Rich Swann Reveals Extent Of Near Career-Ending Leg Injuries
The injuries were sustained in January...
In many ways, Rich Swann is fortunate to be wrestling Eric Young tonight for the Impact Wrestling championship at Bound For Glory.
Swann sustained gruesome injuries to his right leg on January 10, while working an eight-person tag at Impact's Bash at the Brewery in San Antonio. The injuries ultimately sidelined Swann for six months.
Speaking on Busted Open Radio ahead of the match with Young, Swann revealed the extent of those injuries.
"So, after I broke everything, what was it? My ankle, my foot, my fibula, my L5, L6. After taking all that, I got to the car with one of my buddies, and then, we drove to Houston, because we had two more shows before then and I waited," said Swann. "I was like, 'Aw man, hopefully, this is just a bad sprain'. Even though I saw my foot just turned sideways and it was hanging.
"I waited a couple of days and finally, I went to the hospital in Dallas on that Sunday and the doctor was saying once they gave me the X-Ray, oh man, you're definitely going to need surgery, but the thing was, they weren't doing anything on that Sunday."
It wasn't until he returned home to Orlando that Swann received further tests.
"They're telling me, 'Your fibula's broken and the bone just poking right out the skin. It was such a clean break. It was almost a compound fracture, almost went through the skin.
"With the foot and everything, the right side of my ankle was lodged up into my shin, the lower part of my shin. My left side of my ankle was lodged up into my calf. The top of my foot was peeled off. It was horrible."
Swann added that the doctor advised him that wrestling may no longer be an option for him.
"He was like, 'You might have to think about another profession. You might not be walking right. You might literally have a limp for the rest of your life' and to hear that, it was like, 'Man, I go from being told that I might not be able to make it in this industry, in this land of giants to doing it and now, it's all being taken away just from one little simple move."
Swann made his in-ring return at Slammiversary in July, as a surprise entrant in the five-way main event. Tonight will be only his second match since returning from the injury.
(Credit to Wrestling Inc for transcription)
Written by Justin Henry
In addition to writing lists and commentaries for Cultaholic, Justin is also a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine, and is co-author of the WWE-related book Titan Screwed: Lost Smiles, Stunners, and Screwjobs.
