Rumble He Drew '14': 2006 How Was He Cursed?: Heading into the 2006 Rumble, Joey Mercury was one-half (with Johnny Nitro) of the WWE Tag Team Champions. It was their third reign together, and they would hold the belts until May 21st. Many viewed them as the best tag team in the world at that point in time. However, Mercury would then be served with a 30-day suspension for a Wellness Policy violation. Even after his suspension was over, he remained off of television for a good five more months after entering drug rehab. Upon his return, he reunited with Johnny Nitro, and the duo would head into December's Armageddon pay-per-view trying to regain the Tag Team Titles. At Armageddon, Mercury would suffer one of the nastiest injuries in the history of the business, when a ladder was propelled into his face, breaking multiple bones and causing blood to pour from his face that was quickly swelling shut. He had to be taken out of the match and rushed to the emergency room. It looked like his career was over in an instant. He would return after a couple weeks, but would be released from his contract a couple months later. His battles with drug addiction continued, and it nearly cost him his job yet again after he was rehired as a trainer. He became addicted to painkillers after his Armageddon match, and Vince McMahon himself had to step in directly and help turn Mercury's life around. It was yet another downward spiral of a man's in-ring career, and this one happened within a single calendar year of a Royal Rumble appearance at #14.
Columnist/Podcaster/Director at LordsOfPain.net for nearly seven years, with nearly 2000 total columns written. Interviewed and/or involved in interviewing the likes of Tyler Black/Seth Rollins (twice), Diamond Dallas Page, Jimmy Jacobs, Christopher Daniels, Uhaa Nation and more.
