10 Horrifying Wrestling Injuries Captured On Camera
5. Vader's Eye
Known as much for his gentle temperament off-screen as his fiery persona with the cameras on, Vader's hard-man aesthetic was in essence the most underrated aspect of his work. Most colleagues referred to him as a "teddy bear" behind the scenes, and the shower shoes sh*tkicking he took from Paul Orndorff betrayed the fabulous monster within he was capable of channelling. As was the relatively relaxed approach he had to his eyeball popping out midway through a match with Stan Hansen.
An errant shot from Hansen during their NJPW/AJPW inter-promotional clash for Vader's IWGP Heavyweight Title forced the giant to release an armbar and hurriedly remove his mask to address intensely painful swelling underneath. Gasps and screams are audible from the first audience members to see an eye socket almost entirely swollen over as Vader frantically tried to push his eyeball back to its requisite location.
In the spirit of the brawl, Hansen gave his foe little time to address the matter before peppering him with punches dangerously close to the hot-spot. The referee ultimately threw the contest out after the pair simply couldn't be separated. Vader's fortitude (and foresight) was utterly remarkable, considering.