6: This Crazy Business

Guys. Seriously. The response I have received after the first couple of vlogs has been unbelievable. I can't say "Thank You" enough to everyone for their well wishes and outreach. Since the last vlog and the slight injury I received have both garnered some attention across all of my social media, it seems fitting to make my newest blog center around the incident and my mindset as it occurred.

​Now, let me start by saying that (as mentioned in my video description in the vlog), I blame nobody for what happened, and I fully accept that these things happen at the drop of a dime. This business throws curveballs at a moment's notice, and this last weekend was no exception to that rule.

​In wrestling, my mindset is always to give people their money's worth in my match alone. This was no different last Saturday, as I had confidence that I would enter this 6 man ladder match and leave the crowd of 500+ at the Gas Monkey Live in awe of the 20-plus minute clinic they were about to witness. Little did I know, that all would end before even one minute into the match.

​Now something to note: I have a very unusually high pain tolerance that I inherited from my grandfather. So when a ladder that was thrown down hit me in the face with the metal edging, I assumed that I had a cut or would have a bruise, but nothing more. Taylor, who accompanied me to the ring, ran to me as I fell to the floor from the ring, and her reaction was not what I expected.

​I felt stinging and sore, but as I lay on the floor, I suddenly felt warmth and liquid flow over my face and body. When I opened my eyes, everything and everybody was coated in a red film, and I knew that I was bleeding. I have always been the type to just "rub it in" and get back in the ring and finish a match, but then I heard Taylor say, "Barrett I CAN SEE YOUR SKULL."

​I have never walked away from a match. I have never gotten to the point of knowing that I would not be able to continue, and naturally I thought I would continue at first. However, when I heard those words come out of Taylor's mouth, I knew that if I continued, I would risk my own life and others' by attempting to complete the match. With that in mind, I accepted what happened, and I was helped to the locker room before my match was over for the first time in my career.

​I want to say that Imperial Wrestling Revolution's staff and promoter were very professional and helpful during this entire ordeal. They treated me properly and accordingly until I left for the emergency room, and I cannot thank them enough for their help.

​At the emergency room with Taylor and my parents, in my tights and boots, I received 13 stitches after a 3-hour stay from a doctor that was a HUGE fan of Professional Wrestling. Hearing the names that were at the show such as Sting, Mean Gene, "Iceman" King Parsons, the Von Erichs, and many others, gave him a sense of nostalgia as he stitched my head back together. The doctor was kind, fun, cautious, and patient with the procedure, and I could not have been happier with the job he did on my wound.

So now, here we are. I am currently writing a blog about something I never thought I would be writing about: recovery. Just as well, the second vlog on this website and YouTube was drastically changed after the injury on Saturday night. 

​I feel like this crazy business of Pro Wrestling constantly teaches me lessons, and so far in 2018, I have learned more than I could have imagined. It is such an old cliché, but it is only a matter of time until you realize that you are not indestructible. I always knew my work ethic, drive, and tolerance of pain would allow me to continue past some limits, but I guess I never truly thought I would reach that limit. 

​This in no way means that I am slowing down or stopping wrestling. If anything, it fuels my fire even more, and drives me to come back even better than I have ever been. If stepping away from finishing one match means the opportunity to continue and have even better matches down the road, then that is a trade that I am happy to make.

​The road to recovery is going to be a short one, and I will be back before you know it.

​This is just a road block that this crazy business has thrown my way, and I am grateful.


See you all soon.



​-BB