Former WWE star Darren "Droz" Drozdov is remembered not only for his wrestling persona but also for a tragic accident that changed his life forever. While professional wrestling, in many cases, is choreographed and greatly rehearsed, on occasion, an accident will happen and cause a life-altering consequence.
In the case of Drozdov, a fateful in-ring mishap left him quadriplegic. Today, the wrestling world looks back to that incident and the risks wrestlers face every time they step into that ring.
On the latest episode of Grilling JR, wrestling legend Jim Ross spoke about the moment he was informed of Drozdov's accident. According to Ross, he was in Michigan with WWE Hall of Famer "Stone Cold" Steve Austin when the news came in. "He deserved much better than he got," said Ross. "But it was just one of those freak accidents that can happen when you're doing your own stunts."
Ross Remembers Droz
The memory of Drozdov's career-ending accident still lingers in Jim mind. "It was shocking, you know. You're just hoping that somehow or another Droz will regain some feeling."
Not only did Ross remember that sad moment, but he also recalled visiting Drozdov at home. He wanted profoundly to help Drozdov through those times and make him feel less lonely. "I tried to cheer him up to show that they cared," Ross said, emphasizing the aspect of their wrestling family.
Ross also spoke about how the incident shook him and Austin's emotional core. "Heart-wrenching, tears well up no question," Jim said while speaking of the deep impact the accident had on the wrestling fraternity. "It made them aware of the vulnerability of wrestlers," he says, more so since current wrestling styles can be somewhat brutal.
"We're lucky, especially in today's style of wrestling, that we don't have more injuries in the business itself," Ross added.
Ross also remembered how WWE internally handled the situation at the time, which included Vince McMahon handling Drozdov's compensation and helping out with medical expenses. For Jim, it was a day quite literally seared into memory- a sobering lesson in both the fragility of a wrestler's career and the bonds that support them.