On June 15, 2024, Damian Priest achieved an enormous upset by defeating native hero Drew McIntyre to retain the WWE Heavyweight Championship in Glasgow, Scotland. The storyline referred to as for CM Punk to help within the surprising win, however what was much more stunning was that it was a freak accident that noticed Priest’s leg tangled within the ropes, practically ripping his limb from its socket within the course of .
This stomach-churning second is a stark reminder that skilled wrestlers put their our bodies in danger in a manner that many different athletes would by no means contemplate. Not like boxing or blended martial arts, accidents in skilled wrestling not often cease a match, as wrestlers usually endure the ache to satisfy epic storylines in entrance of tens of millions of expectant followers.
Manufacturing and Processing Attended the “Fort Wars” post-show press convention and was capable of get Paul “Triple H” Levesque’s ideas on why wrestlers are a few of the hardest people on the earth, and why it is best to by no means attempt that at dwelling.
Damian Priest nearly breaks leg in freak accident at Citadel 2024
Minutes into his title match towards fan favourite Drew McIntyre in the primary occasion at Glasgow’s Hydro Enviornment, the 6-foot-5, 250-pound champion appeared to attempt to soar out Within the ring, use the center rope as a springboard. Sadly, because the priest ascended, the center rope grew to become tangled with the highest rope, trapping the best leg.
When Priest jumped out of the ring, his decrease legs and ankles have been immobilized and unable to maneuver, that means that as his torso accomplished its ahead roll, he practically dislocated or fractured his joints on this horrific scenario.
Issues bought actual – that second @ArcherOfInfamy Tangled within the rope. Confirmed lots of braveness and mainly completed the race with a superb leg. pic.twitter.com/njyqwK9l0z #WweCastle
— Scott “Future” Felsted (@scottfuture) June 16, 2024
Whereas critics usually deride skilled wrestling as extra of a cleaning soap opera than an precise sport, it is moments like this that proceed for instance simply how harmful this hybrid of sports-performance leisure could be.
Triple H on the actual bodily risks in skilled wrestling
Whereas attending the Citadel post-match press convention, I requested WWE legend and present chief content material officer Paul “Triple H” Lavesque if he had any reminiscences of an identical expertise when he was desirous to entertain the group. Teams are very involved concerning the private well-being of their athletes.
“Yeah, not a superb factor,” he mirrored. “Yeah, I have been on this scenario earlier than and you already know, such as you stated, it is a full contact sport. The harm charge is 100%. Nobody comes out unscathed… You are going to come away with some points. , leaving right here with some ache, it is simply a part of the sport, but it surely’s additionally a part of what we do and why we adore it, and after I noticed that occur to Damian, my coronary heart jumped out of my chest. .I did not understand we weren’t damage.
A multiple-time champion, Levesque tore his quadriceps in 2001 and continued to complete regardless of enduring excruciating ache. In different sports activities, an harm like this is able to imply the top of a match, however in WWE, the place there is a story to inform, it is not that straightforward.
“There is a positive line between what we do safely and what we do unsafely,” he explains. “Each time you get in that ring, there is a risk-to-reward ratio…so, yeah, it brings again reminiscences and I can relate to that, and I definitely hope he is okay, however that is a part of our job. Do not Do that at dwelling.
Preliminary predictions about Priest’s well being over the weekend have been that the Judgment Day member appeared fortunate to keep away from severe harm this time round, however the incident was simply one other in an extended line of reminders that skilled wrestling is much from a pantomime.
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