We reported last week here on eWn that WWE sent a memo to their talent telling them to stop doing “thigh slapping.” This is a method that wrestlers use to make kicks sound louder and look more painful. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there was a sign backstage this past week that read, “Do not slap leg when kicking.”
With that being said, Jey Uso used several thigh slaps during his cage match with Daniel Bryan on SmackDown. It should be noted that for many wrestlers, it’s a natural part of their moveset and they’ve been doing it for years.
The backstage reaction to the new ban is said to be similar to that of other recent changes with many talent questioning why it’s even an issue. There is a report going around backstage that a larger wrestler recently did a sloppy leg slap on SmackDown and Vince wound up banning the move altogether. Some believe that just like Vince’s decision to have no wrestling during commercial breaks several years ago, this will soon be forgotten about.
