stuntman JJ Allin getting his nether-regions lit on fire, with his opponent stoking the flames with a weed whacker. Yes, that is an actual sentence that was written in 2021.
The spot, which took place under the Pro Wrestling Trainwreck banner during the 2021 Southern Sickness Cup, was caught on video and was eerily (and frighteningly) reminiscent of the ’90s ECW days.
(Warning: Video and tweets contain disturbing images and offensive language.)
Allin took to Facebook not long afterward to say that he was doing just fine — well, relatively, at least. Allin said he had second-degree burns on his legs, and that the main issue was that his water crew wasn’t where it should have been.
Allin also said that the promoter or organization shouldn’t be held at fault for the spot gone wrong.
Other photos from the event include gallons of blood shed, dozens of light tubes destroyed and a general reminder that pro wrestling is not fake. The preferred vernacular is “scripted.”
And another friendly reminder: If you are ever set on fire at an independent wrestling event, stop, drop and roll is the suggested method of fire deterrent — not a weed whacker.