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Pro wrestling legend William Regal urged in-ring competitors to learn and establish safe practices amid a series of scary-looking bumps.
Regal posted a lengthy message on his social media, accompanied by an X-ray showing his own broken bones from taking hard bumps while in the ring. He performed for World Championship Wrestling (WCW), WWE and was a manager at All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
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Alexa Bliss, William Regal and Charlotte Flair speak during NXT at Full Sail University – Ebbs Auditorium on September 16, 2025 in Winter Park, Florida. (Bradlee Rutledge/WWE via Getty Images)
“I’ll be off here but was alerted to something today that alarmed me. I don’t read any comments so don’t waste your time trying to argue or justify your very wrong opinions on this. I broke my neck twice, (92/93) in the ring and a car wreck in ’97 and stupidly never told anyone. And I was taught on top of my X to land properly,” he wrote on top of my X. “It’s a skill that maybe 99.9% of people don’t know or will ever learn anymore.
“I somehow kept going, but knew all the tricks that people again don’t learn now and watch movies and just copy. After Misawa San got over his neck problems, I thought it would stop this nonsense, but it’s gotten worse and when I talk to people that they do it, it’s “good it doesn’t hurt….” Believe me it will. I have people close to me now, Bryan (Danielson) is someone who suffers daily like myself from his neck. It’s a daily misery and sleep, and every other aspect of your life is more than tough. Although people use the term tough about me, you’ll never hear me say it, because I’m not and don’t think I am or ever was.”
Two of the most egregious hits this year took place in the last two months.
On Saturday night at AEW’s Full Gear, Jon Moxley pinned Kyle Fletcher off the top rope. Fletcher landed on the top of his head.
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Adam Cole gets kicked by Kyle Fletcher during the AEW “Dynamite” show on May 28, 2025 at the El Paso County Coliseum. (Gaby Velasquez/El Paso Times/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
During WWE’s Survivor Series: WarGames, CM Punk and Cody Rhodes teamed up to deliver a Doomsday Device to Bron Breaker. When Punk clotheslined Breaker, the latter wrestler flipped backwards and landed on top of his head.
On the surface, both Fletcher and Breakker appeared to be OK.
“Money and whatever nonsense fame is supposed to be is not worth the pain or the supposed two-night glory you get from these ridiculous moves that fall on your own head,” Regal continued. “The vast majority of fans don’t know the difference between a vertical suplex and a brainbuster, and it’s a far tamer move than many I see now.
“I’m 57 and getting less relevant every day but fame has never been my thing so most of you doing this STUPID thing won’t listen to me but hopefully some will. Stop it now if you want a decent quality of life after wrestling because that part of your life will be over before you know it and wrestling done right is hard enough but broken necks or death is not something you should think you have to think about.”
CM Punk with a clothesline to Bron Breaker during Survivor Series at Petco Park on November 29, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images)
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Pro wrestling is much safer today, but the top stars in promotions across the sport are dealing with brutal injuries from years of pushing the pedal to the metal.
