When 300 pound Brock Lesnar decided he was going to do a 'shooting star press' at WrestleMania 19, it was a decision which almost cost him his life. The move, a forward facing front-flip into a splash, is usually reserved for 180 pound cruiser-weights. Lesnar wasn't fazed, he had popped the move off multiple times in developmental, he knew it was the hot finish his WWE title win needed. Unfortunately for Lesnar, the ring ropes in Safeco Field that night were drenched in sweat, Lesnar's foot slipped just as he left the turnbuckle. The result was his shooting star press failed, he instead landed right on to his face and head. The implications of this could have been catastrophic, luckily Lesnar only suffered a severe concussion. However, had he not rotated that inch onto his face, if he had ended up landing that little bit more on his head, then there's a good chance Lesnar could have been killed. A straight fall from the height Lesnar jumped, with 300 pounds of his own body weight driving down into his neck, it would have surely been fatal for Lesnar had he landed fully on the dome of his skull. Luckily, these sort of fine margins continue to be dodged, but it's a timely reminder of the dangers these men face when competing for our entertainment. The WWE is scripted fantasy, but the dangers are all too real.
