William Regal’s recent warning about wrestler safety is continuing to resonate across the industry.
On Sunday, the WWE Vice President of Global Talent Development took to social media to caution wrestlers about taking bumps that involve being dropped on their heads, emphasizing the long-term and often irreversible damage that neck injuries can cause.
One of the more notable responses came from WWE’s Ivar of The War Raiders, who replied directly to Regal’s post on Monday with a sobering message drawn from personal experience.
“Life altering,” Ivar wrote. “There was a before and an after. Man, I wish I could remember the before.”
Ivar’s comments carry significant weight given his medical history. He first underwent neck surgery in September 2020 after suffering an injury during a match on WWE Raw, sidelining him until April 2021. More recently, he suffered another serious neck injury in April 2024—one that, at one point, left him being told his wrestling career was over.
During an interview with Chris Van Vliet in December 2024, Ivar reflected on the severity of that injury, noting that he was fortunate to avoid an even worse outcome.
“I do have permanent nerve damage and nerve pain in my hands,” he stated during the aforementioned interview. “And that will never go away, and that’s something I live with. But as far as everything else, I got most of my mobility back in my neck,” Ivar said.
For those who missed William Regal’s statement, it reads as follows:
“I stay off here but was alerted to something today that has alarmed me. I don’t read any comments so don’t waste your time trying to argue or justify your very wrong opinions on this. I broke my neck twice,9/93 in ring and a car wreck in ‘97 and stupidly never told anyone. And I was taught properly how to bridge and not land on the top of my head. It’s a skill that maybe 99.9 % of people don’t know or will ever learn anymore. I kept going somehow but knew all the tricks that again people don’t learn now and watch film and just copy. After Misawa San passed from his neck problems I thought it would stop this nonsense but it’s got worse and whenever I talk to people about them doing it it’s “well it doesn’t hurt….” Believe me it will . I have people close to me now, Bryan being one, who is suffering daily like myself from his neck. It’s a daily misery and sleep and every other aspect of your life is more than hard. Although people use the term tough about me you’ll never hear me say that as I’m not and don’t think I am or have ever been. Money and whatever nonsense fame is supposed to be is not worth the pain or supposed two evening glory you get from these ridiculous moves dropping yourself on your head. The vast majority of fans don’t know the difference between a vertical suplex and a brain-buster and that’s a far tamer move than many I see now. I’m 57 and become less relevant every day but fame has never been my thing so most of you doing this STUPID stuff are not going to listen to me but hopefully a few do. Stop it now if you want a decent quality of life after Wrestling because that part of your life will be over before you know it and wrestling done right is hard enough but broken necks or death are not something you should think is tough or cool. It’s idiotic thinking.”
Life altering. There was a before and an after. Man, I wish I could remember the before. https://t.co/gwy6RNOtF1 pic.twitter.com/kT3v1DYTF3
— Ivar (@Ivar_WWE) December 29, 2025
I stay off here but was alerted to something to day that has alarmed me. I don’t read any comments so don’t waste your time trying to argue or justify your very wrong opinions on this. I broke my neck twice,9/93 in ring and a car wreck in ‘97 and stupidly never told anyone. And I… pic.twitter.com/BHxtPm6rjM
— William Regal (@RealKingRegal) December 28, 2025
