There have been a few instances where it feels like the current crop coming out of NXT are either being rushed to the main roster or they aren’t being taught the basics like protecting your opponent.
It’s one of the cornerstones of professional wrestling as the wrestlers are giving a choreographed performance that puts each of them in danger, as it stands to reason protecting each other would be paramount.
Bret Hart said his goal was to make sure his opponent left the match in the same condition they arrived. His record speaks for itself as he’s lauded as one of the safest workers in history.
Unfortunately, no matter how safe someone tries to be accidents happen, like Droz when D’Lo’s grip slipped and he was paralyzed from the neck down. Thankfully, he’s managed to regain the use of his arms.
We’ve all heard about Steve Austin’s career ending because of complications with his neck injury he suffered when Owen Hart didn’t secure him properly for a piledriver.
Recently, Big E broke his neck when Ridge Holland dropped him on his head in a botched belly to belly suplex. Thankfully, Big E’s broken neck will heal and he didn’t suffer any paralysis or others complications.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnjPEKXAvrI
Things need to change
Randy Orton spoke up about how he doesn’t think NXT is teaching wrestlers how to protect their opponents. He even said he’s faced some of them and he’s had to protect himself in the ring.
While there’s been debate on whose fault that was and Big E has asked that no hate be directed at Holland, it has brought up a discussion among fans and even some wrestling veterans about why Holland is remaining on the main roster.
Dutch Mantell went another route and talked on his podcast about how Holland should be banned from doing the belly to belly suplex and listed a few other moves he thinks should be banned because they’re so dangerous.
“First of all, I’d ban the one that Ridge Holland used on Big E. That would be one of the first ones, I think, or just ban him from doing it. This is what people have to understand about wrestling: you have to trust your opponent… I think the blame there you can put about 25 percent on Big E and about 75 percent on Ridge Holland. What is that move they call the Spanish Fly? You hook him and you go [flip over]. I forgot who does that, but I think that move needs to be banned. Somebody’s gonna get hurt with it, and a lot of those dives out of the ring to the floor over the top… I guess people pay to see that, but they’re very, very dangerous moves.”
Dutch went on to explain how he refused to be in a hardcore match because he didn’t know his opponent well enough to trust him, and since it was already advertised they worked it out to him doing the hardcore stuff on his opponent.
In a sport where one has to trust their opponent we can’t blame anyone from defending and protecting themselves when the training system fails. Stiff wrestlers aren’t new, but their training at the Performance Center of other developmental territories are supposed to solve that.
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