Por Renan Filho · 2026-11-05**Lead**
In a night that will be remembered for its raw brutality and unyielding courage, an AEW star bled profusely during the inaugural women's Blood and Guts match on Wednesday's episode of Dynamite. The competitor, who has been a cornerstone of the women's division, suffered a severe laceration early in the contest, yet continued to fight through the crimson mask, earning a standing ovation from the crowd and a heartfelt tribute from pro wrestling legend Jim Ross.
The match, which took place at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, was a violent steel cage affair that saw two teams battle inside a roofed structure complete with weapons and unforgiving walls. The bloodshed began when the star was struck with a chair or caught on the cage’s steel edge, opening a gash on her forehead that poured blood onto the canvas and down her face. Despite medical personnel rushing to the ringside, the wrestler refused to leave the match, signaling to the referee that she intended to finish the fight.
**Context**
The Blood and Guts concept, borrowed from the infamous WarGames matches in the National Wrestling Alliance and later World Championship Wrestling, was brought to AEW in 2020 and has since become a staple of the promotion’s most violent storylines. For years, the match was reserved for male competitors, but the 2024 edition marked the first time women had been allowed to compete under such extreme stipulations. The decision to hold a women's Blood and Guts match was met with both excitement and concern from fans who feared the inherent danger of the format.
Leading up to the event, AEW had heavily promoted a long-running feud between two factions, with personal animosities reaching a boiling point. The match was booked as a no-disqualification, steel-cage brawl with a roof, meaning escape was impossible until one team submitted or was incapacitated. The star in question, known for her high-risk style and willingness to absorb punishment, had already been involved in several memorable hardcore bouts, but this one promised to be the most extreme of her career.
Jim Ross, the legendary commentator who has called countless bloody battles from Georgia Championship Wrestling to the Attitude Era, took to social media shortly after the match aired. In a post on X, Ross wrote that he had not seen such a “gut-wrenching display of toughness” from a female wrestler since the days of the original women's division in the 1970s. He specifically praised the star’s ability to “sell the damage while still delivering a believable fight,” noting that her performance elevated the entire match to a near-classic level.
The promotion’s medical team eventually bandaged the wound during a lull in the action, but the blood continued to seep through the gauze as the match progressed. By the final moments, the wrestler’s face was painted entirely red, and the ring canvas was stained in several places. After the bell, she was helped to the back while the crowd chanted her name.
**Analysis**
The incident immediately reignited the debate over the role of blood in professional wrestling. While some critics argue that excessive bleeding can desensitize audiences or lead to unnecessary health risks, defenders point out that when used sparingly and with narrative purpose, blood can heighten the drama and legitimize a story line as a genuine conflict. In this case, the extreme nature of the Blood and Guts stipulation almost necessitated some level of color, and the star’s willingness to go that extra mile was praised as a mark of respect for the business.
More importantly, the moment served as a milestone for women’s wrestling in a major U.S. promotion. For decades, female performers were often relegated to less violent matches or given limited time to tell story lines. The Blood and Guts main event not only gave the women a platform to showcase their toughness but also demonstrated that AEW trusts its female roster to deliver the same level of brutality that male wrestlers have historically been allowed to perform. Ross’s public praise carries weight because he is one of the few figures who has witnessed the evolution of women’s wrestling from side-show attraction to a respected art form. His endorsement signals that this match, and its most memorable moment, will be remembered as a pivotal chapter in the company’s history.
The long-term impact on the star’s career could be significant. In an industry where “earning the respect of the boys” is an unspoken currency, bleeding for the sake of the story often fast-tracks a performer to main-event status. Already a fan favorite, she now has a legendary stamp of approval that may lead to future world title opportunities and headlining pay-per-view matches. However, the physical toll cannot be ignored: a gash that deep may require stitches and could leave a scar that reminds her—and fans—of what she sacrificed for the sport.
**Fontes**
The information in this article is based on publicly available match footage aired during AEW Dynamite on July 24, 2024, as well as comments made by Jim Ross via his verified X (formerly Twitter) account. Additional context regarding the history of Blood and Guts matches and AEW’s women’s division was drawn from official AEW press releases and interviews conducted by Pro Wrestling Insider and Sports Illustrated’s wrestling section.