WWE Hall of Famer's son says he refused to do career-ending move three times
WWE Superstars usually train in the company's developmental system for several years before moving to the main roster. In a recent interview, Richie Steamboat recalled how his career was cut short after an incident in NXT.
Steamboat, the son of WWE Hall of Famer Ricky Steamboat, was one of NXT's hottest prospects in the early 2010s. The 37-year-old stopped wrestling in 2012 after he suffered a serious back injury while performing a Moonsault at a non-televised show.
On Developmentally Speaking, Steamboat revealed he repeatedly refused to do the high-flying offense on the day of the show. However, he was told he had to perform the move that ultimately cost him his WWE in-ring career:
"My whole Moonsault injury thing, I was just told to do that," Steamboat said. "And by the third time of telling them that I didn't want to do it, that was just the answer, 'This is the move.' So, I gave them the move, so there's a little heat there I have, personally, and I'm not naming any names." [38:12 – 38:40]
The injury left Steamboat with seven facet joint nerve blocks in his back. The former NXT talent had the option to undergo spinal fusion surgery, which could have resulted in him having a permanent hump in his back. After careful consideration, he decided against going under the knife and chose to let the injury heal over time.
How Richie Steamboat reacted to the WWE NXT injury
As soon as he landed the Moonsault, Richie Steamboat struggled to feel anything in his body.
After the match, a doctor told the former wrestler he could have been paralyzed or ended up in a wheelchair had his landing been even worse.
"I went straight to the doc," Steamboat said. "I'm like, 'Man, I can't feel nothing. I can't feel anything.' They did some x-rays and MRIs, and I herniated three discs in my back. The doctor's like, 'I don't know why you're not paralyzed. You just severely bruised your spinal cord.' He's like, 'Any more and you'd probably be in a wheelchair.'" [31:55 – 32:16]
Nowadays, Steamboat lives on a farm with his wife and four children. He is also working on several projects, including an autobiography and a range of training shoes.
Do you have any memories of Richie Steamboat in WWE? Hit the discuss button and let us know.
Please credit Developmentally Speaking and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.
