Fight Club Flashback: WCW Lapses in Judgment with Vampiro Concussion

I was in my first year in the real world after graduating from UMaine and had been cranking out regular stuff for Wrestling-Online.com for almost a year. Then, this opportunity came up on a growing site called 411wrestling.com that I had to take.

I called my column "The Fight Club," partially after the movie and also in an effort to change it up from every other writer that referred to a hold or ring part in naming their column.

I wrote for 411wrestling (and then, 411 Mania) for almost four years. Luckily, while doing a web search, I found that most of my old columns are still archived there, in addition to the Indies reports I helped launched and some very random music reviews.

So in order to help bolster the content of Ropes, Ring, and Cage and to ensure they aren't eventually lost forever, I'm going to republish my old columns here every Thursday, adding some current-day thoughts (in italics).

Consider them a look into wrestling's past, written in an era where there were still two major federations that made Monday nights the best night of the week.

The Fight Club - Nov. 8, 2000

Professional sports is full of sad stories of athletes who have suffered multiple concussions and still played on. Troy Aikman, Pat LaFontaine, Eric Lindros and multiple boxers head the list of those who have been given bad advice regarding their most important muscle—their brain—or those that are just too stubborn to say no.

Wrestling is no stranger to head injuries, especially concussions. One of the greatest ever, Bret Hart, was forced to hang up the boots less than a month ago due to head injuries that wouldn't allow him to compete due to doctor's orders.

Bret was smart in getting out now, but it is hard to tell what side WCW sat on. Why? Because of their treatment of the recent concussions suffered by Vampiro.

Vamp got the injury during his Halloween Havoc match with Mike Awesome. Injuries happen, but that is not the concern here. What is concerning is what WCW had Vamp do the next night during the Thunder tapings in taking another Awesome Bomb in a tag match. Less than 24 hours after suffering a bruised brain, the damage done to Ian Hodgkinson could have been much, much worse.

The desire to not lose your spot is also present in professional sports and rules the world of wrestling. Guys are afraid that if they sit out with an injury, they will not be in the same role as they had upon their return.

Vampiro is one of those stars that seems destined for great things if he can get with a good angle in WCW. It is easy to think that under any circumstances, he wouldn't want to sit out especially after a lengthy absence due to personal reasons.

But it is at that time when WCW should have said no. Indications are that Vamp didn't want to take another power bomb due to the injury, but that WCW insisted. if this is the case, something is definitely wrong. They are in a bad enough spot as it is, but having one of their wrestlers risk permanent head damage is not the way to turn things around.

Part of running an organization is a sense of responsibility for those who work for you. If WCW knew Vamp had a concussion, they should have held him out - no questions asked.

As wrestling fans, we sometimes demand way too much of those who seek to entertain us. We scream for blood, violence and puppies at every chance necessary. Often, we don't think enough about those who we are yelling at. Vampiro is one of those guys who deserved better from the management that employs him and I hope he makes it through this o.k.

Next time you are cheering for a body to be put through a table, think about the person that will take the ride.

Today: At 41, Vampiro still occasionally wrestles for AAA in Mexico. And no, promoters haven't changed their ways either. While the WWE has toned it down a bit since the Attitude era to the opposite extreme, the life is a wrestler is still a physically brutal one. Also, the brain isn't a muscle, which is always good to know.

Josh Nason - josh [at] ropesringandcage [dot com] - has published MMA, wrestling and boxing blog Ropes, Ring and Cage.com since 2007. If you are using any content or recapping from this site, please include a link to www.ropesringandcage.com. Thank you for your support!