The Third Man - ***ANSWERS*** - Do you know the rules?

[T-Rex]

Here are the much anticipated answers to the rules quiz (in red below). Please read carefully so you know what is supposed to happen in these situations. As always, reply with any questions you may have.

So you think you know the rules of wrestling? So does everyone else sitting around you in the gym. Lets see how much fun this will be... Just go to any match with me and you’ll see that the crowd often times differs with my opinion (ha!)… Welcome to the world of officiating, a place where a thick skin and sense of humor will keep you from playing Russian roulette on a nightly basis.

As long as the official can understand that the coach isn’t angry at the ref, merely the situation, then things usually continue as planned. However, when the coach/wrestler makes it personal, or does not heed the simple warning of ‘…in my judgment…’ do things then take a turn for the worst.

Please consider the following situations. I welcome any and all replies, and please give it your best shot. No one will make fun of you… Well… I take that back. But anyway, remember these situations happen in a SPLIT second, and the referee must act and rule INSTANTLY, with confidence and accuracy. Please put in your reply the corresponding letter, with the reasoning for your answer. The more the merrier, please don’t be shy, show the world what you know!!! No responses from anyone who is a referee.

The most accurate (guesser) respondent will receive half my annual pay for writing for ITW. Here we go…

A) Wrestler A lifts the opponent off the mat and, while Wrestler B is in the air struggling to get free, Wrester A loses control and Wrestler B falls to the mat and is injured – Is there a penalty? If so, what would it be? What would be the proper sequence of events following this incident? If A lifts B off the mat, it is A's responsibility for his safe return. Many people think you have to SLAM the wrestler to have a SLAM called; however the rule itself is much broader. We'll save the definition of a SLAM for another article. Just remember one thing in this situation - you lift them, it's your responsibility for their safe return, even if the wrestler who is lifted in the air causes themselves to get hurt by wiggling free. The penalty for this is illegal hold on A.

B) At the beginning of the 2nd period Wrestler A has choice. The official mistakenly gives Wrestler B the choice, and B chooses top. B then pins Wrestler A – What should happen? By rule, the fall stands. One would think (personally I do...) that if B didn't get the choice in the 2nd period, and didn't have a chance to have it corrected by having his choice in the 3rd, that this would some way, somehow, be considered BAD TIME; however it's not. It was BAD TIME 2 years ago, and is just a bad break this year. Bottom line, don't get pinned, ever.

C) Wrestler A takes an injury timeout in the first period. In the second period Wrestler A takes his 2nd injury timeout. In the third period Wrestler B applies a Figure 4 to the head of Wrestler A while both are still in a neutral position. Wrestler A is injured from this move – Is there a penalty? If so, what would it be? What would be the proper sequence of events following this incident? This one is very very tricky, but has happened. First of all, what is a Figure 4 on the head? Legal right? Yes, except when both wrestlers are neutral (no control). Even if both wrestlers are down on the mat, but no takedown has been awarded, they can still be neutral. So with that out of the way, a Figure 4 on the head from a NEUTRAL position is a Technical Violation (not an ILLEGAL HOLD, big difference in this situation). So now we have a Technical Violation on B. A is injured from this hold though remember. So on ILLEGAL HOLDS, A would get recovery time. On Technical Violations, the time would be INJURY TIME on A - but wait! He's already taken 2 previous injury times - so this is his 3rd injury time right? A now loses the match as a result of taking his 3rd injury time. But you say 'From a move that B did to him that injured him'? Yes... You may call it a loophole in the rules - but it is what it is...

D) Wrestler A is injured, and during injury time her nose begins to bleed. What would the proper sequence of events be following this incident? By rule, blood time always supercedes injury time. So simply the injury clock stops, blood time starts until stopped, then injury time would start again if needed (all one injury time).

E) Team A travels to a tournament out of town. During weigh ins in the 135lb class, Team A’s 160lb wrestler attempts to enter the room to join his team. What would the proper sequence of events be following this incident? The 160lb wrestler would not be allowed to weigh in. Simply stated, all wrestlers from a team have to be in the weigh-in area at the beginning of weigh-ins.

F) Wrestler A checks in at the table for her match. Then, before walking onto the mat, she goes to her corner to talk to her coach. Is this a penalty? If so, what would the proper call be? Stalling would be the call. When you properly check in at the table, you must immediately report to the center of the mat.

G) Wrestler A checks in at the table for his match. He then walks onto the mat and picks up his ankle band and goes out of the circle to his corner to talk with his coach. Is this a penalty? If so, what would the proper call be? This penalty would be a technical violation - +1 match point for Wrestler B. Once you report to the middle of the mat, if you leave the wrestling area (circle) it is a technical violation.

[Official]

Answer for C is under discussion. There is no correct answer. This is due to a rule change.