Female Wrestler Takes Sick Bump In Match Against Male Competitor (Video)
Candice LeRae stole the show at Absolute Intense Wrestling’s Absolution X show in Cleveland, Ohio this weekend, but the lady grappler didn’t do it with a pinfall victory or submission hold. During an intergender “Six-Pack Scramble,” LeRae was hit with a massive backbreaker that sent her flying several feet into the air. The man who administered the savage blow was Cedric Alexander, who has held his own in Ring of Honor against heavyweights including Hanson, Moose, and Michael Elgin. Alexander tips the scales at just over 200 pounds, while LeRae weighs in around 112 pounds, according to Internet database Cagematch.
The live crowd reacted with shock as Candice hit the canvas on her back, sprawling out like a pancake. Video catching the maneuver from two different angles was posted online.
Louis Lyndon went on to win the bout, but it was Candice LeRae who received a standing ovation from the AIW faithful after the bell.
Once something of a rarity and a taboo in professional wrestling, intergender wrestling has become a prominent feature in America’s independent wrestling scene over the course of the past several years. Lucha Underground’s Sexy Star is a standout in female versus male competition, recently mixing it up with luchador Pentagon Jr. in a brutal main event match on the promotion’s weekly television show.
Perhaps one of the most infamous intergender bouts of the recent past featured lady grappler Kimber Lee against “Dirty Daddy” Chris Dickinson at a March event in Providence, Rhode Island. Footage of Dickinson administering a vicious chair shot and a tremendous power bomb to his female opponent went viral on social media, inciting harsh criticism as well as concern for the present direction of independent wrestling. Dickinson later spoke to The Hot Tag Podcast about the footage, explaining that viewing the 50-second viral clip wasn’t enough context to understand the way things unfolded at the end of the match. He also vehemently defended the role of intergender competition in pro wrestling today. For her part, Kimber Lee told Pro Wrestling Illustrated that she appreciated the support and concern of fans, noting that she is more than capable of defending herself in the ring.
Candice LeRae seems to be made of the same stuff as Ms. Lee, having matched up with plenty of male rivals in the course of her 13 years in the squared circle. In 2014, Pro Wrestling Illustrated ranked her 33rd in the world in their annual list of the world’s best female wrestlers.
LeRae updated fans on her status via Instagram the day after the Cleveland show. In her post, she reported that although her back wasn’t injured, she did suffer a sprained ankle in the melee.
https://instagram.com/p/5BDTb9Gb_d/
Greg DeMarco, podcaster for VOC Nation and a writer for 411Mania is familiar with Candice LaRae’s work and put the harrowing footage from this weekend into perspective for wrestling fans.
“This isn’t the first time Candice LaRae has gone all out for her craft,” DeMarco told the Inquisitr. “She routinely faces off with men and is even a former Pro Wrestling Guerilla tag team champion (with Joey Ryan). She also raised more than a few eyebrows for her bloody battle against Hudson Envy for California’s Alternative Wrestling Show in 2013.”
With a devoted fan base that follows her work in a number of independent companies including WSU, CZW, and SHIMMER, Candice LeRae is sure to be up and around as soon as possible preparing for her next fight, whether her opponent is male or female. It’s more than probable that she’ll cross paths once again with Cedric Alexander sometime in the future and plenty of folks will be waiting to see how Candice LeRae fares in the next round.
[Image via Instagram]
