Braun Strowman's Release Reminds Fans The Tragic Fate Of Wrestling's 'Big Men'

Former WWE Common Champion Braun Strowman was launched from WWE for the second time over the weekend. Initially part of the mass COVID layoffs in 2021, Strowman returned to WWE in 2022 for a run that was plagued with accidents. Strowman additionally suffered a spinal damage early in his second run, and in direction of the tip of final yr, Strowman revealed that his leg was “15% paralyzed.” Regardless of his accidents, Strowman had been feuding with Jacob Fatu on Fatu’s path to the WWE United States Championship.

Strowman’s must push by way of the ache is one more case of an outsized WWE star coping with accidents, like Nice Khali and Andre The Large earlier than him. Whereas all wrestlers are seemingly anticipated to “play with ache” in a technique or one other, the giants of the wrestling world are sometimes affected by the aches and pains of their immense dimension, on high of the common bumps and bruises of professional wrestling.

Strowman suffered a neck damage in a match, not lengthy after his return to WWE, that made his arms go numb. In an interview with Chris Van Vliet, Strowman mentioned this was the results of undiagnosed spinal stenosis.

“It felt like somebody was pouring boiling scorching water down each my arms…I used to be on this actually terrifying place for 2 weeks,” Strowman mentioned, undecided if he’d ever stay a standard life once more. Fortunately, he had the counsel of WWE Corridor of Famer “Stone Chilly” Steve Austin, who suffered an analogous damage in 1997.

“His damage was virtually precisely like mine, just a bit extra extreme,” Strowman revealed. The conversations with Austin helped Strowman perceive that there was hope for restoration, as the majority of Austin’s WWE success got here after the damage. “It was a really huge breath of recent air.”

Strowman returned from the damage in December of final yr, happening to feud with Carmelo Hayes on “WWE SmackDown,” after which his feud with Fatu earlier than his launch on Might 2. In response to Strowman, WWE took super care of him throughout his damage, however there have been different stars who weren’t as fortunate, even WWE Corridor of Famers. 

Considered one of Braun Strowman’s chief abilities is his pace. Bigger wrestlers usually are not usually identified for his or her athleticism, however Strowman may run, soar, and dropkick with the perfect of them, which many felt helped him stand out. Nevertheless, that is one thing of an anachronism, as wrestlers like Andre The Large or The Nice Khali have been super athletes till their our bodies started to interrupt down underneath the burden of their hulking frames.

Andre had been often known as somebody who may run and soar throughout his days wrestling in France. By the point he bought to America, Vince McMahon’s WWF, particularly, he was worn down and barely cell. Even his well-known 1987 match in opposition to Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III was usually unsure till the bell rang, as Andre’s again was utterly wrecked. Hogan has usually spoken about how the match wanted to be tailor-made across the many bodily limitations from which the once-agile wrestler was struggling. The match is commonly often known as the final true-blue important occasion for Andre, who spent the years till his dying principally wrestling in tag matches, usually leaning on the ropes for assist whereas his tag accomplice wrestled a lot of the match. Andre died in 1993 because of the acromegaly that brought on his immense dimension within the first place.

Former World Heavyweight Champion The Nice Khali was one other big in WWE who needed to undergo by way of his share of bodily stresses as a consequence of his dimension. Whereas not as athletic as Braun Strowman or Andre The Large, the big star did present some pace and agility when he was in Japan as “Large Singh.”

Nevertheless, virtually instantly after signing with WWE in 2006, Khali suffered a knee damage that required surgical procedure and for him to be written off TV. By the point he returned, he was a lot slower, and regardless of a run as World Champion, followers weren’t joyful along with his gradual and staggered type. Khali remained with WWE, coping with all of the struggles of the WWE touring schedule, till he virtually died the identical method Andre did. Medical doctors discovered a tumor on Khali’s pituitary gland in 2012, requiring mind surgical procedure.

The surgical procedure was successful, and whereas Khali is not with WWE, he continues to run Continental Wrestling Leisure in India. Khali even appeared at a current WWE occasion in India, the place he mentioned that he felt he might need yet one more match in him. Because it stands, he has not wrestled because the Best Royal Rumble Match in Saudi Arabia in 2018.