Arn Anderson Discusses The Tricks To Using Fire In Wrestling
Arn Anderson has discussed the use of fire in professional wrestling and the safe way to throw a fireball at an opponent in the ring.
Fireballs in wrestling are nothing new. Jerry Lawler used them in Memphis while The Shiek used them throughout his Hall of Fame career. In more recent times, the use of fire has been prominent in the feud involving The Fiend, Alexa Bliss, and Randy Orton.
Orton and The Fiend took part in a Firefly Inferno match at TLC in December 2020. In a shocking end to the event, Orton would appear to set The Fiend ablaze in the ring. Subsequently, on Raw, The Fiend’s ally Alexa Bliss would shoot a fireball at Orton’s face. Orton would appear with a protective mask and burns on his face in the following weeks.
Discussing fireballs on his ARN podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson revealed the magic to using the effect safely in the ring:
“Yeah you can [injure somebody] and I think you just – the way it was explained to me and shown to me, and this was all done in about 20 minutes backstage – you just toss it in the direction. You don’t try to toss it at the person, obviously, because it is flash paper and it will burn you if it hits you flush.”
“So just the idea that you somehow magically came up with a fireball and threw it at somebody – the heat is in the intent. It’s not meant to hit anybody in the chest or the face, if it does, you’re gonna get burnt. For it to suddenly to appear in your hands and then a fireball and just go in the direction, within three or four feet of somebody still is a shocking situation. ‘How did they do that?’ and ‘Gawd, he just threw fire’. It’s a little more advanced than getting a headlock.”
Arn Anderson took fan questions in an episode of ‘Ask Arn Anything’ on his podcast. The Head Coach of the Nightmare Family would also discuss how he feels AEW’s calendar of four PPV events a year works very well.