Independent Wrestler Suffers Cracked Skull, Brain Bleed, And Hearing Loss After Botched Move
There are many people who argue that professional wrestling isn’t “real” and that nothing true comes out of it, but they are incredibly wrong. While the results and storylines may be scripted, the majority of the action is real and legitimate injuries can occur. Such is the case of an independent wrestler named Shawn Phoenix, who botched a move which resulted in him suffering a cracked skull, brain bleed, and hearing loss in one ear.
Phoenix was involved in a tag team match and partnered with Dan Hooven as they took on a team called The Culmination. The match was at International Wrestling Cartel’s (IWC) Unbreakable event in Pittsburgh in early October, and that is when the injury took place.
Even though it has been more than two months, news of the injury is just beginning to make the rounds of the internet wrestling community, and it has gone viral.
In the tag match, Phoenix was on the top rope and preparing to perform a move to the outside. His opponent was situated on a table on the floor when Phoenix botched a 450 splash that ended with him catching the table wrong and slamming into the concrete floor.
Yes, there was a safety mat on the floor, but those aren’t very thick or protective, and it didn’t help Phoenix at all, as reported by the New York Post.
Wrestler breaks skull in top-rope leap gone very wrong https://t.co/JTZiIXhXSs pic.twitter.com/2zRbm9KPfN
— New York Post (@nypost) December 20, 2018
Phoenix was in the ring and jumped up to the top rope to deliver the 450 splash to his opponent who was outside and laying on the table. As Phoenix jumped off the top rope and began his move, his opponent moved out of the way, and Phoenix’s foot landed on the table instead of his body.
The table didn’t end up breaking and it caused him to slam head-first into the ground, which was a scary sight. The pictures above only show the before and after, but the video below is much more vivid and bothersome.
Before viewing the video, make sure you realize that it is quite disturbing. Viewer discretion is certainly involved.
The 27-year-old Phoenix was taken to the hospital immediately after the incident and was treated for multiple injuries. Former WWE superstar Shane “Hurricane” Helms recently tweeted about the video which has been making the rounds, and Phoenix responded to him.
Helms simply said he hoped the “kid didn’t get hurt too bad.”
Broke my skull, was bleeding from my brain…but I was released from the hospital in six days. I’m unbreakable.
— Shawn Phoenix (@xShawnXphoenix) December 19, 2018
Shawn Phoenix may believe he is “unbreakable,” but his serious injuries prove that everyone and anyone can suffer in professional wrestling. They may be able to learn how to fall correctly. Punches are able to be pulled. Results are usually scripted. But professional wrestling is very real and that was proven by the fractured skull, brain bleed, and loss of hearing in an ear for one independent wrestler.
