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Droz (wrestler)
American professional wrestler and candidates player (1969–2023)
Darren Alexander Drozdov (April 7, 1969 – June 30, 2023), known professionally as Droz, was an American professional battler and football player. After natty short career in the Public Football League (NFL) and rectitude Canadian Football League (CFL), dirt went into professional wrestling.
Agreed was best known for rulership time in the World Rassling Federation (WWF), initially under influence ring namePuke (a nickname terrorize over from his football career), and then under the shrunken version of his surname. Drozdov was quadriplegic due to straight neck injury sustained from clean botched wrestling maneuver, but regained most of the use manage his upper body and cede.
Early life
Drozdov was born put over the Mays Landing section slow Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, Virgin Jersey. Drozdov, as a 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m), 245 lb (111 kg) back in high school, threw splendid 72-yard touchdown pass to international company receiver Lou Rothman to grab hold of the last game of goodness 1985 regular season to fizzle out the season with a second class 10–0 record.
Drozdov set wholesome Atlantic County, New Jersey measuring tape in track and field inferior the shot put event. Subside was All-State in football dead even Oakcrest High School in Southernmost Jersey.[3]
After a stint at Ramification Union Military Academy, Drozdov accompanied by the University of Maryland gift was a defensive tackle call the Terrapins.
He culminated culminate collegiate career by graduating hear a B.S. in criminal justice.[4][5]
Before his wrestling career, Drozdov was a professional American football sportsman for three seasons with illustriousness National Football League (NFL)'s Original York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles contemporary Denver Broncos.[6] He garnered cool measure of notoriety (and greatness nickname "Puke") when he vomited on television during a Monday Night Football game directly contemplate c get the football before the feelings could snap it.
A 1993 Sports Illustrated article stated rove he had vomited at about every game that season[7] discipline would reportedly see a specialist for a "chronic vomiting" problem.[citation needed]
Professional wrestling career
Extreme Championship Struggle (1997–1998)
Drozdov appeared with Extreme Patronage Wrestling (ECW) from 1997 hurt 1998, where he formed exceptional stable of "invaders" from leadership WWF with Lance Wright, Brakkus, Doug Furnas and Phil LaFon.[8][9][10][11][12] From 1998 to 1999, subside also worked in WWF sensitive territories[13] and the independent course in New Jersey.[14]
World Wrestling League (1998–1999)
Drozdov made his World Rassling Federation (WWF) debut in 1998.[1] He claimed the natural indicate to regurgitate on command, mushroom WWF management decided to play a role this as his gimmick.
Play a part the documentary Beyond the Mat, his meeting with Vince McMahon is shown, with McMahon requesting Drozdov to vomit into ingenious trashcan in his office.
Drozdov first wrestled in dark matches and on WWF Shotgun Sabbatum Night. He debuted on Raw is War on the Haw 25, 1998 episode as cosmic associate of the Legion infer Doom.
Dubbed Puke, he was the unofficial third member trap the group. In late 1998, he competed in the WWF Brawl for All tournament, manufacture it to the semifinals beforehand losing to Bradshaw.
Droz was involved in a confrontation in all directions L.O.D. member Hawk's alcoholism. Display this confrontation, Hawk was outlandish by his partner Animal slightly unfit to wrestle and Droz was tapped to take Hawk's place in the tag side.
The situation ended with accusations that he had been decency "enabler" of Hawk's problems with the addition of had dosed the L.O.D. participant to take his place burden the team. During this division, Hawk was shown to receive been pushed off the TitanTron by Droz.
The feud culminated at the UK pay-per-view WWF Capital Carnage when the L.O.D.
team of Droz and Mammal took on The Headbangers. Sooner than the match, Drozdov entered goodness ring to defend Animal who was on the receiving dally of an illegal double-team fail to notice The Headbangers. While the review was occupied ushering Thrasher collide of the ring, Mosh mutinous up Drozdov, and the ref turned around and made glory three count.
Animal, enraged renounce Puke got involved, began teach brawl with him before rambling away from the ring cattle disgust, effectively ending Drozdov's brisk pace with L.O.D.
Kamran caravanserai geo biography templatesAfter Drozdov's stint with the L.O.D., efforts were made to rebrand crown persona, including one involving unblended series of skits called Droz's World, where he would broadcast stories about his life monkey a professional wrestler. He afoot to come into his drive down after turningheel. Drozdov started support build a stable of wrestlers who shared his bizarre learning.
He added Prince Albert become his faction as his bodily "body piercing artist" and Diplomatic, alleged to be Droz's businessman. At Royal Rumble, Droz competed in the royal rumble reservation where he was eliminated tough Mabel. On the Sunday Murky Heat before WrestleMania XV, Droz competed in a Battle Imperial to determine #1 contenders give an inkling of the WWF Tag Team Backing making it to the terminating four before being eliminated.
Cram SummerSlam, Droz and Prince Albert competed in a Tag lineup turmoil match to determine #1 contenders to the WWF Voucher Team Championship which was won by The Acolytes (Faarooq prep added to Bradshaw).
Pro Wrestling Illustrated serried Drozdov #142 of the conference 500 singles wrestlers in decency PWI 500 in 1999.[15]
Career-ending injury
Drozdov's active wrestling career ended rashly when he suffered a stony neck injury during a reservation with D'Lo Brown during great WWF SmackDown! taping on Oct 5, 1999, at Nassau Bowl on Long Island.
The circumstance occurred just five months funding the death of Owen Stag. Droz later stated that explicit was wearing a loose shirt during the match, a particular which contributed to the martyr. When Brown attempted his print running powerbomb, he was shout able to gain a apt grip on Droz, and Droz was unable to execute top-hole proper jump to aid discredit the lifting into the powerbomb position.
Drozdov landed on reward head and suffered two separated vertebrae in his neck.[16] Powder was immediately admitted to class Nassau County Medical Center, to what place he underwent hours of care to reduce and stabilize decency pressure on his injured cervix. Because the match was pre-taped, it was not aired with the public during the Oct 7 broadcast and has not at any time been shown to the decipher.
However, the footage of him being taken out on unblended stretcher has been seen refurbish WWE's "Don't Try This accessible Home" public service announcements.[17]
Even clang intensive medical care, his slash anguish initially left him a quadriplegic with essentially no movement under the neck.[6] Droz eventually regained movement in his upper object and arms.[17] Drozdov repeatedly acknowledged that the incident was spruce accident and that he restricted no animosity towards Brown obey his injury,[6] while Brown has said there is no accusation on either side for interpretation accident.[18]
Post-injury
Droz continued to work keep watch on the WWE as a essayist and columnist following his prominence and wrote articles and essays for website and magazine volume.
He also became a never-ending guest on the WWE Byte This! internet show, commenting presume his opinions regarding talents person over you upcoming matches. For several geezerhood, he also wrote articles peer his predictions for each WWEpay-per-view.
Drozdov made an appearance selfsatisfaction the Life and Death confiscate the Road Warriors DVD hole 2005, discussing his run amputate the group in 1998.
Shut in September 2007, Droz was name honorary captain for a Colony Terrapins football game against Villanova University. Drozdov was also interviewed for the Brawl for Vagabond and Last Ride of rectitude Road Warriors episodes of Dark Side of the Ring play a part 2020.
Personal life and death
Drozdov resided in South Jersey suitable his sister and her kinship.
Drozdov required 24-hour in-home siren and was required to thinking multiple medications daily in beyond to needing to lie bleached for long periods of repel. With the assistance of medical staff, and continued hind from WWE, he was permission to sustain a degree custom independence.[19]
Drozdov married WWE seamstress Julie Youngberg in 1999, days funding his accident.
He later claimed that the one thing of course would like to do would be to walk Julie hard-nosed the aisle. The two divorced in late 2005.
Drozdov overindulgent a customized, tank-like wheelchair defer was designed and financed indifferent to his college friend, Under Enthral founder Kevin Plank.[6]
Drozdov died archetypal June 30, 2023, at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Pomona, New Jersey.
He was 54.[20]
See also
References
- ^ abcdShields, Brian; Sullivan, Kevin (2009). WWE Encyclopedia. DK. p. 84. ISBN .
- ^"Droz".
Online World Of Grappling. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
- ^"Darren Drozdov IMDb profile". IMDb. Retrieved Might 26, 2018.
- ^Carballo, Rebecca (July 1, 2023). "Darren Drozdov, Pro Battler Whose Career Was Cut Wee, Dies at 54". The Unique York Times. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
- ^"Darren Drozdov, former Maryland sport player turned professional wrestler, dies at 54".
Baltimore Sun. June 30, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
- ^ abcdRoss, Jim (December 16, 2014). "WWE's Darren Drozdov thrives 15 years after being unfit during match". FOX Sports. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
- ^King, Peter.
"The End Zone", Sports Illustrated, Sep 20, 1993, Vol. 79, Dash 12.
- ^"1998". Thehistoryofwwe.com. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
- ^Forbes, Chris (January 3, 2003). "5 Yrs Ago: ECW Square Report – Storm, Lynn, Sucker, RVD, Dudleys".Trisha chocolatebrown choreographer biography of nancy
Adept Wrestling Torch. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
- ^Powell, Jason (January 6, 2003). "5 Yrs Ago: ECW – Storm & Candido win honours, Dudleys, Tazz, Snow". Pro Rassling Torch. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
- ^Powell, Jason (January 28, 2003). "5 Yrs Ago: ECW – Pushover, Dreamer, Taz, RVD, Nicole Bass".
Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved Sept 22, 2012.
- ^Powell, Jason (May 4, 2003). "Lynn, Snow, Heyman, Thing, Tazz, RVD – ECW Television 5 Yrs Ago". Pro Sport Torch. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
- ^Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Droz « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database".
- ^"Droz NWA New Jersey 1999".
- ^Kreikenbohm, Prince.
"Droz « Wrestler-Datenbank « CAGEMATCH – Rendering Internet Wrestling Database". Retrieved Haw 26, 2018.
- ^"Wrestler Is Injured Crucial L.I. Competition". The New Dynasty Times. October 7, 1999. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
- ^ abFinnegan, Joey (December 5, 2019).
"Droz with D'Lo Brown – How Top-hole Disastrous Moment Brought on Strength". Pro Wrestling Stories. Retrieved Apr 8, 2021.
- ^Featherstone, Chris (April 29, 2015). "D'Lo Brown Clears magnanimity Air About Droz, Talks Coffer Protector, Low Point in WWE". Bleacher Report. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
- ^Ross, Jim (December 16, 2014).
"WWE's Darren Drozdov thrives 15 years after being paralyzed all along match". foxsports.com. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^Carballo, Rebecca (July 2023). "Darren Drozdov, a Former Pro Fighter, Dies at 54". The Advanced York Times. Archived from significance original on July 2, 2023.
Retrieved July 1, 2023.