Dead Wrestlers: Leaving it all in the ring

Bad News Barrett was injured on Tuesday at the Smackdown taping. (photo source: wwe.com)

WHAT THEY DO TO MAKE IT

The world of professional wrestling is scripted entertainment, but the hazards are real. These men and women don’t get an offseason. There’s not many places to make a living and because of that, they’re finding themselves under intense pressure to perform. That means performing hurt — taking unneccesary risks — which ultimately contributes to their undoing.

In order to make it in the business, you’ve got to (generally) have a certain look. Acquiring that chiseled frame isn’t easy by any means and it’s something that very few of us are genetically gifted enough to acquire in a natural way. Whether it’s growth hormone, dianobol or any other form of steroid, many wrestlers feel pressured to have that look to even get noticed by the big organizations.

On top of that, you’ve got to get trained and you’ve got to hone your craft. If driving hundreds of miles to wrestle in front of 20 fans for next to no money on no sleep sounds like your cup of tea, you’re in luck — while the destination is worth it for most — the journey flat-out sucks.