Gamer Uses NES Cartridge as a Weapon After Blowing on It

What do you take into a cage fight? You’ve got one backpack to fill. Do you pack thumbtacks? A bomb? A snack? A tiny wrestler? A classic gaming console?

How about…all of the above?

That’s exactly what one team did at Forbidden Door, the latest PPV from All Elite Wrestling, during a chaotic 12-man steel cage match featuring two teams of six. Each team was a mashup of various smaller factions, creating a wild mix of alliances. To keep it simple, one team included Kyle Fletcher, Kazuchika Okada, and Kevin Knight, while the other featured Kyle O’Reilly (yes, two Kyles), Mark Briscoe, and Orange Cassidy.

Orange Cassidy, a fan favorite, is known for carrying a Jansport backpack filled with his championship belts and other surprises. For this match, he convinced his teammates to bring their own backpacks loaded with useful items. Willow packed snacks for Cassidy, including a Ziploc of orange slices. Briscoe brought thumbtacks, and O’Reilly showed up with a Nintendo Entertainment System, complete with controllers and a game.

The whole scene was a blast. O’Reilly was thrilled to find the classic console, handing one controller to Briscoe while using the other to smack Okada. Commentary from Tony Schiavone noted the NES might be worth something (though probably not after this), while Don Callis, the villainous commentator, called O’Reilly a nerd.

As Briscoe and O’Reilly regrouped, Fletcher seized the moment to land a few kicks, but it didn’t last long. The duo stretched a controller cable between them, using it to clothesline Fletcher right onto the NES on the floor, prompting Callis to dismiss the console as a “piece of garbage.” O’Reilly then pulled out an NES cartridge labeled “AEW” (though it’s unclear what game it actually was) and blew on it before smacking Fletcher with it. Classic!

Having an NES in the ring isn’t typical, but it’s not surprising either. Many wrestlers are huge nerds, and I wouldn’t be shocked if the idea came from one of them. O’Reilly and Briscoe seemed genuinely excited about this nostalgic violence, though I can’t help but think they could have done even more damage with a GameCube. I originally got into AEW after seeing amazing video game-themed signs at events, a tradition that continues to thrive, including at this recent PPV.

Man, I love wrestling.