Brock Lesnar, known for his aggressive wrestling style, is not commonly linked to causing injuries to others. However, during the early years of Kurt Angle‘s WWE career, Lesnar accidentally inflicted a serious neck injury on him. This incident, which occurred in the third year of Angle’s time with WWE, had profound consequences for Angle’s health and future.
Angle shared on The Undertaker’s Six Feet Under podcast that Lesnar struck him in the head with a steel chair, causing three of Angle’s vertebrae to crack and two discs to press dangerously into his spinal cord. This painful injury marked a turning point in Angle’s life, directly contributing to his reliance on painkillers to manage the damage.
“When I broke my neck in WWE, that was the second time I broke it. First time was before the Olympics, the second time was my… third year in WWE. Brock Lesnar actually broke it. He hit me over the head with a chair. Three vertebrae cracked and I had two more discs sticking in my spinal cord. It was really bad. And the doctor introduced me to painkillers, and I’m not going to lie to you, man, I loved it. I loved the way it made me feel, gave me energetic feeling, didn’t make me feel nauseous like some people it feels like. It made me alert.”
The Dangerous Descent into Painkiller Addiction Following the Injury
Following the neck injury caused by Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle was prescribed painkillers to cope with the intense pain and damage. Unfortunately, what began as prescribed medication quickly spiraled into a serious addiction. Angle confessed that the initial relief the painkillers provided soon transitioned into dependency, as he grew increasingly reliant on the drugs not just for pain but for their energizing effects.
Angle detailed his growing addiction, explaining how he resorted to obtaining massive quantities of painkillers through illegal means. He described a system where he would acquire multiple prescriptions from numerous pharmacies while also importing pills from Mexico. This level of consumption was extreme and highlighted the extent of his struggle with addiction during that period.
“You need two. Two led to four, four led to eight. Before I knew it, I was taking 65 extra [painkillers] a day. I was crushing it. I was buying them illegally from Mexico, 500 of them, and I was getting 12 different scripts from 12 different pharmacies. You can’t do it now. I had a system, I had it all drawn out – this pharmacy on this date, that pharmacy on that date. So, I was getting 120 pills from each pharmacy, which is about 1800 pills. And you add on those 500 extra pills I was getting illegally from Mexico, that was around 2300 pills a month.”
The Long-Term Impact on Kurt Angle’s Career and Life
Kurt Angle’s revelations shed light on the severity of the injuries wrestlers often face and the subsequent health battles they endure. The Brock Lesnar neck injury addiction not only endangered Angle’s physical health but also jeopardized his entire career and personal life. Angle has since made it clear that his wrestling days are over, acknowledging the permanent consequences of his injury and addiction.
By sharing his story, Angle underscores the challenges athletes confront behind the scenes, especially in high-contact sports like WWE. His experience highlights the importance of awareness regarding painkiller dependence and the lasting effects of serious injuries sustained in the ring.
