Wrestling great Arn Anderson says he is ‘terrified’ by the in-ring style of modern wrestling, would like for talent to dial it down so no one gets hurt:
“I’m terrified. I respect the girls and guys of today’s wrestling industry, but scared to death, too, because I see things in the ring that you can’t protect yourself on. Anything going backwards, German Suplex, you can’t protect yourself because you can’t see where you’re going. Stuff off the top, going through tables, things that are dangerous.
You look at me, I’m beat up, and I didn’t do any of that stuff, so I’m just worried that in five years we’re gonna have a casualty list, and I hate it for the young guys and girls, because they feel like they need to go to that level to get the audience’s approval. Do you need them to do that to enjoy their matches?
If they dialed it down would you not follow them? I’m not saying take everything away from them, take all the excitement away, but take some of the stuff that talent are time after time getting hurt on and just dial it down, that’s all I’m asking.”
(Source: Interview with Denise Salcedo)