10 Uplifting Wrestling Moments To Cure Your 'Mania Hangover

3. Magnum TA Walks Under His Own Power

Magnum TA
WWE.com

Magnum TA was the great, lost wrestling megastar. His short career - one highlighted by an incredibly brutal I Quit match against Tully Blanchard famous for its agonised screams and deeply authentic presentation - was cut short when he totalled his car in 1986. The accident left the right side of his body paralysed. It was feared he would never walk again.

"He was the golden boy before the accident," Dusty Rhodes confirmed on an appearance on Steve Austin's podcast. Austin agreed. "Jesus Christ - barrelled chest, good lookin', very believable."

Magnum never wrestled again, but in a tearful moment, he did walk. His first public wrestling appearance since the accident saw him walk to the ring during the 1987 Crockett Cup, assisted by a cane and two security guards, to embrace Dusty Rhodes and foe-turned-friend Nikita Koloff, who won the tournament in his honour. The fans at the Norfolk Scope went nuts in a scene which, while tinged with sadness, was uplifting nonetheless for how inconceivable it was once thought.

It was scant consolation, perhaps - Magnum was being groomed for the NWA World Heavyweight Title - but it was miraculous, all the same.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick (Creative Writing BA Hons) is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over a decade of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential UK 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 AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and 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!