Risks in wrestling - Are they worth it?

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Since watching TNA Lockdown last night I've been thinking is taking risks to create memorable spots in a match really worth it? Often it's the spots and painful looking points of a match that are most memorable in the eyes of fans but is it really worth it when someone puts their body on the line for the sake of our entertainment? Are we selfish in that degree? There are two examples I can put fourth that occured in the last 10 years.

1. Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Jarrett - Lockdown 2011: Now I am not bitching on TNA in any way in fact I seem to be in a small minority when I say that I actually liked the show. Kurt Angles spots in this match were both life threatening and irresponsible. In case you didn't see Lockdown this is what happened: 1. Angle totally missed a moonsault off the top of the cage which was barely helped by Jeff Jarrett and 2. Jeff Jarrett powerbombed Kurt off the top rope and Kurt seemingly attempted to reverse the move into a hurricanrana but instead landed on his neck. I know it's his life, his body, his decision, etc...., Except that it's not. When you become a father, you forfeit the right to be selfish like that. And despite what you might think, that WAS selfish of Kurt to do those spots. The match didn't need them. No match does. In fact, it hurt a match that was going pretty well, because I was taken so far out of the match itself out of concern for Kurt's well-being. That's not "getting caught up in the drama of the match," that's simply being scared shitless that one of your favorite performers is going to make good on the death wish he apparently has. He does these unnessaccary moonsault's (which he completely missed last night) that add nothing to the match, just makes him look more like an ass who can care less about his health. Seriously, I saw one of my favorite wrestlers of all-time come within a hair's breadth of killing himself last night. One FRACTION of an inch on that powerbomb, and we'd be discussing the live "Impact is Angle" special on Thursday. I understand you're a grown man capable of making his own decisions, but you have kids that depend on you, Kurt. Wise the fuck up.

2. Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar - Wrestlemania 19: This has nothing to do with Angle but rather Brock. If you remember this great match it was nothing short of a technical masterpiece and was a dream match during its time and a great way to close Wrestlemania. Now the big risk in the match that sticks out in my mind is at the very end. Angle is down after kicking out of an F-5 but Brock decides to go up to the top turnbuckle. He stares at Angle for a moment and does a SHOOTING STAR PRESS! A man his size can do that move! Brock botches the move and lands on his neck. This was a massive fuck up that could've resulted in a broken neck for Lesnar(Though the match did end with someone having a broken neck.). Brock was a big star at this time and just trying to impress a crowd is not worth breaking your neck at the age of 25.

My question to you:
Are big spots in wrestling really worth it all in the end?

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Personally, I think that when a wrestler takes a risk that has a high potential for serious injury then it isnt worth it. No amount of money, crowd pops or fame is worth ones mobility, welfare or life.

Wrestling is a risky business, everyone knows that and each time you take a move you are taking a risk but that is part and parcel of the business and injuries can occur, just like in football when you are tackled hard, or boxing when you get punched in the face.

However, the problems occur when wrestlers go over the top and take crazy bumps like Shane McMahon, Jeff Hardy, Terry Funk, Mick Foley and so many others have over the years. I am amazed that none of these men are wheelchair bound after some of the bumps they have taken. As much as I love seeing these risks being taken as a fan, they are always exciting, I know I would not be willing to take them

You have to respect these guys for what they put their bodies through, are chances they are willing to take for the love of the business and to give the crowd something to remember, but sometimes it just isnt worth it, and they are lucky that they are not seriously injured.

 

[Uncle Phatso]

It's not up to the wrestling fans to ever choose this. The wrestler himself or herself puts their body on the line at their own pace. If they want to go all out then let them, they are the only ones who can choose this path. Other than the company putting their job on the line.

I can go get about 5 videos right now of indi wrestlers absolutely doing crazy life risking shit every day. For what? Less than a thousand dollars pay and two hundred fans? I think that is crazy, but it really isn't up to me. It is all about what the wrestler is willing to do to put on a show for us.

I personally am a hardcore fan, but I know I would never be able to just about anything they do. I remember literally getting almost sick watching New Jack taking bumps and getting hit with shit back in the old Ecw. Necro Butcher is huge indi star that constantly does shit like this. I've been surprised to hear that he is still in one piece after all the shit I've seen.

In the end, it is all up to the wrestler. I love seeing the high risk moves, but if they aren’t' willing to do them I wont say anything less of them. As long as they can put on a great show I will still cheer for them.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

donno if you've read my post. But I'll give you the whole story of me basicaly.

I LOVE pro wrestling. I have since October 1995 when I was a 6 year old marking for Sting when he got screwed by Ric Flair vs Anderson/Pillman who reformed the Horsemen.

May 19th, 2009 I had a try out for the Harley Race Wrestling Academy. It was amazing. However, the last bump of the day knocked me silly, the world was spinning and I was throwing up all over the place. I couldn't drive home so my cousin (who also tried out) drove me home. I puked all night. I had a massive (imagine a migrane x10) headache for 3 days. It hurt to tilt my head in any direction. I assumed I just tweaked something and that it was something everyone else went through. The next week I went back, since we both passed. I'm doing a bump drill, that's usually a 30 bump drill but was reduced to 10 since I was obviously "woozy". After the 10th bump I roll out of the ring and that's the last thing I remember before waking up in the ICU with a tube down my throat, tubes in each arm feeding me pain killers and vitamins, and a catheter in my penis. The doctors informed me that after looking at a CTscan, I had suffered a subdural hematoma that first day. Somehow gutted it out when I should be in the hospital and took bumps with a bleeding brain. The injury was because I have 2 fused vertebrae in my neck since birth so I can't tuck as far as needed when bumping.

For 2 weeks I was in the hospital, unable to walk or piss or shit under my own control. For 2 more weeks I was sleeping at a rehab facillity playing cognitive games with the aids and doing balance tests that 75 year olds were passing. A far cry from the 20 year old "best shape of my life" I was just a month earlier.

The first night I can remembe being concious my little brother told me on the ride to the hospital my dad was crying. I've never in my live EVER seen my dad cry. My mom cried, my cousin cried, my best friends all cried, my girlfriend in florida who got the news by phone cried, I cried.

Another month of being driven to rehab and I was cleared to go back to school. Luckily nowadays I'm pretty much normal. I've lost some vision in my right eye and I get insanely bad headaches once every few months.

So, after all the hardship, after all the pain I caused myself and my family and friends, even though I didn't even have a single match, even though the coolest thing I can tell you is that I got to listen to Trevor Murdoch teach guys how to feed off the ropes and get my neck popped by Harley Race to help aleviate the pain, would I ever do it again? Hell yes I would. Those 2 days alone were worth it.

So when you ask "are big spots worth it" I can only answer yes. I say that because even though I was dissy, trying not to puke, my head throbbing, thinking to myself "holy shit this is really fuckin bad" i still took bumps HOPING it was just something everyone goes through.

I don't think most people are that driven. I don't think most people are ever that driven at anything. When you are, when you love something, you'll sacrifice almost anything for it. For the thrill. It's not this selfless act they make it out to be though. I can tell you from personal experience (and I admit mine is nothing close to what Angle does, not even in the same universe), it's totally, 100% selfish. You can't help it though. It's "in you".

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

“If you asked me if I’d do all of this again – all the way back from getting hired by JR – if you asked me if I’d travel all the roads, log all the miles, hop on all the flights, all the sleepless nights, all the surgeries, all the injuries – the metal rods in my teeth – all of it. If you asked me if I’d do it again…in a heartbeat. So thank you. Thank you very much.” – Edge 4/4/11

I think what Edge said when he retired is what most wrestlers feel about this issue. Wrestlers are generally wresting fans like us but they possess an enormous will to succede in the business that is hard for us to imagine. Some people are blessed sometimes with a great body or with natural charisma but most people aren't. It is those kind of guys that have to go an extra distance and that is why they take such risks.

What would Mick Foley had been if he had not put his body on the line on a daily basis? Possibly someone like Santino. Jeff Hardy would have definitely been a jobber without wanting to jump headfirst from a ladder onto a table. Yes, it would sure feel better physically if you do not have to do stunts but mentally I think it would kill them to think that they had a chance to succeed and they let that chance get away.

It's a case of fame, success and wealth against health. But then if wrestlers were so conscious about health issues they would not choose the business in the first place.

 

[Rayne]

I've thought about this question a LOT, and I'm unable to give a straightforward answer.

The easy way out is to go "well they don't have to, so I have no responsibility for watching if they choose to do whatever." This is a major cop-out. Professional wrestlers don't find new and innovative ways to break major bones in arenas just because they think it'd look cool, they do it because they compete for our attention. A wrestler could "choose" to use an offense consisting of Irish whips and headlocks (hi, Randy!), but if people don't want to watch that, then you aren't going to be a successful professional wrestler.

On the other hand, no one becomes a professional wrestler because they didn't have any other choices in life. It's a career choice a person takes, understanding that they will be seriously hurt while doing it. Being such a competitive job, wrestlers must always be on the lookout for new ways to impress the audience- and that means these dangerous, high-risk moves.

Is it worth it? Who do you ask? Darren Drozdov might have a lot to say on the conversation. Chris Benoit might have had a lot to say. I cringe every time I see someone land on their head, but I still watch. (TNA/WWE- not that often. You have work to do.) I can't tell you if it's worth it, because I'm not the one dealing with the consequences

 

[ThUnDeRpHoEnIx]

Is it worth it?To every wrestler whose taken a bump,every wrestler doing some high risk crap,to every wrestler whose broken a neck or something if you go and ask them if it was worth it I can guarantee that most would say yes.Wrestlers go out and risk everthing on every move.Its up to both men to make sure each other stay safe.

It doesnt matter if they hurt themselves because they arent doing it for themselves,they're doing it for us,the fans who watch them risk their lives to watch something we only dream about doing.

Last year I was sparring with a friend with somehow turned into using wrestling moves as well.We use to do that every day at his dad's gym and his dad and his friends would all watch.Eventually one day I just collasped.I had suffered a mild concussion and had a broken arm as well.I dont spar anymore,in fact the doctor suggested laying of contact sports for a few years for fears of what could happen to me but if I had the option of going back and doing it all again I would.I've been in fights since then and it reminds me of sparring and I still would go back to doing it easily if I could.

 

[JGlass]

Of course they're worth it. As they say, this isn't ballet!

When you sign up to be a wrestler you sign up for a lifestyle that any sane human being would avoid like the plague. You're constantly on the road, you can't afford for a second to not be taking great care of your body, you're all but a slave to your promotion, and worst of all, you have to get your ass kicked by roided out freaks multiple nights per week.

But you also sign up for the opportunity to be heralded as a superman, sometimes a hero, sometimes a villain, but always impressive. You get the opportunity to make crowds eat out of the palm of your hand and put on matches that both the fans and your peers will be talking about for ages.

And how do you make the crowd pop like never before? How do you create epic moments in wrestling history? Huge spots. Sure, sometimes they come with big risks, but it's part of the sport. The risk is part of what makes wrestling so spectacular. Not only are these guys physically able to do these spots (hell, anyone with some gymnastic ability can pull off a moonsault and anyone can be thrown through a table by a 250 pound man), these guys are willing to do it.

Now if you're saying that we can still have entertaining wrestling matches without the wrestlers risking injury, I'd have to say that you're still wrong. Even back in the days of Lou Thesz and Buddy Rogers, guys were still getting hurt in the ring. Yes, the chances of getting hurt have gone up with the introduction of high risk moves and hardcore matches, but it doesn't change the fact that wrestling three or four nights a week is going to take a huge toll on your body. Furthermore, those types of matches don't cut it anymore. Wrestling is no longer about the physical prowess of the two competitors, it's about the spectacle of it all, and while the physical abilities of the wrestlers are part of that spectacle, a headlock just isn't going to cut it anymore.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Yes they are. The risk for injury is extremely high with some spots, but the wrestlers know how dangerous their job is. If they want to create an awesome moment, sometimes they have to be willing to take that risk. Sometimes injuries happen due to mistakes in trying to do a risky spot, but these things happen. What's worse, a larger list of injuries, or a larger list of boring matches? They can only "play it safe" for so long before fans get bored. That's just as bad as having a large chunk of the roster on the injured list. The risk is worth it BUT the bookers should place spots within reason, to make certain moments in certain matches stand out because that way the matches are less boring but also safer from having less risky spots.