Which WWE weapons are fake and which are real? Exploring the history of wrestling equipment

WWE and other professional wrestling companies are known to incorporate multiple props as weapons to further intensify a match. Still, some of them have changed to prioritize the superstar's safety.

Some of the most frequently used props in WWE are tables, kendo sticks, steel chairs, and ladders. Fortunately, it looks like these items were modified to make sure the superstar will be able to absorb the impact.

WWE ladders, which are common for Money in the Bank matches, are different from the usual ones. The ladder's materials during matches are made out of hollow steel rather than solid to reduce weight and impact when used. Another item that is commonly used as a weapon is a steel chair. Interestingly, those used in matches are made out of aluminium.

Kendo Sticks are also weapons that superstars can easily pull out from under the ring to use. Although the item does cause pain and occasional injuries, it's also customized to ensure it breaks fast. The sticks are made from hollow wood, resulting in the weapon breaking after just a few strikes. To make sure the ends don't split, both ends are held on tape. Another item that has their material changed to make sure it breaks easily is the tables, which are made up of thin wood or plywood.

Other fake weapons in WWE are garbage cans and guitars. The former is made out of aluminium or tin to ensure little to no damage will be done. Meanwhile, the latter is changed to make it incredibly light to avoid damage when used as a weapon.

Some of the real weapons used are thumbtacks, sledgehammers, chains, and barbed wire. Due to this, it's understandable why they're not as commonly used as the ones above.

Thumbtacks were popularized by Hall of Famer Mick Foley, but due to the risks, the items have not been used as much in recent times. As revealed in one of Mick's autobiographies, it doesn't hurt as much if the wrestler lands it on a bigger area of the body, like the back, so that the pain spreads.

Sledgehammers and barbed wire are fake weapons that have become real. The former, mainly used by Triple H, was first introduced with a rubber head. However, it was later changed to an actual sledgehammer, and instead, The Game used his hand to cover the metal part.

Another object popularized by Mick Foley was barbed wires. Rubber tips were used in the beginning until the actual spikes were included. As per The Hardcore Legend, Triple H used a real barbed wire on Mick during their WWE Royal Rumble 2000 match, but Foley used a fake wire when hitting The Game.

Randy Orton regretted a major thumbtack spot during a match with a WWE Hall of Famer

It's no secret that wrestling is scripted, but wrestlers still put their bodies on the line every time they perform.

According to Hall of Famer Mick Foley, on an episode of Foley is Pod, Randy Orton claimed their thumbtack spot on WWE Backlash 2004 was a bad idea in the middle of the match.

“Mike Chioda goes to check on Randy [Orton], and all Randy can say is, ‘Chioda, those tacks were a bad idea.’ He’s really feeling it and now. I come off that ring apron with what I think is the best elbow of my career, partially because it’s captured with that low-angle shot; I couldn’t have dropped a better one in my life.”

What do you think is the most dangerous weapon used in WWE? Share your picks in the comment section below!