"That time and place is over" - WWE Hall of Famer weighs in on AEW blood-drinking controversy

AEW Full Gear 2023 produced several acclaimed wrestling matches, with the most discussed being the brutal Texas Death match between 'Hangman' Adam Page and Swerve Strickland. WWE Hall of Famer and Hardcore Legend Mick Foley has given his thoughts on the visceral imagery of the bout.

At the Full Gear pay-per-view on November 18, Swerve Strickland defeated Hangman Page to cap off their intense personal feud. The two went to incredible lengths to destroy each other in the bout, but one spot in particular generated so much controversy that it was picked up by mainstream news outlets.

Early in the bout, Page stapled his young son's artwork to Strickland's face, then ripped it away. The former AEW World Champion then slid down on the mat, caught his opponent's dripping blood in his mouth, and spat it back into the air in a grisly plume.

WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley hadn't watched the match when he recorded the latest episode of Foley is Pod, but he expressed his wish that people wouldn't drink blood in modern wrestling:

"I wish I could say I’ve seen it. I heard it was really epic. I wish people wouldn’t drink each other’s blood in [his] day and age, let alone this one. I mean, heels used to do that. I remember even Tracy Smothers in Japan would do the deal where they you know, s*ck the blood out of the opponent’s head and spit into the air."

Despite Foley having built his name with extremely violent hardcore matches, the WWE legend opined that modern wrestlers should focus on safety and leave such barbaric spots in the past:

"Maybe that had a time and place, but that time and place is over," he continued. "Not a knock on the match, just looking out for everybody’s safety, knowing that people are going to possibly emulate what they see on TV. That doesn’t take away from the fact that the guys seemed to have a great match and really enjoyed doing it." [H/T Fightful]

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Hangman Page vs. Swerve Strickland at AEW Full Gear has generated extreme reactions

The feud between Adam Page and Swerve Strickland took an extremely personal turn when the latter broke into Hangman's house and threatened his young son. To settle the score, the former AEW World Champion challenged Swerve to a Texas Death match, and the two spent 30 full minutes tearing each other apart at Full Gear.

While the match drew rave reviews from many fans, wrestling insiders have been split on the brutality and grotesque imagery of the bout. Speaking on Grilling JR, AEW commentator Jim Ross claimed that the two men "raised the bar" with their physicality.

Another WWE Hall of Famer, Bully Ray, thought that some of the spots weren't necessary but stated that the match "stole the show."

Meanwhile, legendary wrestling manager and noted AEW critic Jim Cornette was disgusted with the controversial blood-drinking spot, calling Hangman Page "demented and f*cking distasteful."

Check out his full comments here.

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What did you think of the Texas Deathmatch at AEW Full Gear? Was it necessary as a climax to the feud, or did Hangman and Swerve go too far? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!