Use Of Thumbtacks In Professional Wrestling

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Thumbtacks are a popular weapon in hardcore professional wrestling promotions, mainly due to the fact that they often remain visible after use on the wrestler, and are very cheap. This use was mainly popularized by the now-defunct Extreme Championship Wrestling. Infrequently, they may be used by more mainstream promotions; one famous use of thumbtacks in the WWF was in the 1998 Hell in a Cell match between The Undertaker and Mankind, and Cactus Jack vs. Randy Orton at Backlash 2004. (Note that Mankind and Cactus Jack are both portrayed by Mick Foley.) Thumbtacks in the WWE were also used at WrestleMania 22 in a Hardcore match featuring Edge and Mick Foley, and during a Extreme Rules Match between Ric Flair and The Big Show on ECW On SciFi.

A common misconception is that the thumbtacks and other weapons such as barbed wire are fake when used in professional wrestling. While this may be the case in some promotions, in others it is usually false especially when discussing the use of the thumbtacks. Although a large amount of them will probably cause a fair amount of physical pain, especially when being slammed onto them, it does not pose any serious threat to the performers and therefore it is safe to say that real thumbtacks are always used.

In TNA, Abyss uses thumbtacks as his signature weapon, and accidentley swallowed one at Bound for Glory 2006 during his Monster's Ball match with Raven, Samoa Joe, and Brother Runt.