What is a Strap Match? Explained ahead of CM Punk vs Drew McIntyre at WWE Bash in Berlin 2024

CM Punk & Drew McIntyre are set to wrestle in a strap match at Bash in Berlin 2024

CM Punk and Drew McIntyre are the better rivals in the red brand, who have been feuding with each other since the beginning of the year.

Both had a tough run, unable to have their hands on each other. They had their first match at SummerSlam 2024, where Drew McIntyre picked up the win and took Punk’s bracelet again from him.

Most thought that their rivalry was over, but CM Punk made it clear that things wouldn’t settle until he got his bracelet back from McIntyre. Both were involved in a brawl, where Punk smashed Drew with the leather belt. The following week Punk challenged Drew McIntyre for a strap match at Bash in Berlin and the match was confirmed for the show. Before they go head to head at Bash in Berlin, here we take a look at what strap match is all about.

What is a strap match?

A strap match in WWE features a leather strap with wrestlers tied to both ends of the rope. Unlike the regular stipulation, instead of going for a pinfall, submission, count-outs and disqualifications for the win, one needs to touch all four top turnbuckles, dragging his opponents to win the match. Any interruption from the opponent will nullify the count and the wrestler needs to restart touching the turnbuckles again for the count.

There are a number of variations in the strap match which go under different names including Dog Collar Match, Four Corners Strap Match, Russian Chain Match and Texas Bullrope Match. A Dog collar match features a leather strap, however, instead of the wrist, the straps are tied to the wrestler’s neck. WWE never hosted the dog collar matches but held them in AAEW, ROH and other independent circuits.

The Russian Rope match features a 15-foot-long chain tied to the wrestler’s wrist and it is used as a weapon. The Texas bull rope match featured a bull rope, where wrestlers are tied to the rope with the bell in the middle of the rope, which can be used as a weapon, where one needs to touch all four turnbuckles to win the match.

The match that Drew McIntyre and CM Punk are engaged in is the four corners strap match, as Michael Cole officially revealed on the August 26, 2024, episode of WWE Raw.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.