What Is a Steel Cage Match? What Are Its Rules?

A steel cage match is an intense wrestling match carried out in a steel cage placed inside the fighting arena.

At least a pair of fighters perform a steel cage match. The fighter beats the plump out of their contender, escaping the steel cage to win that fight!

When the wrestler escapes the cage, he must do so with his feet planted solidly on the ground as he lands; otherwise,  the fighter’s escape will not matter.

The steel cage match’s original intention was to hold the fighters inside the cage, preventing meddling from other wrestlers.

Over the years, the rules guiding steel cage wrestling have evolved, and escaping the cage is no longer the only method to win the cage match. 

Let’s look at the rules guiding this extreme sport!

Rules Guiding Steel Cage Match in Pro-Wrestling

via GIPHY

1. A steel cage match can be won by the wrestler escaping the cage by climbing out or leaving through the cage’s door. 

When the wrestler performs these escaping acts, the fighter’s feet must plant their feet rigidly on the floor, or the escape is neglected, and the fight continues until a winner emerges.

2. Another method to win the steel cage fight is by the submission move or pinfall.

3. There is no disqualification in this match! 

The match permits the fighters to utilize the cage as a weapon. It means the wrestlers can slam their opponents on their cages and demobilize them. 

The ‘WWE stars and stripes title’ demonstrated this in John Cena vs. Seth Rollins.

Seth Rollins climbed the cage with John Cena following swiftly.

John Cena Slammed Seth Rollins’ face on the steel cage, and this sent Seth landing right back on the floor. 

Seth Rollins wasted no time in retaliating in the course of the match. He dealt John Cena a low blow! And slammed his face against the steel cage as well, destabilizing John Cena!

Are The Rules in WWE the same as other pro-wrestling promotions?

via Gfycat

1. WWE (World wrestling entertainment):

 At present, WWE uses the guidelines that say there are four ways to win the steel cage match. 

These methods are:

• Escape by climbing over the cage and landing with both feet firm on the arena’s floor.

• Leaving through the steel cage’s door with both feet on the floor. Rolling out of the steel cage’s door will not count as a win.

• Through a pinfall win.

• Through a submission win.

Note that before these methods of winning a cage match, the first and only acceptable winning method in WWE wrestling was escaping the steel cage.

2. TNA (Total Nonstop Action Wrestling):  

TNA wrestling currently uses the same rules as the WWE.

In the past, TNA took a stance against escaping the cage. Or exiting the door as a means of winning.

It was formerly won solely by the submission act or pinfall. 

3. All Elite Wrestling:

The All Elite Wrestling company steel matches rules dictates; matches are won solely through the submission style or a Pinfall. 

The WWE escape or climbing out rules does not apply to this promotion agency.