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Tag: wrestler

  • Georgia high school wrestler breaks neck at state championship

    Georgia high school wrestler breaks neck at state championship

    A Georgia high school wrestler is facing a long recovery after he suffered a broken neck in a “freak accident” during a state championship tournament earlier this week. 

    Dominic Haines, a Jefferson High School senior, suffered a broken neck in the final seconds of his quarterfinal match of the GHSA Traditional Wrestling State Championships in Macon, Georgia, on Thursday. 

    Dominic’s coach told FOX 5 that it was a “freak accident.” (Mary Williford)

    Assistant wrestling coach Matthew Seaman called it a “freak accident,” telling FOX 5 Atlanta that it happened after his opponent performed a legal takedown. 

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    “It’s a heartbreaking situation all in all for both sides, obviously for us, but definitely for this opponent who did absolutely nothing wrong,” he told the station.

    “This has been years in the works for him,” Seaman added. “Dom’s come up through the youth program at Jefferson, the middle school program, and the high school program; this is a true family. This was his year, everything was coming together.” 

    Wrestler injured

    Dominic’s father, Zach Haines, said his son is slowly regaining feeling in his lower half. (Mary Williford)

    Dominic’s father, Zach Haines, provided updates about his son’s condition in a series of Facebook posts. 

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    He said after the accident, Dominic had “no feeling from the shoulders down.” 

    Dominic underwent surgery on Thursday, which his father said went “according to plan.”

    In his latest update on social media, Haines said his son has shown positive signs of recovery with some feeling in his lower half. Dominic will undergo another surgery later this week “to fuse the vertebrae from the back since the muscles and ligaments were all completely torn,” his father said in a recent update.

    Dominic Haines

    Dominic was competing in a quarterfinal match of the GHSA Traditional Wrestling State Championships last week. (Mary Williford)

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    Haines said if his son continues to progress, he could be transferred to a rehabilitation center in a week. 

    A GoFundMe campaign for Dominic has raised over $62,000 as of Tuesday. 

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  • Mickie James reveals the ‘last thing’ a pro wrestler should want to be as she gears up for ‘WWE LFG’

    Mickie James reveals the ‘last thing’ a pro wrestler should want to be as she gears up for ‘WWE LFG’

    Mickie James is a legend when it comes to women’s professional wrestling.

    She performed in the National Wrestling Alliance, Ring of Honor, Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling and Ohio Valley Wrestling before breaking out with WWE in 2005. 

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    James had a lasting and memorable career with WWE, with her first stint ending in 2010 and her second stint ending in 2021. She was a five-time WWE women’s champion and one-time WWE Divas champion. She was in TNA, Global Force Wrestling and a few other indie promotions in between runs with WWE.

    James’ vast experience in professional wrestling made her the perfect choice as a coach in the upcoming television show “WWE Legends and Future Greats,” also known as “WWE LFG.” 

    Mickie James arrives prior to the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 15, 2018. (Larry McCormack/The Tennessean via USA TODAY NETWORK)

    The reality show, which premieres on Sunday, will see James, The Undertaker, Booker T and Bubba Ray Dudley mentor the next generation of wrestling superstars. Viewers will get an inside look at what it takes to make it in the business.

    James told Fox News Digital in a recent interview it was quite difficult to determine what type of characteristics she looked for in a pro wrestler given a competitor’s background and experience.

    “Each person you have to coach so differently depending on where they are in their wrestling journey,” she explained. “I always say that I think what makes a superstar is the ability to tap into the thing that makes you unique, that stands out from the crowd, whether it be physically or emotionally or whatever, and making that larger than life.

    “In my opinion, as a talent, a lot of the times those things that, just through culture and our desire to fit in and be like everyone else and normal – that’s the last thing you want in wrestling is to be like everyone else and normal. You want to be larger than life. Those things that make us and set us apart and make us so different are the things that we’ve pushed down and tapped down and kind of hidden and are insecure about.

    Mickie James in 2019

    Ruby Riott, right points to Mickie James standing on the corner ropes before the start of a women’s match during Saturday’s WWE Live wrestling event Jan. 19, 2019. (Ronald W. Erdrich/Reporter-News)

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    “And, I could just be speaking for myself, but I often find those are the things that you want to make larger, even bigger and go bigger with because those are the things that are going to set you apart from everybody else. The last thing you want is to be like anyone else in the arena.”

    James said she was excited to be a coach on the show and to pull the curtain back on some of the WWE greats she will be working with.

    She added that she believed she had a unique experience because of her career trajectory.

    “I do think I relate most to these ‘Future Greats’ because I did go through the developmental system and then came up to television,” she told Fox News Digital. “I can understand. I can relate a little bit more with them of what it feels like to be in their shoes.

    “It’s been a lot of run to do. I feel like I’m constantly learning even still and it’s cool to get to know these talent on a different level, on a real personal level and have fallen in love with all of them. But also to get to know all of my fellow coaches on a different level and hopefully earn a newfound respect from all of them. They certainly, I feel like, are my brothers now and I adore each and every one of them. So, yeah, it’s been a lot of fun.”

    A promo poster for 'WWE LFG'

    “WWE Legends and Future Greats” features four coaches trying to develop the next great superstar. (A&E)

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    “WWE Legends and Future Greats” is on A&E at 8 p.m. ET.

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    Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.