Here is a graph from data compiled by About.com looking at the number of pro-wrestlers who have died during the year 1985 - 2011.It's alarming to see that most of the pro-wrestlers die before the age of 50. Shockingly, over the last 16 years, 7 pro-wrestlers have died each year.
Sports Illustrated posted its own opinion on this matter back in 2007. It compared pro-wrestling to other American sports and mostly explained the high death rate was due to heavy drug use. Back in the '80s, heavy steroid use was common and since wrestling was not a real sport, steroids wasn't considered to be illegal to use in the business.
Popeater.com interviewed former WWE wrestler turned UFC fighter, Brock Lesnar about his time wrestling for the WWE and about some of the dangers that could lie ahead for some wrestlers. It appears that the hardest things to overcome is the "gruelling schedule". Brock Lesnar said "There's no off season, there's no time for resting because, if you're resting, you're not making money."
If a wrestler gets injured, Brock Lesnar says that most of them will use painkillers to ease the pain as they don't want to lose money from resting. This causes a cycle of problems as wrestlers often don't want to take time off to heal their injuries. Although they are still paid something during their time off, it is nothing compared to the amount of money that is made when they are out there appearing on every show.
It's interesting that over all these year there still no real policy for wrestlers to take time time the stage and heal their injuries. It's almost make me think of WWE as a game for entertainment in the old days which participants are some sort of punishments and have no rights at all, not even earning money. This kinda harsh.
ReplyDeleteAgreed that taking wrestling profession is a no-no. And for the record, they could loosen up the rules a bit at least. WWE is really a no boner otherwise you're out. Ekkk!!
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