Taz on injuries in wrestling: “I think it’s not having enough days off at times”

“I don’t think it’s the long travel mileage. I think it’s not having enough days off at times. I think it’s the talent, men and women, do not get enough credit for how full fu–ing speed they go and you have to go on house shows, not just TV. You have to give 100% every match and all these guys and girls do that. I’m promising you they do. This business is physical as sh-t, guys. I promise it’s no bullsh-t…I’m letting you know the main thing is how physical it is all the time and how many shows they have. The long travel plays a part in it to a little bit of a degree. If you’re thinking about Triple H, him tearing his pec, I mean that could happen to anyone, but Triple H is almost near 50 years old. I’m 51 years old and I think he might be a year or two younger than me. I don’t know his exact age 49. We came up in the business at the same time. I’m just letting you know that the guy has trained hard his whole life and all that stuff. He’s had injuries and he’s a big son of a b-tch and he looks great for his age. God, I envy how great he looks. I wish I looked as good as him, but you know what? He’s not in full throttle wrestling shape, wrestling all the time. Neither is Undertaker. Neither is Kane. Neither is Shawn Michaels. These guys are older guys…I think H tearing his pec, it’s a little bit different situation. I think age plays a part in that, lack of being full time and trying to work like you used to work. I think that’s what happened to Triple H and you gotta give the man credit for finishing the match. I tip my cap to him. Most wrestlers have had to go through matches where they had to finish when they’re hurt. He’s done it a few times. It’s a bit-h. It’s tough and you’ve gotta respect him, but as far as the other talent on the card, there’s a lot of people hurt, sure, but that’s why they have a deep roster. Everywhere they look, they have to, because it’s a next man up, next girl up mentality. It has to be and it’s not being vicious. It’s just like the NFL or just like the NBA. It’s a sports franchise at the end of the day, except these f—-ers don’t get an off season. There’s no time to regroup your body. I’ve always said that about the industry. Pro Wrestlers are a hybrid of an actor, an athlete and a stuntman or woman. The thing is, all pro athletes have off-seasons to recoup their body and get themselves back where they were and to rest their body. You don’t have that opportunity as a WWE Superstar or if you’re full time in Japan or Ring of Honor or when TNA was going full throttle with shows non-stop. You don’t have that off-season and if you’re in the independent scene and making good money, the last thing you want is an off-season because you’ve got to work every Friday, Saturday, Sunday to make money. You don’t want an off-season. Those f—ers are working hard too, so it’s not just the guys & girls in WWE. I don’t think it’s the long travel and hours on the plane, all that jazz. I don’t….I don’t think the long flights are the reason why. It’s the amount of work and no off-season and the talent is going full throttle all the time.”

source: The Taz Show podcast

(Transcription Credit: Michael McClead)