10 Things You Didn't Know About WWE In 1996

3. A Wrestler Had No Business Being In The Ring

Steve Austin Terry Funk
WWE

Terry Gordy was a fantastic, entirely credible pro wrestler in his heyday.

A massive unit who could really bump and move, he was mean, legitimate, a perfect contrast to the clean-cut Von Erichs, against whom his Fabulous Freebirds warred to mega-drawing effect in the early 1980s. He pulled quite the load; Michael Hayes was more flamboyant than good, and Buddy Roberts was there too. Gordy was special, and as such starred for All Japan Pro Wrestling in the early 1990s - some going, given the stratospheric in-ring standard.

The trajectory of Gordy's career and indeed life changed forever when, in August 1993, he entered a coma for five days following an overdose. He had to learn how to do everything all over again, but, tragically, a different person entirely awoke.

This different Terry Gordy was a stranger to himself almost, eerily blank behind the eyes. He had suffered profound brain damage, and yet, as a favour to Hayes, hired by the WWF a year earlier, Gordy was brought in and repackaged as a turncoat druid to be the Undertaker's latest Monster of the Week. Gordy through muscle memory or something could emulate being a wrestler, almost, but he just wasn't present.

Jim Ross stated on his podcast that he was glad Gordy didn't end up hurting himself or anybody else, but, wrestling being wrestling - a gross industry - he continued to work until 2001: the year of his death.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!